Once Too Often

ONCE TOO OFTEN By Glen Perrins. "Well, I fooled them that time," said Jimmy as he caught hold of a hand extended down to him and climbed over the top of the high grandstand without glancing at the angry gate keeper below. "That's what I call 'sneaking in' royally," remarked the owner of the helping hand. "Mingle with the crowd now, and he'll never find you." "Thanks for the cooperation, pardner," laconically answered Jimmy, and he scrambled in between two "cash" customers on the other side of the stand and prepared to watch the game. Jimmy liked baseball — it was his favorite sport. He believed in paying to see the game — sometimes. He was a bit too old. he thought, to be "sneaking in," yet whenever he didn't have the money, he saw the game anyway. It was his idea to get in, either by hook or crook. However, Jimmy was soon to be cured of "sneaking in." He enjoyed the baseball game that day, of course. He always did. In fact this one was especially interesting, the home team win- ning with a close score of three to four. And Jimmy got away with- out the gate keeper seeing him, too. He slept that night, odd'y enough, with a clear conscience. He didn't have to pay. He wis too slick for 'em. But — Well, the next week Jimmy decided to see the baseball game again, and this time he would ask his young lady friend, Mary, to go with him. He had a dollar thirty-five, just enough, he thought. It was one of his first "dates" and he was rather timid. "I'd love to go, Jimmy," Mary answered in reply to his phone call. "You know all about the game and you can explain it to me. Will you?" "Sure, I'll explain it," said Jimmy — little dreaming to whom he would explain the next day. Had he known at that time he would have cancelled his appointment at once. That evening and the next day passed quickly, and soon Jimmy with Mary hanging on his arm, was on his way to the baseball game. He felt rather1 odd, taking Mary, and felt that everyone was looking a<- them. "Two," he said to the gate keeper, handing him a dolhr without looking up. "Don't you mean, three?" answered the gate keeper, smiling broadly down at Jimmy. "Three! why-er-er, what do you mean?" "You should know what I mean, young man," replied the gate keeper firmly — "Wouldn't you like to pay for last week's ticket now?

ONCE TOO OFTEN 9 71 You're the fellow I chased over the grandstand — Thought I'd recog- nize you if I saw you again — Been watching for you — " The truth dawned on Jimmy. He looked at Mary. She was coloring. The crowd was watching. "Hurry, Jimmy," she said. "Let's go in." By this time the color was mounting to Jimmy's cheeks — And to add to his embarrassment he only had 35c besides the dollar — not enough for the three fifty-cent tickets. He felt for some extra change. The) crowd was pushing up around him and Mary, and some one shouted, "Move on." Jimmy would have "moved on" gladly, had he been able to. "Cough up, sonny," shouted the gate keeper, "or out you go." "Well, Jimmy," said Mary, sensing the situation, "pay for your- self twice — I'll get my own ticket." Jimmy did. It was the only thing he could do. The crowd giggled and the gate keeper laughed uproariously. "That ought to cure you of 'sneaking in,' sonny," cried the gate keeper. Shall we add here that emphatically, it did? Jimmy was cured, permanently of "sneaking in." BOAST NOT By Joseph S. Peery. Cornelius Vanderbilt's motto was: "Don't tell anyone what you are going to do, until after it is done; then he won't ask you." Evil influences are around us, trying to trap and destroy. They hear our boastings and see our haughtiness. When we think we are strong, we are weak. In our pride, we do not plead for Divine help. We feel we can go it alone. We boast of our accomplishments and what we are going to do. Then the old story is repeated. Powers of evil assault us — disaster follows. We are humbled to the ground, and we learn that of ourselves we are nothing. We should learn that we are wholly dependent upon the Al- mighty, that our strength and happiness come in being humble and obedient. President Lincoln learned this lesson and his ruling thought was, "If God is with me, I cannot fail." The words of the Lord to us are: "If a man boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him." — D. and C. 3:4.