"Yes, and I have some errands to do," suddenly remembered Billy Bowles.
"Touched and taken!" said the kindly captain to himself, as the boys
tramped off, keeping step in a soldier-like way.
Mrs. Bowles declared a fortnight afterward that Billy was "really getting
to be a comfort!" And Mrs. Hollis, meeting the captain about that time,
remarked that Jimmy always meant to be a good boy, but now he was actually
being one.
"Guess your stories they like so much have good morals in them now and
then," added the gratified mother, with a smile.
As Mrs. Hollis passed, Captain Sam, with folded arms and head bent down,
said softly to himself, "Well, I shall be thankful if a word of mine will
help the dear boys to keep furrows from their mothers' brows; for, once
there, it is a difficult task to straighten them out."--_Selected_.
* * * * *
"If you were busy being good,
And doing just the best you could,
You'd not have time to blame some man
Who's doing just the best he can.
"If you were busy being true
To what you know you ought to do,
You'd be so busy you'd forget
The blunders of the folks you've met.
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