e pleasure, not pain.
You have fallen into this practice through thoughtlessness; but that
does not alter the character of the sin. To do so, is a great sin
against God, and a great offence against good order in school. You see,
yourself, that my duty to the school, will require me to adopt the most
decided measures, to prevent the continuance and the spread of such a
practice. I should be imperiously bound to do it, even if the individual
was the very best friend I had in school, and if the measures necessary,
should bring upon him great disgrace and suffering. Do you not think it
would be so?"

"Yes sir," said James, seriously, "I suppose it would."

"I want to remove the evil, however, in the pleasantest way. Do you
remember my speaking on this subject, in school the other day?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, my object in that, was, almost entirely, to persuade you to
reform, without having to speak to you directly. I thought it would be
pleasanter to you to be reminded of your duty in that way. But I do not
think it did you much good. Did it?"

"I don't think I have played so much since then."

"Nor I. You have improved a little, but you have not decidedly and
thoroughly reformed. So I was obliged to take the next step which would
be least unpleasant to you; that is, talking with you alone. Now you
told me, when we began, that you would deal honestly and sincerely with
me, if I would with you. I have been honest and open. I have told you
all about it, so far as I am concerned. Now I wish you to be honest, and
tell me what you are going to do. If you think, from this conversation,
that you have done wrong, and if you are fully determined to do so no
more, and to break off at once, and for ever from this practice, I
should like to have you tell me, and then the whole thing will be
settled. On the other hand, if you feel about it pretty much as you have
done, I should like to have you tell me that too, honestly and frankly,
that we may have a distinct understanding, and that I may be considering
what to do next. I shall not be offended with you for giving me either
of these answers, but be sure that you are honest; you promised to be
so."

The boy looked up in his master's face, and said, with great
earnestness,

"Mr. T., I _will_ do better. I _will not_ trouble you any more."

I have detailed this case, thus particularly, because it exhibits
clearly what I mean, by going directly and frankly to the individual,
and co