Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1869-10-09
HALF AM HOUR TOO LATE.
BY An OLD

When l got up 10 the m"rDiDg. which
I seldom did till my mother had coaxed
me. and my father threatened me some
four or five times, 1 generally found tn
breakfast table clear red, my roll cold, and
not unfrequently my bowl of milk halt
devoursd by the cat. l used then t"
swallow the milk (snd half the time it,
my hurry split in my bosom), put th+
bread 10 nv pocket-soatch my bat, and
without stopping 20 put it on, hasten
away to school.
was half 40 hour too late.
Six times q week I used to be punished
for hardness ; and generally " or three
times more for eating my breakfast in
school ; besides teiog kept 10. and find
ing myseIf TOO late for dinner, for not r.
citing with my class 10 the morning.
And all this arose from sitting up hall
an hour too late at night.
l vas often scolded, sometimes whipt
for it !; went II bed crying. and in conse
quence over slept myself half an hour
next morning.
When | was fourteen years old, I wat
placed in the store of . sort of general
dealer in ladies' goods, and though l Ger
tsinly worked very hard and VAS always
out of breath, 40 better luck attended
ne there.
- Take cue day az q specimen-I sat up
late one night 10 copying some letters,
which Ought to have been done in the
preceding afternoon.
The next morning I arose half an hour
too late.
I could not arrange the goods before
customers anne in ; 10 the course of the
day things got into confusion.
Taking the advantage of . little leisure.
l began to put the goods order-t then re-
membered the letters which l bad copied.
and which we're Of great importance raj"
to the postofice, and fouEd the mail had
been gone just half an hour. l came
back in some p~erplexity, and vent to th+
desk and began to draw off an account
for an attorney.
Il was Summoned to carry home a bun
BILE OF siik which . lady bad just purchs.
sed but determined to be right for once,
and laid it on the desk, and completed
the account.
When it was finished. I carried it t"
the lawyer and found that the debtor had
failed 10 the course of the afternoon, and
that l was half an hour too late to save
anything. tt
spent two hours in e%ndeavoring to
lind other property to attach. but wittou,
success ; and toward evening carried
home the silk. The lady was going to q
ball ; and after waiting for me until Der
patience was exhausted, had sent to al
other store.
Ny employer, when be heard these cir
cumstances, very gravely predicted my
ruin and dismissed me.
l then shipped on board a vessel
which was bound for Europe, and pleased
my fancy some days with the though of
visiting distant countries and seeing
strange sights.
even pat on some airs among my &C.
qusintaEces, end began to speak with
contempt of those who had always lived
at home.
But the morning of my departure ar
rived ; and, notwithstanding the hustle
and excitement, it was painful to leave
home-perbsps for ever.
l took leave Of my father, received nv
mothers warm kiss, fingered for q mo
ment With my sisters, and hurried dow,
to the wharf.-the ship had sailed half a"
hour before.
What became of me next-how I went,
to work on a farm, and got my bsy in
half % hour after it begsn to rain, and
brought my potatoes to market half ar
hour after the shipper had completed his
cargo how abandoned this in despair
and became q merchant ; how I insured
one vessel hslf 40 hour after she bad sr
in port, and another one after thu
letters were 10 the postofice announcinp
her loss ; bow l purchased on speculation :
the notss Of . dealer of doubtful credm
half an hour after his property was at-
tached and how l became q bankrupt,
myseif-it is unnecessary to relate. Nv
usual i'll luck followed me ; I was half al /,
honr too late for everything. IA /
When l was twenty three years of age. I
Was deeply 10 love with . beautiful = =
|oung lady of great virtue. I paid her ! !
'uch attentions a. my feelings Dictated, !
Ind such a. are usually powerful enough
young lady's hearts /; but though
Vas not deficient in ardor or persevrr. .
moe, somehow OF other l wa always tool
ate. !