The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-08-05
STANTON, VIRGINIA. THURSDAY AUGUST 5, 1869

went out to his neglected work For be
known that Abner Lapham was very apt t
neglect his work. He was a procrastinator
He was of the very class which Mr.. Groom
| had condemned. He always allowed his ow
work to accumulate on his hands, thus raisin
a serious obstacle in the way Of punctualit
in his engagements with others.
i Saturday came.
What time did Mr.. Groom appoint 70
your meeting at the Thornley, Place ~ aske
Mrs. Lapham. t
! Abner took his pipe from his mouth, an,
reflected.
81 think it was somewhere about tel
o'clock"
| Take care, Abner. IF Mr. Groom set
time, be sure there was no about in the ap
| pointment If he said TEN, you may depent
upon it that he is there at this very momen
ready to transact his business"
Mr.. Lapham looked up at the clock. I
was already fifteen minutes past the appointed
time
+" Was there any arrangement made for de
| lay p asked Susan.
+" [ think there was something said about
my sending over one of the boys if anything
should happen to detain me-" obviously an
swered the farmer. .8af
And have you sent one Of them over ?"
No. never thought of it. But III be
| there myself very shortly"
Mrs Lapham shook her head sadly, while
her husband went out to do few chores at the
barn which he could not leave undone till
| noon. At eleven o'clock Abner Lapham
came putting up to the piazza Of the Thornley,
House just as Mr. Groom was stepping into
his carriage.
"Ah, friend Lapham, what induced you to
change your mind?"
Me! Change nay mind 2" gasped Abner,
in alarm.
"Yes. Why did you give up the meadow ~
Give atup 2" repeated the farmer, aghast
Certainly, you have not come at this hour
to buy it ?"
"Why-yes, sir. IL"
Really, Mr.. Lapham, if you have come,
at this time, thinking to find our business
open, your ideas Of the nature Of an especial
appointment are very different from mime
You promised, if you could not come your
self, to send me word. My time is valuable"
But sir" put in Abner, 'only an hour
Surely there can be no great loss in that"
"Ah," replied Mr.. Groom mildly, and yet
sternly, "you forget that I had no knowledge
Of the time you were to TAKE tf.om me- " men
the appointed hour was past, and the minutes
had dragged themselves out into almost
another hour, how was TO judge what you
meant to d. except [ assumed the one evil
oP n, tI,t, b,1
the bargain? And, my dear sir, let me as
sure you, were to discover that a man had
stolen from me dollar, should conclude
that he would, under like circumstance, take
all he could get And SO with time. When
man has robbed me of an hour, can only
judge that he is full as likely to rob me Of
whole day, if [ place the time at his disposal.
But, sir, | am sorry if you are disappointed.
Mr. Hamilton has purchased the whole estate.
| held back the meadow lot for you, as I
promised. Hamilton was very anxious to
have it remain with this estate and he was
willing to pay much more than I asked for it,
He and were here at precisely ten o'clock;
and here we waited almost an hour, giving
you the benefit of SO much time lost to us.
You did not come,-you did not send, and
l concluded that you DID not want the land
So sold it to Mr.. Hamilton" n4s
ii Abner Lapham turned away sorrowful and
down-hearted. For week he was.angry and
almost sick with disappointment and chagrin.
On the following Saturday Mr.. Hamilton
came to see him. He had heard Of the poor
mans suffering, and was willing to help him.
He offered to convey to Lapham that half of
the meadow bordering on his farm. and also
to open a permanent right-of-way over the
other half to the county road
This made Abner Lapham happy; and
with his happiness came a disposition to be
reasonable; and one Of his first sober conclu-
sions was, that he who robbed man Of his
time might as we'll take money from a neigh
boris pocket; and he made resolve that he
would thenceforth pay more attention to the
keeping of his appointments