The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-11-10
81. Nd TIME. /.


\ railroad trai II was ru>l inc along at al.
most li4htniug speed. \ curve was Jus,
ahead. beyond which was station. at which
the ears usually passed each o;her. The
condu"tor was late 50 late that the period
'.urnr which the down tram was to wal,
lad nearly elapsed but h,. hoped Vet to pass
The curve safely Sud'!rnl, loromoti>e
dashed into -ieh, right ahead In an ln>;an,
there was collision. \ shrek. shock and
fifty souls were in eternity and all because
an engineer had been Lhi,ri tme
\ great battle was being fought Column
after column had been rrcciIita'cI for eight
mortal> hours on the enemy posted along the
ridge ot hill. The Summer sun was sink
inu III the wc,. ; rrintorctnen,> for the Oh
stinatc defenders were already in sIcht i,
was necessary to carry the position with one
+-"' .I-".'n ..v4rv.hInp would be lost 4
powerful corps had been summoned from
across the country. and if i! came up, in sea
son, all would vet be we'll the great con-
uuercr. confident in It's arrival. formed his re-
serve into an attacking column. and led them
down The hill. The whole world knows the
result. t'rouchv failed to appear: the impe-
rial guard was beaten back: Waterloo Was
lost. Napoleon died IA prisoner at st lIcle-
ma, because one Of his Generals was EeL,u,l
time.
y leading firm in commercial circles had
lone S'ru!"lcd against bankruptcy As it
had enormous assets in california. it expect
I'll reniianrc- bv a certain uav. ard ii :hc
sums promised arrived. It's credit its honor,
IT'S future prosperity would be- preserved. -
But week after week elapsed without bring
inc the gold. At last the fatal dav came on
which tie firm had bills maturing to vast a.
mounts The steamer was tcrgraphcd at
dav-hrcak but II was found on inquiry that
she brought no funds and the house failed
The next arrival brought nearly half a mil
lion to the iu>ov"nr< but 1t was too late.
'hev Were ruined because their agent in re-
mittinr had been L.hind tmc.
\ condemned man was being led ont 10
execution. He had taken lite. hut under cir
Guns anres OF the greatest rrovoratIon and
public sympathy was active in his behalf
thousands had si"ncd petitions for a reprievc
favorable answer had been expected the
night before. and though it had not come
even the sheriff felt confident it would vet ar
rive in season. Thus the morning passed
without the appearance of the messenger
The last moment WAS up. The prisoner took
his place on the drop. the cap was drawn and
llcc>s body >wunH revolving in the wind
Just at that moment a hor>cman came int
sight. nailoopinL down hill. his >tred covere,
with foam. He carried packet in his riah
hand, which he waved partially the crowd
He was the express rider with the rcpricve
But he had come to late. 4 comparatively
innocent man hal d:ed an ignominious dealt
hecau>" a watch had been five minutes toe
slow. making its bearer arrive b.hinI time.
1t is continually 50 in lite The best lai,
olan> the most important affairs. the fortune
of individuals. the veal of nations. honor
happiness lite Itself, are daily sacrificed be
,ause somebody Is "h,hind time" There ar,
men who always fail III whatever they under
take, simply because they are behind time.
Their" are others who put oil reformation
year by year. TIL death >cIZc> them and the,
perish unrercnfant. because forever behint
time The Allies have lost nearly wear al
Seba>topol. hecau~" they DELAYED a superfu
Gus day after the battle of Alma. and cam,
up too late for comp dc mann Just twtn'v
ionr hours benin! time Five minutes in a
crisis Is worth years II is but little period
vet It has often saved fortune or rele, med
apeOple. u there Is one virtue that should
be cultivated more than another bv him who
would succeed IN life, it is punctua!itv: if
there be an error that should be avoided, i,
is being bshind time.