"But it did not. Rob was full of life, and active and busy as a boy could
well be. At the same time, when, twenty minutes before meals, his mother
blew a little silver whistle, no matter where he was or what he was doing,
everything was dropped, and he ran in to make himself ready. And every time
he came to the table, with his clean face and smooth hair and clothes
carefully arranged or changed, he was in himself a sermon on neatness and
self-respect, which, though none of us said much about it, we felt all the
same. Then by and by one and another began to respond to the little silver
whistle, as well as Rob. One laid aside a bicycle dress, another a
half-invalid negligee, till you could hardly have believed it was the same
company of a few weeks before.
"It was the same with manners. Rob's politeness, simple, unaffected, and
unfailing, at the table, on the veranda, upon the beach, wherever you met
him; his readiness to be helpful; his deference to those older; his
thoughtfulness for all, was the best lesson,--that of example. As a
consequence, the thoughtless began to remember, and the selfish to feel
ashamed, and the careless to keep themselves more in hand.
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