OBSERVATION
In his daily half hour confidential talk with his boy an ambitious
father tried to give some good advice.
"Be observing, my son," said the father on one occasion. "Cultivate the
habit of seeing, and you will be a successful man. Study things and
remember them. Don't go through the world blindly. Learn to use your
eyes. Boys who are observing know a great deal more than those who are
not."
Willie listened in silence.
Several days later when the entire family, consisting of his mother,
aunt and uncle, were present, his father said:
"Well, Willie, have you kept using your eyes as I advised you to do?"
Willie nodded, and after a moment's hesitation said:
"I've seen a few things right around the house. Uncle Jim's got a bottle
of hair dye hid under his trunk, Aunt Jennie's got an extra set of teeth
in her dresser, Ma's got some curls in her hat, and Pa's got a deck of
cards and a box of chips behind the books in the secretary."