"Why," said one, "my mother told me I might stay till nine."
"My mother," said another, "did not say any thing about my coming
home: she will let me stay as long as I want to."
"I would not be tied to my mother's apron-string," said a rude boy, in
a distant part of the room.
A timid boy, who lived in the next house to the one in which these
two little boys lived, came up, and said, with a very imploring
countenance and voice, "I am going home at half past eight. Now do
stay a little while longer, and then we will go home together. I
would not go alone, it is so dark."
And even the lady of the house where they were visiting, came to
them and said, "I do not think your mother will have any objection to
have you stay a few moments longer, and eat an apple and a few nuts.
I would have sent them in earlier, if I had known that you wanted to
go."
Now, what, could these poor boys do? How could they summon
resolution to resist so much entreaty? For a moment they hesitated,
and almost yielded to the temptation. But virtue wavered only for a
moment. They immediately mustered all their courage, and said, "We
must go." Hastily bidding them all good night, they got their hats as
quick as they could, for fear, if they delayed, they should yield to
the temptation, and left the house. They stopped not a moment to look
back upon the brightly-shining windows, and happy group of boys
within, but, taking hold of each other's hands, ran as fast as they
could on their way home.
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