I wish all the boys and girls who will read this book would make the reply of Frances their motto: “What I cannot tell my mother is not fit to know.” Stick to this rule through thick and thin, and you will avoid many of the snares and pitfalls by which many of your companions and playmates sink into shame and sin. Don’t read a note that you would be afraid to have your mother read. Don’t look at a picture that you would be ashamed to have your mother see. Don’t speak any word, and don’t allow any to be spoken to you, that you would not like to have your mother hear. A girl’s best friend is her mother. A boy’s best friend is his mother. And, boys and girls, be very sure that if a thing isn’t fit for your mothers to know it isn’t fit for you to know. THE RIGHT WAY. Henry Oliphant always considered himself lucky whenever he was able to get a ride on the street cars without paying for it, or get a glass of soda water or be admitted to some public place, where an admission fee was charged, without paying the price. He was bragging one day to some of his boy friends that he had not paid anything to witness the school exhibition the night before. Frank Sewall was brave enough to chide him for having done so. Frank was a plain-spoken boy, and Henry didn’t like what Frank had said. He thought what he had done was all right, while Frank had said that it was all wrong. Anyhow, Henry decided to get his father’s opinion on the matter. “Father,” he said, when night had come, “I got in the hall last night for nothing.” “How was that?” “I just walked by the doorkeeper and he didn’t ask me for any money.” “Did the doorkeeper see you?” “Well, father, that was his business; he was put there for that purpose; he ought to have seen me.” “But I asked you, Henry, whether the doorkeeper saw you. I want you to answer that question.” “I don’t know, sir.” “Do you think he saw you?” “I don’t know, sir.” “Well, Henry, if he had seen you, don’t you think he would have asked you for your money or a ticket?” [Illustration: “FATHER,” HE SAID, WHEN NIGHT HAD COME, “I GOT IN THE HALL LAST NIGHT FOR NOTHING.”] “I guess so, father; but he didn’t ask me for anything.” “Well, now, Henry, you know that a charge of ten cents was made at the door, and that no one had a right to enter who had not paid the ten cents. You did go in without paying. Now, whether the doorkeeper saw you or not, do you think that that was quite honest on your part? Was that the right way for you to act?” “Well, I would have paid him if he asked me. I wasn’t the doorkeeper.” “I guess the man who stole our wood last week would have paid me if I had seen him and asked him; but we called that stealing.” “But, father, I did not take anything from the doorkeeper.” “Who gave you the money with which to pay your admission?” “Mother.” “Where is that money now?” “I have it; but I didn’t take it from the doorkeeper.”