"Not only that, but I believe your companionship with Winn on this river trip, and your example, will be infinitely better for him than mine.

I have noticed that young people are much more apt to be influenced by those only a few years older than themselves than they are by persons whose ideas they may regard as antiquated or old-fogyish." "Oh, papa, how can you say so ?" cried Elta, springing up and throwing her arms about his neck.

"How can you say that you could ever be an old fogy ?" "Perhaps I'm not, dear, to you," answered the Major, smiling at his daughter's impetuosity; "but to young fellows mingling with the world for the first time nothing pertaining to the past seems of any value as compared with the present or immediate future.

Consequently a companion who is near enough of an age to sympathize with the pursuits and feelings of such a one can influence him more strongly than a person whose thoughts are oftener with the past than with the future." "I can't bear to hear you talk so, husband," said Mrs.Caspar.

"As if our Winn wouldn't be more readily influenced by his own father and mother than by any one else in the world! At the same time, I think William's plan well worth considering, for I have hated the idea of that raft trip for you.