TOUCHES OF NATUKE 69 



teacher, with his thumb and finger, took out the 

 piece of apple. 



"Didn't know it was there," said the boy, un- 

 abashed. 



Nearly all the moral sentiment and graces are late 

 in maturing in the boy. He has no proper self- 

 respect till isast his majority. Of course there are 

 exceptions, but they are mostly windfalls. The 

 good boys die young. We lament the wickedness 

 and thoughtlessness of the young vagabonds at the 

 same time that we know it is mainly the acridity 

 and bitterness of the unripe fruit that we are la- 

 menting. 



