Keeping Promises with Children
A gentleman of nervous temperament once called on Dr. Dwight, President of Yale College. One of the Doctor's boys was rather boisterous, and pestered the nervous gentleman somewhat, whereupon he said to him: "My boy, if you will keep still while I am talking to your father, I will give you a dollar." Instantly the boy hushed down gently as a sleeping lamb. At the close of the gentleman's remarks, he attempted to leave without giving the boy the dollar; but Dr. Dwight was too fast for him. He put a dollar into the man's hand saying, "You promised my boy a dollar for good behavior. Give him that, as you promised. If, sir, we lie, our children will be liars also."—Sel.