The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-05-27

ONLY A MINUTE TOO-LATE.

" =
Harry Wilson was Just setting OF to
school one winters morning, when his
father called him back to tell him that his
I Uncle Ben, who lived In the country ten
| miles distant was to be there that after
noon with two-horse cutter, and had in
/ vited HAIRY. his mother and amt, and two
sisters to take long ride with him.
Uncle Ben was very fond of Harry, who,
tor his part, thought there was nobody like
Uncle Ben. Many merry walk they had
had together through the " 5ods in search
of nuts; many delightful row on the lake
] that was set, ike crystal cup, IN the
emerald green Of his grandfatber's grounds.
To visit his grandmother pleasant man q
sion in the country, and join Uncle Ben in
his various sports and emplOyments,
was always q great enjoyment to Harry.
So as soon as he heard Of the proposed
sleigh-ride, he said to himself that he would
coax Uncle Ben to take him back with him
to Deepwater. which was the name of his
grandfather's country-seat.
What happy times they would have,
thought Harry, If his father and uncle
would only agree TO let him gOi Splendid
with this deep snow. ON the ground. The
lake must be frozen, too, thezWeather was
so stinging cold; and there would be sled
ding, and skating, and snow-balhng to his
nCGIb . COulcuLs
Harry was so full Of his plans for enjoy
ing himself in the future that he was almost
in danger of forgetting the present, and
stood dreamily until his father came out to
the hall, where the lad was slowly pulling
on his mittens and tying his wooden CON-
forter, and told him to hurry or he would
be late to school
''And mind, Harry, you must be home
precisely at four o'clock, for Uncle Ben
does not like to keep his horses standing
in the coId-p go q - ~ea q -
Harry thought he would certainly be
back long before four o'clock, but when
school was dismissed one Of the boys In
his class asked him to go home with hIn q
few minutes, as he had new and very di-
vertinggame to show him. Instead of de-.
cidedly refusing, Harry allowed himself to
be persuaded into accepting this invita-
ton, for he was not one who denied him
self any qualification. Ten minutes or o
quarter of an hour would make very little
difference, he argued; and besides, how
could his father be sure that Uncle Ben
would be there precisely at four O'Clock?
Much to his surprise and dismay, when
he had played several games with his.
schoolfellow, he found it wss Just the hour
he had promised to be at home, and his
fathers house was quite at the other end of
the city. He tried to make up for his de-
lay by running the greater part of thewsyJ
but how great was his modification and
disappointment when, as he turned the
corner near his home, he saw the sleigh,
with its spirited horses, dashing rapidly
through the streets, and before he had
time, or even thought of shouting to; his
uncle to stop, the merry party were out of
sight and hearing. E 50 Eygai 800
Poor Harry stood for some time looking
sorrowfully after them, and then went
slowly homeward, saying as he did so, p =
''Only q minute too lateP' @, 10,
My young readers, Harry's disappoint-
ment would in time be forgotten, but the
habit of quitting off" is easily formed in
youth, and often leadsto sad results.
There are, perhaps, no two words in our
language that have q more mournful
sound than these: s'foo late" 1t is Ike
the wall of lost soul, tor how many put
of repentance and thoughts OF, death and
eternity, until it is, alas, too lats
May you never have cause in dying
hour to repeat this sad lament; but b gin
now to believe in Jesus; now to give your
hearts; now to choose Him for your Friend
and Savior; now to accept the offer Of sal
-yation If You neglect religion now, there
may come time when it viii be forever
too late. .-SL11ddy SchOo! Visitor.