"
I don't know how the boy introduced himself, or how he opened his
business, but I know that after talking awhile, the principal put aside
the volume he was studying, took up some Greek books, and began to
examine the new-comer. The examination lasted some time. Every question
which the principal asked, the boy answered as readily as could be.
"Upon my word," exclaimed the principal, "you certainly do well!"
looking at the boy from head to foot, over his spectacles. "Why, my boy,
where did you pick up so much?"
"_In my spare moments,_" answered the boy.
Here he was, poor, hard-working, with but few opportunities for
schooling, yet almost fitted for college, by simply improving his _spare
moments._ Truly, are not spare moments the "gold dust of time?" How
precious they should be! What account can you give of your spare
moments? What can you show for them? Look and see.
[Illustration: "_Where did you pick up so much?" "In my spare moments_."]
This boy can tell you how very much can be laid up by improving them;
and there are _many_ other boys, I am afraid, in the jail, in the house
of correction, in the forecastle of a whale ship, in the gambling house,
or in the tippling shop, who, if you should ask them when they began
their sinful courses, might answer:--
"In my _spare_ moments.
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