The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-01-04

;. emphasis.
The following noon Billy didn't re
: turn from school. and when 4 o'clocI
came and still no Billy. his mothe
grew alarmed. for he was very eel
dom compelled TO remain aftel
school. At 5 o'clock she was caiIes
| TO the telephone; at the other end o.
the line Biily's teacher was explain
Ing that abe had kept Billy in be
cause he had violated the new ruls
| prohibiting the playing OF marbles
for keeps" on the school grounds
| The teacher had explained 10 Billy
the dangers OF that form OF gambling
and hoped the boys mother would
do the same.
Billy soon came home.
Well. my boy" said his mother
In her accustomed kindly tone, "you
are little late this evening. Mother
was beginning TO worry about you,
for you are never kept after school;
and you didn't come home for din
ner, either. Come and tell mother
all about 1t, won't you?"
Billy was not prepared for this sort
or a reception and he was a little
taken back. We'll, mother" he said,
L guess | may as we'll tell you the
whole truth. You know a new rule
has been made by the teacher. She
won't let US play marbles for keeps
any more, and she won't let us play
during the noon hour. This noon
some OF the boys wanted to play, and
after the teacher went home, we did
play and got so interested that we
forgot the time and the teacher re-
turned from dinner while we were
playing and caught us. She told us
to go into the building and take our
seats-ifteen minutes before school
took up. Then she told US to remain
after school, and, of course, we had
to. Then she gave US a lecture about
playing for keeps and the dangers
OF that kind Of gambling as she
called it, and lot of stuff about dis
obedience and being good boys In the
future, and all that"
did she punish your"
No, mother; we expected her to,
but she told us she would trust us
to go home and tell our mothers
about it. I was going to tell you
about 1t after awhile, but you got
ahead of me and asked me. Mother.
did you know about it,"
His mother was silent for a mo-
nent, and then shes aid: BILLY, your
father and knew you were playing
marbles, and we had no objections.
sor it Is a harmless game in itself.
But last night we began to wonder
where you obtained all your mar
oles, finding that neither of us had
given you money to buy any and
knowing that you are not earn,
ng any spending money now. We
nought, perhaps, some of the bows
we're giving them to you SO you could
'lay' because they know that you, are
good player and able to make a
Jane interesting. But, Billy, mother
very sorry indeed to know that her
10Y has been gambling in this way
or 1t is nothing but gambling, al
nough on small scale, perhaps. The
rlnciple is the same, for you simply
et your marbles against the other
'oy's marbles that you can beat him.
nd then you take from him what is
is by right. My son, I hope you will
ever again play marbles for keeps
our father will be glad to furnish
GU ali the marbles you need with
'hlch to have good time; but don't
1t it be said Of you: Well, there is
lilly Jones playing marbles. He s
good player and has probably won
good many by this time"
Billy was thoughtful for a mo-
lent. WE'LL" he said finally. 81
uess you are right mother: YOU
sually are right. l don't know as
ne new rule is such a bad one after
II" Then after a pause: Good
We, I'm going to see Harry and Tom
nd give back all the marbles I won
'om them to-day
Billy's lesson made a deep impres-
on upon him, and the result of his
lnuence upon the other boys was
lcn that in few days the teacher
ao erased the rule from the black
oard and the practice of PLAYING
laroles for keeps disappeared
'om the school.
Billy is now employed as private
to one of the members of
ongress from the Middle West, and
is first lesson upon the dangers of
has served to keep him
holly free from the evil tendencies
that vice from that day to the
resent time.-C. F. Stoddard. in