SOLUTIONS NOT KEPT.

Four years of Charlie's life soon passed swiftly away in his pleasant
and happy home. He is now twelve years of age, and has grown a tall,
strong, healthy boy. His blue eyes are just as merry, and his frank,
fearless face as sunburnt, as when we first made his acquaintance on the
pier. He is generous, grateful, and affectionate, and John Heedman and
his wife--his good "father and mother," as he calls them now--are very
dear to him.

I need scarcely tell you that they have never regretted adopting him,
and could not love him better, or be more proud of him, if he were their
own son. They have found him from the first clever at his learning, and
painstaking; full of gratitude and love to themselves; honest and
truthful; anxious to serve God, and really trying to do so in his way.
But one thing has troubled them: for the last two years they have seen
him gradually giving himself up more and more to the dangerous habit of
"putting off." He had become, unconsciously, a very slave to it; it
required quite an effort on his part to do any duty at once.

Perhaps some boys who read this are inclined to exclaim, "Was that all?"
But if they think for a moment, I am sure they will see that it is very
dangerous, _because_ they are inclined to think lightly of it.

Procrastination, or the habit of "putting off," is one of Satan's great
temptations. Many a boy may be tempted to give way to it who would
shrink from telling an untruth, or committing any flagrant sin; but
Satan knows well enough how soon and how surely it will _lead_ them into
sin.

Unfortunately, Charlie had no idea how this habit was creeping upon him;
he always contrived to find some excuse for putting off that satisfied
himself if it did not satisfy others; and when it led him to do wrong,
or into misfortune of any kind, he always fancied that something or some
one else was to blame.

"Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman one morning, just before school-time, "did
you learn your lessons last night?"

"No, mother," answered Charlie; "I can learn them this morning; there's
time enough."

"Do get your books then, and begin; you have only a quarter of an hour."

"All right, mother dear," he answered, gaily; "I'll get them in a
minute; there's time enough;" but Charlie was very much interested in
teaching his dog Jumper to sit up, and kept putting off until at last
the quarter of an hour was gone, and he found he had only just time to
get to school