“O no, father,” said Oscar; “for if I ’d had a watch about me, I should have looked at it.”

“Well,” added Mr. Preston, “if you don’t care enough about punctuality to take a little trouble to ascertain what time it is, when you have an engagement, I don’t think a watch would help you any in acquiring the habit.  You have n’t made out a very strong case.”

“No,” remarked Mrs. Preston, “he wants a watch for show, and not punctuality,—­that’s plain enough.  He has just been making a great fuss because I put a little bit of a patch on the elbow of his jacket.  He is getting to be quite fastidious, for a gentleman of his size.”

“If you would think a little less of outside appearances, Oscar,” continued his father, “and a little more of inward character, your judgment of men and things would not be quite so much at fault as it is now.  If you judge of boys or men by the cloth and watches they wear, and select your companions accordingly, you will soon find that you have got a pretty set of friends.  And so, too, if you think you can secure the good opinion and respect of the world, merely by dressing well, you are greatly mistaken.  You must learn to judge people by their characters, and not by their dress or appearance.  If I could see you trying to form a good character, I should care very little what sort of garments you wore.  I would buy you a watch, or anything else in my power, if it would only make you behave better.  In fact, I will make you a handsome offer now, if you wish.”

“Well, what is it?” inquired Oscar.

“I will agree to give you a nice watch, in six months from this time, if you will do three things,” continued his father.

“What are they?” inquired Oscar; “are they things that I can do?”

“Certainly,” said Mr. Preston; “you can do them if you will only try.  The first is, that you render prompt obedience to your parents, during these six months.  Is n’t that within your power?”

“Yes, sir,” replied Oscar, somewhat reluctantly.

“The second is,” continued Mr. Preston, “that you behave toward your playmates and all other people in such a way, that no serious complaint shall be made against you.  Can you do that, if you try?”

“Yes, sir, I guess so,” replied Oscar.

“And the last condition is, that you give sufficient attention to your studies to gain admission to the High School, at the end of the term.  Is that in your power?”

“I suppose it is,” said Oscar.

“You admit, then, that you can keep these conditions,” continued his father; “the question now is, will you do it?”

That was a hard question for Oscar to answer.  He hesitated, and twisted about in his chair, and at length replied: 

“Why, I don’t suppose I should make out, if I tried.”

“No, you certainly would not, if that is your spirit,” replied his father.  “You cannot accomplish anything unless you have some confidence that you can do it, and firmly resolve to try.  You just admitted that you could keep these conditions, but it seems you are not willing to make the attempt.  You want a watch, but you don’t intend to obey your parents, or to conduct yourself properly, or to attend to your lessons, for the sake of getting it—­that’s what you mean to say, is it not?”