and happy and joyous—­perhaps the victim is led to believe that father and mother are misinformed, since there seems to be nothing but gaiety there.  But he finds, all too soon, that the liquor which seemed at first to make little difference in his life, is becoming his master, and never does he realize it so well as when he tries to free himself.  Why and how has the saloon changed his life?  The story is a simple one, and he should have seen the reason before he entered, because there it is, written plainly upon the outside of the place which has meant his ruin.

[With your penknife cut the paper along the lines A. Do not cut on the lines B. Fold back the two “doors,” at B, as if they were hinged.  It may be necessary to hold them back with thumb tacks or pins.  To heighten the effect it is well to have placed a blackened sheet of paper beneath the top sheet, so as to produce the effect illustrated.  Add “And Poison Kills!” This completes Fig. 63.]

[Illustration:  Fig. 63]

“The saloon may try to hide its real self, but every time it opens its doors to allow one of its victims to come out, it proclaims to the world that it traffics in poison—­poison fatal to happiness, fatal to hope, fatal to health, fatal to all the higher and nobler aspirations of life.  Everywhere is this truth proclaimed.  From the insane asylums come the testimony.  The jails cry out that it is true.  The poor houses tell of its blight.  Poverty-burdened homes and broken hearts everywhere proclaim the awful truth.

“And yet, the land is cursed with these dram shops whose owners care only for the money which comes to them and which should go to the advancement of the happiness and the uplift of him who is their victim.  Boys, may we plead with you today never to allow this thing to enter your life to keep you from being all that God wants you to be?”

THE SIMPLE LIFE
    —­Haste
    —­Quietness

The True Christian Life is the Safe, Sensible, Simple Life.

THE LESSON—­That speed and greed must of necessity end in dire disaster.

It is a splendid thing to teach the boys and girls the lesson that true happiness attends the quiet, yet active life, while the race after vain things brings only bitterness and disappointment.

The Talk.

[Because of the details in the drawing of the boat, it is advisable, we think, to complete Fig. 64 before beginning the talk.]

“In these days the very air seems filled with the ‘speed germ.’  Automobiles whiz here and there, and many a hen which now tries to cross the country road never gets more than half way.  We who live in town have to keep a sharp lookout or we are apt to share the fate of many a valuable Buff Cochin or Plymouth Rock.  Trains speed along their glistening rails faster than ever before.  Great ships skim across the ocean in days instead of weeks.  The aeroplane, which needs neither steel rails nor water to glide upon, darts through space still more rapidly.  Everybody seems to be in a hurry, whether he is or not.  We are impatient if the street car is half a minute late, when we are fully aware that we have plenty of time to reach our destination.