Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-12-20
Thirty Seconds Too Late.

funeral, or anywhere else, they all knew
that Mr.. Bell would not. If called to at
tend a wedding, his foot was on the door
step and his hand on the bell-handle when
the clock was striking the hour. 1t was,
at first, quite annoying to his flock to go,
according to their old habits, to a funeral,
and meet it on the way to the grave, or to
go to wedding and find it all over before
they thought of getting there. So old Mr..
Slow waited on the minister to ask him
why he "was always in such hurry, and
SO afraid Of being too late"
swell, my good friend, will tell you,
and if after hearing me you do not think
! am about right in this thing, will try
to alter"
"That's surely fair" slowly said Mr..
Slow, as if afraid to commit himself.
"When l was a young man, and had
been preaching only few months, l was
invited to go to distant mountain town
and preach to destitute people. went
for some weeks, and then returned home
for few days, promising to be back, with
out fail, the next Sunday. Well, had a
pleasant week among my kind relatives,
and was so much engaged that ! hardly
thought of my solemn duties till Satur-
day returned, and then my sister and a
beautiful friend of hers persuaded me 10
go out little while in the little white
boat Cinderella, on our beautiful Lake.
The day was fine, and Cinderella spun
and darted under my oars as if thing of
life. When we got ashore found it was
two o'clock, and knew the cars started in
fifteen minutes!
'I left the ladies and ran home, caught
up my carpet bag, and ran for the depot.
| saw the ears had arrived. / heard the
bell ring. With all my strength ran. /
saw them start. redoubled my efforts,
| and got within fifteen feet of the cars
| Oh, for thirty seconds more The next
/, day was fair, still, sweet Sunday. My
t mountain people gathering, coming down
: from the glens and following the rills, filled
the house of worship. But there was no
: minister; and the hungry sheep had no
j. shepherd to feed them. He was thirty
e seconds too late!
e There was poor, old blind man, who
,r lived four miles from the church, and sell
A. dom could he get to meeting. That morn
ing he ate breakfast early, and his little
y daughter led him all the way down the
d mountain TO the church. How weary,
1T and sad and disappointed he was ] There
was no minister to speak to him. He was
: thirty seconds too late
t, "There was a great gathering Of chill
!, dren to Sunday-school. And their little
Il eyes glistened, for their minister had
e promised to preach them a little sermon
t, to-day;' but he was not there. He was
: thirty seconds too late!
"There was a sick child up one of the
S inquiring all the week for her minister
:, She was so anxious to have him pray
with her. How she hailed the day when
n he would be there But, no! he was not
i there.
"That poor, old blind man never came
r to the church again. He was too feeble,
n and never heard another sermon or prayer
e The minister was thirty seconds too late
r "That little girl was dead before goi
e back, and / could only shed tears over heI
y corpse! l had been thirty seconds toe
n late
t. On my bended knees asked Gods for.
1t giveness, and promised him, that if posi-
d BILE, / never would be thirty seconds toe
late
q "And now, Mr.. Slow, am not about
1t right in my punctuality
r "Well, / guess it don't look quite-so-
: un-rea- a-sonable-as-it-might!" !"
!