God can't be pleased with any such thing as _that_.

I've always said that I'd never do it." Tip couldn't answer this: it didn't sound true; he felt sure it was not true; but he had no wisdom with which to meet it.

He went to school with those last words of his father's ringing in his heart, and his thoughts took shape, and spoke in the very first sentence that he addressed to Mr.
Holbrook, whom he overtook as he came out of the post office: "Mr.Holbrook, can I ask you a question ?" And the minister, always ready to help any one out of trouble, smiled and bowed, and walked on by the side of the troubled boy.
"If a man should tell you he thought it would be mean in him to turn around and go to serving God, after he had found out he had but a little while to live, when he had cheated Him out of all the rest of his life, what would you say ?" "I think," said Mr.Holbrook, "I would be very likely to ask him whether he supposed he would feel any less mean for cheating God out of the last year of his life, simply because he had been doing so all the other years.

Because a man has been doing wrong for forty years, I don't know why he should add another year of wrong; I should think he might much better turn around, and make all the amends he could." "Oh!" said Tip, drawing a long breath; "why couldn't I have thought of that?
I knew it was wrong,--I saw it plain enough; but I couldn't think of a word to say." Mr.Holbrook looked earnestly at the eager boy.

"Edward," he said at last, "do you think your father would see me this morning ?" "Yes," said Tip decidedly, "I know he would.