Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-03-21
The Children 5 Pulpit


There were four boys, Robert
Jones, Frank Daily, James Phillips
and Clarence Ross, walking up the
river looking fo- good place to cast
in their fishing lines, when they found
pocketbook. They all saw it about
the same time, so they decided that
they would divide it's contents equal
ly among themselves, since the own
er's name was not in it. On open
ing it they found just four quarters
a. quarter for each boy. Then one OF
them asked, what shall we spend
| it for?"
"That is easy" spoke up Robert, 81
shall get some more smoker
Won't. i have plenty for once
"Mine for some cigarettes" cried
James. "You know that day went
to Sunday school the teacher told us
that cigarettes were coffin nails. I'll
bet ! drive plenty of nails for a
while"
"That is me, too" said Frank,
"smoken for me-"
"How about you, Clarence?" they
all asked in unison. "Well, fellows"
he answered, 81 can't admire your
taste. am going to put mine in the
bank and save it, and when l get
through high school / hope to have
enough money to go to college. My
Sunday school teacher told us just
last Sunday about boy who saved
his money and went to college and
he became a great man who was
worth while. i am not going to
smoke another bit, and am going to
save every cent / get for college.
"Haw! Haw!" laughed the others,
"Isn't he getting to be good little
sissy, though. He goes to Sunday
school every Sunday and now plans
to go to college. Clarence you are
fool. You never will have any fun
in life"
Clarence paid no attention to their
unkind remarks. Although the boys
remained good friends, yet their
ideals were so different that each
realized that there was a widening
gulf between them. Clarence work
ed every opportunity that came to
him, and saved his money for college.
The other boys worked as little as
possible and spent most OF their
money for smoker"
They all became men. Clarence,
as he had planned, graduated from
college and a few years later was
elected to the state legislature. After
the election his HON town invited
him to deliver an address in the town
auditorium. The room was packed
with friends who were justly proud
of the speaker and gave him many
rousing cheer as he spoke.
The next morning Robert Jones,
Jr., was all excitement as he rushed
over to visit his chum, Erwin Phil
lips, for few moments before school.
don't you tell that l told you," said
young Robert as he came up almost
breathless, "but you and me are go
ing to Sunday school and when we
get big we are going to college, SO
we can be somebody worth while.
know, cause when we came home
from the speaking last night, my dad
said to your dad, Jim, that was the
greatest speech / ever heard. But
just thought, when we were boys to-
gether, we. were just as smart as ne
was and had better chance to 60
to school. He went to Sunday
school and college while we smoked
and now he is a great man, and we
don't amount to nothing Then your
dad said, Il thought the same thing
and / have decided to quit smoking
and save my money and send my boy
to Sunday school and then to college
SO he can be somebody Then they
shook hands and said, We'll do it if il
kills u.s. Won't it be great to tall
like that man did last night?"