Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-08-15
MISCELLANEOUS.
A BAD HABIT.

~, s.S ,bsn usual over the breakfast table.
'' At know it's bad habit, my dear" said Mr..
.,nlsgste. "but, then, It doesn't hurt any one
INIT myself, and can AFFORD 1t"
nYou can afford it, Walter" exclaimed his
.,;,e in sstonishment. "How you talk this morn
,no Surely, you do not know what you are say
ing"
inc II am perfectly wide-awAke and know
what sm saying"
q, Indeed you are doing wrong" persisted his
x;,s "You promised to meet Mr.. Gay At your
oa,oe this morning at nine O'Clock, and II you do
not start at once you will not be able to get there
in time"
.Well. then, Mr. Gay can walt for few min
r,.s " said her husband; balancing his spoon on
his coffes-cup, and looking At her with : smile.
nHe can AFFORD to wait awhile for me AZ the mat
Tar he wished to arrange to-day is entirely to his
.stilI q Is wrong to make him wait If you can
avoid il. He has his business to attend to, and
.fter all may not have ~ much time to spare AZ
YOU think he has. Besides this, II you delay too
much in your business Affairs, you will lose the
confidence Of your friends, .and you will be sure
lyon You ought to have Ibeen . ,man, Jennie"
ssid her husband laughing. "You would have
made splendid merchant However, to please
YOU I'll 20 down at once"
80 saying, Mr.. ApplogAte rose from the table,
aud in 4 few minutes was on his way TO his place
OF business But he did not reach 1t promptly.
MsetinQ friend In the street, he stopped to talk
with him on some unimportsnt matter and when
he started again for his Office II WAS nearly half
past nine. He reached his place Of business
three-auarters of an hour later than he had
promised to be there, aud found Mr.. Gay waiting
for him with great impatience.
"Good morning, Mr.. Gay" he said, as he en-
tered. ~ hope have not kept you waiting"
~ am sorry to say you have" replied Mr.. Gay.
II have great deal before me to-day, and cam
not well AFFORD to lose . moment"
Mr.. Applegate's conscience smote him, but he
said, lightly, "Reslly, am sorry, but I could
not help it was detained on my way longer
than had anticipated"
The business between thom WAS soon trans
acted and Mr.. Gay took bis departure with .
Tery poor opinion Of Mr.. ApplegAtes habits of
punctuality, which trait Is, after all, In 9 mer-
chant, cardinal virtue.
Mr.. Applogate WAS young man, and had not
long been in business for himself but he had
been more than usually successful In his trans
sotions, and had fairly laid foundation for
what promised to be lucrative and extensive
business. He had one great fault to contend
against, however. He Twas extremely careless
and was apt to delay too much. He took but
little trouble on interest, and WAS too neglect
ful, even Of matters OF Importance. II WAS his
principle never to do to-day whHt can be done
~ well tomorrow and the habits which he had
formed in his early youth grew upon him every.
year. His wife demonstrated with him frequent
ly but to no effect. Mr.. ApplegAte had not yet
seen the evil Of his way, and was too careless to
sttempt to change it. He had not experienced
any Inconvenience from 1t, and he laughed 1t
his wifo's fears As the effect Of her insxperience
and 0vorcsution.
1t was not long after tho occurrence related
above. that Mr.. Applegsts had occasion to see
she Justice and force Of his wife's views.-
In the course Of his business an opportunity
WAS presented to him of making an unusual
speculation. A lot Of goods were offered for
sale at low figure to any ono who would take
them all st cash payment. The sum demanded
wAs large one for him to raise In twenty-four
hours. the time given him but one that hc
could have raised In q week or ten days without
much Inconvenience. Still the transaction SEEM
ed to offer so many advantages that he deter
mined TO make the effort.
Among his friends was q merchant of great
prominence, who had taken decided interest In
Mr. Applegate at the beginning of that gentle
mans career and had frequently offered to
assist him II 1t should ever be in his power to do
so. Hitherto the young merchant had refrsined
from asking any assistance from Mr. King, as
his friend was named but now he determined
70 avail himself OF his friends offer. He accord
ingly called upon Mr.. King, and after laying the
matter before him, asked him to lend him the
amount for ton days.
~ am perfectly willing to lend the amount"
tad Mr., King, II you are sure OF returning II
within the time named. 1 think you have an
opportunity Of making handsome speculation
IN this matter but 1 would like to have the
money by the twentieth, as have heavy bill to
meet on tho twenty-seoond."
Mr. Applegato assured him there would be no
m Ar and dAaA hat
probable that he might be able TO pay the money
before the expiration OF the ten days.
Ihus the matter was settled. Mr.. ApplegAtc
received the amount he needed, made his pur-
chase and congratulated himself on the eItraor-
binary good luck thAt--had befsllen him. When
ne told his wife OF it, she urged him to at once
SET about collecting the money TO repay the loan.
70 there is time enough for that, Jennie, he
SAID good.humoredly. II have only to lay my
hAnd on the money. There is no dificultyssto be
experienced"
This did not sAtisfy his wife, who gave him no
rest until he had deposited the sum In the bank,
'eaoy 70 be paid out on the appointed day.
iae nineteenth Of the month came at last, and
~ Mr. Applegate was sitting In his office in tho
morning friend came in and asked him to go
.hM mat Afternoon few miles into the country on .
nahing expedition. They would return after
nlghtfaG. Being very fond Of the, sport Mr.. Ap-
pie8ate at once consented. As he left his Of
nce for the excursion, he thought OF the money
ne had to pay the next dsy, and his better
augment told him II would be M well TO send
ar. hing the cheqne for it that day, but ss he
N1 pressed for time, he decided 10 put it OF
until the next day.
me nshing WAS unusually good. and pleasant
oAy was spent. Mr.. Applegate and his friend
we're 80 well pleased that they determined to
sPond the night there, and try the sport again
me next morning. Mr.. Applogate's conscience
toprosched him whom he made this decision for
l ue remembered that he had promised to repay
.ae M borrowed money the next day. He quieted
wv. hc inward monitor, however, with the thought
MA. mr.. King would not be inconvenienced II
ne did notpay the money until the twenty first
a. a. sne month. That gentlemans bill did not fall
auo untl the twenty second, and the amount he
owed him already in the bank TO be drawn out.
ne iet 80 little satisfied with himself how
ossI, That he determined the next day to spend
vny a1ew hours In fishing, and TO take the
we've o'clock train, which would enable him to
,,a9a .uS new York before banking hours wore over
ma fulfill his promise. Ho did take the train
su vus soon after leaving the station the locomo-
III nearly dark.
Ihe,neIt morning he hastened to Mr.. King with
.a.s %s cleck for the borrowed money. Mr. King 70.
'enea ,m MN very coldly.
t,on. n nave nave come to repay the money borrowed
;aom you, he said to his friend. 'As your bill
no mnot due until tomorrow, hope the delay will
ho. cause you any trouble"
chants desk.
NO" said Mr.. King, at will not inconveni.
, uoe me IN the lessti but inclined to believe
nss M. ~ Will do you harm"
,nay ,nmny = said Mr.. Applegate in surprise.
BECAUSE" replied his friend, sT have deter.
aa. a,,ned never to lend you again. I know the
,nns srse ol your delay In this matter, and cAnnoi
Ioiu 70 risk my money by putting it In the