Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-02-02
THE LAST BELL.

u
May, 1925; was sitting by the side Of Heller
Ilarris the only girl ever loved, and be-
| ieved the only girl that loved me-any how
she was the only one that ever told me so.-
We were sitting in the piazza Of her fathers
house, about n quarter of mile from the
! landing place, waiting for the bell of the
steamboat to warn me of the moment tha,
was to part "my love and me-" 1t came to
! pass in the course ofmy history, that in order
! to accumulate little of this worlds "gear
that might be the better prepared to en-
counter the demands of matrimony, | was
destined to cross the blue Chesapeake, and
seek in the metropolitan city the WHERE
wITHAL so much desired. How many swains
! have been compelled like me, to leave home,
and the girl they loved, to wander in search
fgold:--A --And--and good gracious! how many
! have been ds-disappointed?- of them
! perhaps, for most Of them may have obtained
the gold-like me, may be they did not get
as much as they wanted. But to the piazza
n Well!-we were sitting on the piazza and,
as may be supposed, were talking of our love
and separation, all the ct ceteras Of our sit
uation. We were waiting for the most un-
welcome sound that ever saluted our ears,
namely, the steamboat bell.
1t is known to all who know anything Of
steamboats,, that their bells give two warn
ings to those who have engaged for voyage
the second is signal for starting.
| You may rely on it we talked fast-we
thought fast, and abbreviated our words into
such ragged sentences, that nobody but our
selves could understand them. The first bell
rang-thc sound rolled over Mr.. 1arris's
corn field and water melon patch, to the piaz-
"a, like the knell of hope, and sprung 10 my
feet and trembled like an aspen.
80 George, wait till the last bell rings"
said Helen, as the "big bright tears came
over her eyes of blue"
DO no such thing" answered the hoarse
voice Of Mr.. Harris, as he arose like spectre
from the cellar, where he had been packing
away his cider-"Do no such thing" he re-
piled, sand George" he continued, "carry
this advice with you to the grave--sad may
it be of service to you-NEvER war; FOR
THE LAST BELL"
/ was off like chased deer-the last bell
rung as | approached the steam boat, and
had scarcely time to get aboard, before she
was pushed from the wharf.
On my passage / had time for reflection,
and after few Autterngs at my heart, occn-
stoned by the separation from its IDOL | CON-
posed myself to the cool reasoning and the
conclusion Of the whole mater was, that it
was dangerous to wait for the last bell.
My career in search of pelf has in degree
been successful, but verify believe, had not
the old farmer told me "never to wait for the
last bell," that / now should have been as .
poor as the morning the farewell shivered .
from my lips upon the heart Of my lonely
Helen.
came to the big city-took lodgings at a
hotel, and any person who has ever lived at
hotel, but for single day, can rehearse the
dangers Of waiting for the last bell. / did it
once--it was the day ] entered-and lost
my dinner. | have always been ready for
the dinner bell since thcn,and the first stroke
has found me at the table. mingled with
mankind and | saw thousands who were
waiting for the last bell. In business they
were slow, and bargains slipped by them.-I
In the payment of their liabilities they were
backward, and their credit consequently suf-
fered. i
For six months I was a clerk-it was q
short apprenticeship-my not waiting for the /
asst bell, that is to say, my doing everything
had to do in the right time, won a place for
ne in the affections of my employer, and
which induced him to offer me partnership.
acccpted-and in every instance when the
,ell rung It found me ready.
have been in business and married nine
years, and have yet to be found mapping
when the bell rings. i,
The first love letter wrote, contained an
approval Of the sentiment of farmer Harris,
and Helen was not long in settling her opin-
ion for our side, when informed her that if I
had waited for the last bell. she would not
have received it by that boat. +
! had almost forgotten to tell you that
Helen is my wife, aud she, for one, will nev-
er repent the morning ] took her father at his
word, and run for life over the water melon
patch and corn field to get to the boat in
lime. Il
Now would just beg leave to say few
words to our young men about this thing of I
Waiting for the last bell. When arrived at
Baltimore, ] waited on some gentlemen to
whom had Introductory letters and they re- 4
commended me for situation; one was soon
offered which was told had been refused by !
our young men, to whom it had been offered
before | came to the city-the salary was low
but" said |, "they are waiting for the last
'ell," and was not slow in accepting it-and
am glad of it for it was the making Of me.
Shortly after | became partner in my pre-
ent business, our custom having increased 4
we advertised for an additional
Jerk, the salary at the beginning was the
anne that had received. Many called who
we're out Of employment, but they seemed as
hough they had rather wait for another bell,
Ind they refused. j knew them all and the
'oung gentleman who acceptcd,is worth four
lines as much as any one of them. II
Haste for tho first hell accont tho first Of 4