posted 07-06-2005 11:34 AM         

I remember the story about the old country preacher

who had a teenage son,

and it was getting time the boy should give some

thought along the line of choosing a profession.

Like many young men, then and now,

the boy didn't really know what he wanted to do-

and he didn't seem overly concerned about it.

One day, while the boy was away at school,

his father decided to try an experiment.

What he did was, he went into the boy's room and

placed on his study table these three objects:

a Bible, a silver dollar, and a bottle of whiskey...

"Now then," the old preacher said to himself,

"I'll just hide behind the door here, and when my son

comes home from school this afternoon, I'll see

which of these three objects he picks up.

If he picks up the Bible, he's going to be a preacher

like me, and what a blessing that would be!

If he picks up the dollar, he's going to be a businessman,

and that would be o.k. too.

But if he picks up the bottle, he's going to be a drunkard -

a no-good drunkard and Lord, what a shame that would be."

The old man was anxious as he waited, and soon he

heard his son's footsteps as he came in the house whistling

and headed back to his room.

<>He deposited his books on the bed, as a matter of routine,

and as he turned around to leave the room he

spotted the objects on the table.

With a curious set in his eye, he walked over to inspect them.

<>What he finally did was, he picked up the Bible

and placed it under his arm.

He picked up the silver dollar and dropped it into his pocket.

He uncorked the bottle and took a big drink...

"Lord have mercy," the old man whispered,

"He's gonna be a politician!"