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. Grumbling at the time for flying so quickly, he snatched up one of his school books, threw his satchel with the rest over his shoulder, and started off at a quick pace, learning his lesson as he went. Of course he could not always look where he was going, and the consequence was he knocked up against people, and trod on their toes, and so far from apologizing in his ill-humour, he declared to himself that "it served them right; why didn't they get out of his way?"
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