A merchant, engrossed all day in his business, comes home to his house at dinner-time, and meets his boy of fifteen on the steps returning from his school.

"Well, James," he says, as they walk together up stairs, "I hope you have been a good boy at school to-day." James, not knowing what to say, makes some inaudible or unmeaning reply.

His father then goes on to say that he hopes his boy will be diligent and attentive to his studies, and improve his time well, as his future success in life will depend upon the use which he makes of his advantages while he is young; and then leaves him at the head of the stairs, each to go to his room.
All this is very well.

Advice given under such circumstances and in such a way produces, undoubtedly, a certain good effect, but it does not tend at all to bring the father and son together.

But if, instead of giving this common-place advice, the father asks--supposing it to be winter at the time--"Which kind of skates are the most popular among the boys nowadays, James ?" Then, after hearing his reply, he asks him what _his_ opinion is, and whether any great improvement has been made within a short time, and whether the patent inventions are any of them of much consequence.