Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-03-03
More Haste. Less Speed.


"Shall | reach Tournay tonight before
the gates are shut ?" asked WAGNER, who
was driving an empty cart drawn by pair
of horses at great speed, of another whom he
passed driving a similar vehicle slowly along
a high-road in France. "Shal be able tc
get there tonight before they shut the gates p
he repeated, impatiently.
8" Yes, you'll be in plenty of time if you
drive slowly replied the second wagner
and he proceeded on his way, while the first
drove rapidly by, oxclaiming -
s. pretty way to get to ones de.tination
to drive slowly and waste time on the road
No, no, that won't suit me IN go as fast
as my horses can lay legs to the ground.
And he shook the reins and urged his horses
to still greater speed.
Meanwhile the driver who had given him
the good advice proceeded slowly on his way.
Presently he noticed that one of his horses
had lost nail from one of its shoes.
"This won't do" said the driver; " best
remedy a small evil at once"
So he drove on a. carefully as possible,
lest the shoe that was clap-clappng in loose
manner on the road should fall off altogether.
And at the next smithy he halted and un-
haruessed the good old horse from the wagon.
The smith brought out his tools, and in few
minutes honest Balls shoe was fixed on as
tight as ever.
"Only quarter of an hour lost, =" he said,
but we can move all the more brskly for
the delay; 50 here we start again"
Thus he went on steadil y and pcrseycringly,
and arrived at Tournay full quarter-hour
before the gates were shut
And how Jared it with the other WAGNER
who could not afford to 20 steadily, lest he
should arrive too lote2 Listen, and you shall
hear.
He drove on, increasing his speed as the
time wore on Presently he noticed that one
Of his horses began to limp.
" Foolish beast !" he said, "who is to get
down now, | wonder to look after your all
ments2 If you've stone in your foot, you
may shake it out again as best you can.
cannot afford to wait for you to-day"
And he gave the poor horse loud crack
with the whip on the back, so that it gave u
plunge, and stumbled on faster than before.
The horse began to limp more than ever.
The stone was still there and the hoof was
becoming bruised and sore but the wagoner
would not stop a moment. But now a rough
piece Of road is to be trayersed, surely our
driver will check his speed here, and proceed
slowly2 But no he only thinks Of getting
to his destination as quickly as possible lie
urges on his horses the poor beast who has
fallen lame gives desperate plunge, and
falling down, breaks the pole of the wagon
asunder.
No thought now Of reaching Tournay that
night The best thing to be done is to seek
assistance at the next farmhouse, and 90 in
quest Of carpenter or wheelwright to mfnd
the broken pole. And the wheewright, when
he comes, says the necessary repairs will oc-
cupy at least twcnty-four hours, and that he
cannot drive his wagon into Tournay until
the second day after the accident
Then the driver wished ne had taken the
advice of his conrade, and made less haste in
the first instance to get on and he UNDER
stood how much truth there is in the saying,
+" The more haste, The less speed"