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TH£ FUTURfc CITIZEN. “AGE 3 THE DIVIDING LINE What Smoking Did For llim. FORGET IT* Some time ago the sapt. of an important Toledo manufacturing establishment found that the habits of many of his workmen were not what they should be. He did not care to lecture any of them, but did devise a way of carrying a sim ple lesson to their hearts One afternoon in a large and empty warehouse he had painted across the middle of the floor a great white line. At five o’clock when all the men quit work they were invited to enter this ware house before they started for their homes. They all looked, wonder- ingly at the fresh white lice, but no explanation was given them to its presence until the superinten dent came in. Then he said: “Boys there is a right and left side to this line. I want every man who stands for sobriety, honesty in speaking, fair dealing with all about him, no bad debts, no gambling, to step to the rigid side of this, and every man who does not feel that he can subscribe to such principles to step on the left side. 1 want to know' where my men stand on these mal.eis. Th'is is the dividing line.” Some of the men hung their heads, others twisted their thumbs, others s.epped promptly forward and chose the right side of the white line. “There is no compulsion about this,” explained the superinten dent, “but, 1 have to know once for all how to divide my men.” In the end every man in the room was on the right side of the line. Those who did not wholly believe in it at the moment saw that it was the tfue side if they were to be sue cessful in work. After that the superintendent had little trouble with the habits of his men. For all, for the growing school boy and for the grown man, there is drawn in daily life, drawn across the pathway of daily conduct, a white line. One side is right, can never be anything but right, and the other side is left, wrong, in more senses of “left” than one Others can advise us as to which side to choose, but the final decision rests with ourselves We must pick up our side of the dividing line. It is up to us to show if we know what is right and what is left. Don’t get “left.”—industrial School Times. Miss S., a teacher in a Western high school, became much interest ed in one of her pupils, not because of his intelligence, but because of his apathy and dulness. She knew that lie came from a good family, and that his brothers and sisters, who had preceded him in the high school, had ranked high. She could not understand why this boy, with all his advantages, should do such poor work. To solve the problem, she went to the office of the city superintendent, where are kept filed the records of every child in the pub'ic schools year by year. She found that for the first five years of his school life he had rank ed “Excellent” in every study. The next year a few “G’s” had re placed the “E’s” in some studies The next year there was but one “G” and many “F’s.” The fol lowing years “F’s” and “P’s” struggled for supremacy, showing a steady downward course year aft er year. The next day she had a private interview with the boy, and electrified him by saying : “George, you began to smoke cigarettes when you were in the 6B grade, didn’t you?” “Who told you?” gasped the astonished boy. ♦ “Nobody.” v “ 1'heti how did you find out?” “Was I right? Did you?” “ Yes,” confessed ‘he boy. “1 began when l was in Miss H.’s room. The boy who sat behind me gave me a package. But how did you find out ?” Miss S. then told of her visit to the superintendent’s office, wheie his whole miserable record of de terioration was filed against hi n. The boy seemed roused from his usual apathy, and said, “Well, if that is »o, I'll never smoke another cigarette as long as 1 live.” That was several years ago. lie kept his word, and his report-cards showed a steady improvement, al though he never received an “E ’ during his high-school course, be cause his faculties had become irretrievably dulled. Last year lie wrote to Miss S. : “1 have kept my word, and have never smoked since the day you showed me my record. 1 am work ing in a good position, and am glad to say I am a decent man, thanks to you.—The Youth’s Companion. Has someone played a scurvy trick? Forget it. Has someone soaked you with a brick? Forget it. Don’t let the memory endure; a scheme of vengeance will not cure a single sore, you may be sure—forget it. Hits someone used your name in vain? Fo-get it. Don’t call on him to explain ; forget it. If you are straight and good, and true, it boots not what men say' of you; don’t fuss, or pause, a rag to chew—forget it. Your wife has got a nagging tongue? Forget it. You thought her smooth when she was young; forget it. She’s had enough work and care to sour the temper of a hear: what if she hits you with a chair? Forget it. The kids kick up a beastly noise? Forget it. You cannot read for girls and boys For get it. Some day they’ll leave the old home shack, and then you’ll wish that they were back, to make the floors and rafters crack forget it. You have a tooth ache in y’our ear? Forget it. You've half a mind to shed a tear? Forget it. For brood ing ones g-ief or pain but puts the fantods in y'our brain , and shows you are not safe or sane? Forget it. —Industrial School Times. DISOBEDIENCE “My dear boy,” s id his father to his only' son, “you are in bad ccmpany. The lads with whom you associate indulge in bad habits. They drink, play cards, smoke, swear and visit theaters. These are not safe company for you.” “You needn’t be afraid of me, father,” replied the boy laughing ly, “I guess 1 know a thing or two. 1 kpow how far to go and then stop.” The 1 id left his father’s house twirling his cane in his fingers and laughingnt the old ‘man’s notions.’ A few years later, and the lad grown to manhood, stood before the bar of a court, before a jury which had just brought in a ver dict of guilty against some crime in which he had been concerned. Be fore he was sentenced he addres-ed the conrtand said amongothcr things “My downward course began in disobedience to my parents. 1 thought 1 knew as much .is my father did and I spurned his advice ; but as soon as 1 turned my back on my home, temptations came up on me like a drove of hyenas and hurled me into ruin ”—Exchange. Can You Imagine A Time When The Future Citizen Will ^ A Thing of T he Past? We Can*>