Why don't you? What do you want to be always getting for?
A small boy once put a note by his mother's plate, and when she came to breakfast, she found a bill.
"Mother, in account with Jack."
—To going messages .................. $1.00
" carrying coal ................... .50
" cutting the grass ............... .75
" gathering eggs and chopping wood 1.00
———
Total ................... $3.25
The dear mother never said a word, but left the bill on the table. Next morning a note was at the boy's plate.
"Jack, in account with Mother."
—To looking after his baby years .... $0.00
" washing and cleaning clothes .... 0.00
" mending stockings ............... 0.00
" helping all his life ............ 0.00
———
Total ................... $0.00
The second day a shame-faced boy tore up that first bill and later on laid his head in his mother's lap and cried.—I guess you know why!
Before a train starts, the wipers go all over her to wipe and examine the engine; the fireman comes and builds and starts the fire; the engineer comes and goes carefully all over the machinery; the mechanic comes and tests all the wheels; and then she is linked on the train, the lever is pulled, and puff! puff!—away she goes, drawing her long line of passengers and freight!
You are going through the process now of getting ready. By-and-by you will be hitched on to some life job.
See you get ready properly, and get coupled to the right train; and then pull for all your might, and help serve humanity by bringing in your load to the final station where some day we all must land.
XXXI