The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-08-10
TIME AND TRUTH-AN APOLOGIZE
BY J. X. PAULDINe.

! Aihong me daughters oil line, the younre
y ana best beloved, was beautiful maiden, calle
y ruin. 1t was fore doomed at her birth til;
she should be incapable Of fraud or deception
that wherever she came she should remedy II
evils OF falsehood and calumny, put to fiiel
Tor ever the errors of mankind, and banis
doubt, darkness, and uncertainty from the fac
oil the earth. In short, she was to be omniDo
tent and eternal
line, who was for ever in motion, and ncye
stald a moment IN one place, could not endur
to be without the society of his favorite child
ana as soon as she grew up, insisted on her ac
conpanylng him every where. Being abou
10 make the circuit of the universe, be accord
ngiy took her by the hand, and they journeyc
: together
Time had wings, but Truth had none ant
1t was soon found she could not keep up will
inc old man. who. though his head was almos
bald and aus beard white as the driven snow
couid travel day and night over hill and dale
sea ana land, through air and fire, wilhou: eve
resting or being fatigued Impatient of delav
ana incapable Of restraining the imnetuositv O
ms motions, ne soon grew tired of the slow ant
ieco'e Steps OF his daughter, who was timid a.
young lawn, and looked about, before behind
on every side ere she venturcd forward; anC
| 'e"i's her ne conid not wait for her tardy mo.
tlons, babe her join him without fail at the end
I of the world
lime soon finished his tour round the clobe
out truth was far behind and as he had sworn
( never TO wat Tor any one, the old man turned
round TO mate another :our, and met his dauUh-
Ter about mn way on her journey. As lone
parted trieHis love to tell each other all ,hai
has passed j. their absence, they related their
adventures
One day said Time, { I met a wife whose
rash husband had turned her from his door and
divided herfrom her children, on account OF
some uhfouIded jealousy. / would have s,aid
to make upthe quarrel and convince him of his
error, but knew you would soon come and sci
all right Ihope thou didst make nv words
good dds thou interfere in behalf of one Of
thy sex"
Alas faher, the poor abandoned wife was
dead before l came. Grief and shame had
driven her 70 despair, and she persisted by her
own hands
What alpity but let us go on. Next |
met young man who had been crossed in love
in consequence OF calumnes that had poisoned
the mind ofhis mistress. A little onward and
encountered the young woman myself, who
was pinlng away almost broken hearted at The
supposed infany of her lover. could not stay
to remedy Thur sorrows, but told them that nv
daughter Truth was just behind, and would
soon bring abput good understandings
her eyes, lcame too late. The youth had
become sothnd gamester, and The poor gii
had died of broken heart
Thou art destined, it seems TO be alwars
too late. wish thou wouldst go forward in.
stead of looking all around, and feeling tny
way like blind man.
All! father replied she, how should be
assurq edy 9f ,bayr viii" g6hY?' IS IL - H"s'
80" NdXt, continued old Time, cane into a
city where a man had been condemned to death
for crime of which he was innocent. would
have staid TO do him justice, but my moments
were too precious end knew you were close
at hand. Didst thou save him from the gal
lows5'
'No--I did not arrive in season. saw his
body hanging in chains; but did justice to his
memory. Better late than never, father.
llumph - said the old man. After This |
arrived in country where the people were
preparing to murder their governor and all his
family on account of false report Of his having
attempted to Getray them to their enemies /
looked behind, and thought saw thee adyanc-
ing and being. as usual, in a great hurry, lett
it TO thee to dissipate the del1sion.'
al grieve to tell thee. Q father that was
little too late. The virtuous governor, with
all his family, had just perished and the wicked
calumniator was in his place. told them the
true state of the case But the lie had done its
work, and the consequences were lTremedlu-
BILE"
~ wish 10 the immortal Jove," cried Time,
wish my youngest daughter Truth, would
keep pace with my eldest daughter Fasehood."
"How should |, my father. when she never
stops to see whittier she is going, and am al
ways seeking the true path 2"
" Proceeding onward resumed old Time.
" | came to where the people were fighting and
cutting threats, and burning each other on ac-
count OF dispute about word, which each
party interpreted differently, thought it II
great pity they could not find out winch was
the right meaning. But, said /, my daughter.s
just behind and will clear up the matter, have
not moment to loose, | hope thou didsl not
come too late here or elsewhere"
"Not altogether too late father" replied the
virgin, - but ere came, one party had exter.
minated the other, and when | offered to tell
the conquerors the true meaning OF the word,
they said they knew II already as well as dId.
| asked them how they came by it; they an
swered by the virtue OF the right OF the strong
est and then left me shouting Truth is great
and will prevail"
Poor, ignorant creatures !" exclaimed Time
and shrugged his btawny shoulders. CAS-
travelled onward from thence, came TO a ia
ton which sacrificed human beings to grea
snake, and left particular directions with tht
priests to stop you when you came, and become
convinced OF their deporable errors"
" stopped; but grievc to say it was only
to lament over their msfortunes Phe day be
fore arrived they had all been extermlnateC
by people who came 10 convert them
! Sluggard !" exclaimed the old man, for he
began to wax wroth. But he again resumed llls
narrative.
| I" A little while after came among people
who worshippcd craven images, and was ex
ceedinsly angry at their foolish ldolatry Bu'
could not stay to argue the matter with them
and proclaimed aloud, as / passed, that my
daughter was coming TO set them right. Didst
thou visit heselgnorant people =
debut alas father, the very day bu
one before came they had all been swallowed
up by an inundaton -
Out upon thee !" cried Time, no longe
able to restrain his Impotence at the datorl
pace OF his daughter. Out upon thee! y
what use is it that thou art gifted with tn
power 10 correct error and remedy the mischief
of caIumny-of what consequence is it tho
shalt ever prevail where thou contest if tho
art thus always tagging behind the event
which bring about'-Better not come at a
than too late"