A REVISED FAILURE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 26, 1 July 1909, Page 1037

A REVISED FAILURE

The boy's face was a dull red under his tan. He would rather have taken any kind of punishment than face his father, but he went straight to the office. « I've failed,' he said, briefly. Then he turned hia back and stood at the window trying to whistle. " 'Dick,' his father called. The boy turned, the whistle dying on his lips, his eyes full of surprise. He knew, how much his faftier wanted him to pass, yet there was" 'no reproof in his voice; he was even smiling a little, and his grip brought a rush of' dumb gratitude to the boy's throat. 'Began to "make up" too late, didn't you?' his father asked. The boy nodded. 'Well, it was a failure, of course; whether it stays a failure or not depends upon what it has done to you. Failure is one of the commonest things in life — failure in a man's business, in his ambition, in his hopes. Jewefct failed the other day— do you know what his creditors aro going to do?' ' No,' the boy answered eagerly. ' Set him up again. It was a magnificent failure — conditions he couldn't hold out against without dishonesty, ' so he let everything else go and kept his honor ; and his creditors are going to help him to his feet because they believe in him. Now, Dick, I believe in my boy, and lam going, to let him decide for himself. I'll find you a position, or — you can take the year over and try again. That would be tough, I know — perhaps too tough for you. I shall not say a word if you choose business.' i But the boy's head was up now, his eyes clear and determined, looking straight into his father's. ' I'm going to take it over,' he declared.