Purpose.—To show that punctuality at the table is desirable.
Method.—An incident related, followed by a conversation.
The Lesson.
Johnnie, like many little boys, was fond of sleeping in the morning. The bed always seemed the softest and his dreams the most interesting just as the rising bell rang. He would wake just enough to think there would be time enough before breakfast to go to sleep again and finish out that one dream. But nap followed nap until the sharp ting-a-ling-ling of the breakfast bell roused him. Then he would try to dress hurriedly, but every thing generally went wrong, and he would get out to breakfast too late for the delicious hot cakes the rest of the family had enjoyed. How do you think it made him feel to eat a cold breakfast?
“Cross.”
Tell me what you think of such a boy as Johnnie.
“He was lazy.”
“He didn’t do as his mother wished him to.”
Did he make his mother trouble?
“Yes’m. His breakfast had to be kept for him.”