A CHAPTER FOR BOYS 369 



the ripe, luscious fruit which in autumn bends the 

 heavy-laden boughs almost to breaking. Often, like the 

 young apples, boys are green ; but this is only natural, 

 and should be considered no disgrace to them. If they 

 grow up naturally, they will ripen with age, like the 

 fruit, developing at each successive stage of life addi- 

 tional attractions and estimable qualities. 



Boys the Hope of the World.— The world's most 

 valuable property is its boys. A nation which has poor, 

 weakly, vicious boys will have still weaker, more vi- 

 cious, and untrustworthy men. A country with noble, 

 virtuous, vigorous boys is equally sure of having noble, 

 pious, brave, and energetic men. Whatever debases, 

 contaminates, or in any way injures the boys of a coun- 

 try, saps and undermines the very foundation of the 

 nation's strength and greatness. Save the boys from 

 vice and crime, give them good training, physically, 

 mentally, and morally, and the prosperity of the nation 

 is assured. 



Man, the Masterpiece.— When a skilful artist per- 

 fects a work of art, a i^ainting, a drawing, a statue, or 

 some other work requiring great talent, and exceeding 

 all his other efforts, it is called his masterpiece. So 

 man is the noblest work of God, the masterpiece of the 

 Almighty. Numerous anecdotes are told of the sagac- 

 ity of dogs, horses, elephants, and other animals, of 

 their intelligence as shown in their ingenious devices 

 for overcoming obstacles, avoiding difficulties, etc. 

 Our admiration and wonder are often excited by the 

 scarcely less than human wisdom shown by these lowly 

 brothers of the human race. We call them noble ani- 

 mals; but they are only noble brutes, at best. Com- 

 pared with man, even in his most humble form, as seen 

 in the wild savage that hunts and devours his prey like 



