“Nevertheless it was you that started it, wasn’t it? Tell the truth, Darrow.” “Well, yes, I s’pose I started it. I guess it was me, all right.” “Oh, Darrow, don’t you realize what an influence you have over the other boys? There is nothing so great as the power of influence. I remember I wrote my graduating theme upon The Power of Influence, and I’ve noticed it ever since. You knew that playing truant is one of the worst things you can do, and yet you led those boys into temptation. What do you think will be the end of a boy who enters into such sin? You know that when we begin to sin we go from bad to worse, and I hate to think of your going on the downward path, Darrow.” By this time Miss Haynes had reduced herself to tears at the image she was conjuring up of Darrow sliding down the moral toboggan. Darrow, catching his cue from her, began to look contrite and sorrowful. “Darrow, think of the power for good you might be, if only you’d use your influence rightly. Instead of teaching the boys to do wicked things, why not become a great uplift in their lives? Had you ever thought of that?” “No, ma’am. But I’ll try to do better, Miss Haynes.” This rapid conversion to righteous resolutions completely melted Miss Haynes. “I’m sure you will, Darrow. That is all—I won’t punish you this time, for I expect you to use your personal influence to bring these thoughtless and perverse boys into better ways of thinking and doing. Only think of the power for good that you have!” Darrow left the room with a step that fairly sang of a chastened soul resolved to bring all its erring kind into the fold of holy endeavor. He kept this up until he was well away from the schoolhouse, when he broke into a mad run and was soon with the other boys in Farrell’s pasture, where they were playing ball. Here he recounted his interview with Miss Haynes, not omitting the pathetic passages, amid shouts of laughter. Needless to say, his “great influence over the boys” was not exerted in the interests of good order that year. The boys continued to do what they had done before, and Darrow led them as of old. CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT