Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-07-30

: In the palace and the cot,
Words Of loving, fond endear.nent,
Blessed words, s,-Forgst me not.
A BAD HABIT.
BY HENRY II. ANDERSON.
"Indeed, Walter, you are doing very
wrong to delay SO much in your bust.
ness" said Mrs. Applegate to her hus-
band, one morning as they sat later
than usual over the breakfast table.
81 know it's bad habit, my dear, y
said Mr.. Applegate, "but, then, it does
not hurt any one but myself, and can
afford it." i13i,
"You can afford it, Walter?" ex-
claimed his wife, in astonishment. Chow
you talk this morning! Surely you do
not know what you are saying"
81 assure you 1 do" said her husband,
laughing. 81 am perfectly wide-awake
and I know what am saying"
"Indeed, you are doing wrong" per-
sisted his wife. "You promised to meet
Mr.. Gay at your Office this morning at
nine o'clock, and if you DO not start at
once you will not be able to get there
in time.''
"Well, then, Mr.. Gay can wait for a
few minutes" said her husband, bal
ancing his spoon on the rim of his cof-
fee-cup, and looking at her with a smile
"He can afford to wait while for me,
as the matter he wished to arrange to-
day is entirely to his advantage"
"Still it is wrong to make him wait If
you can avoid it. He has his business
to attend to, and after all may not have
as much time to spare as you think he
has. Besides this, if you delay too
much in your business affairs, you will
lose the confidence Of your friends, and
you will be sure to suffer by it,
"Ysu ought to have been man, Jen-
nie," said her husband, laughing. aYou
would have made splendid merchant.
However, to please you I'll go down at
once" e: S
So saying, Mr.. Applegate rose from
the table, and in a few minutes was On
his way to his place of business. But
he did not reach it promptly. Meeting
a friend in the street, he stopped to talk
with him on some unimportant matter;
and when he started again for his Office
it was nearly half-past nine. He reached
his place of business three quarters of
an hour later than he had promised to
be there, and found Mr.. Gay waiting
for him with great impatience.
"Good morning, Mr.. Gay" he said
as he entered. "I hope have not kept
you waiting"
81 am sorry to say you have" replied
Mr.. Gay. 81 have a great deal before
me to-day, and cannot well afford to
lose moment" a
Mr.. Applegate's conscience smote
him, but he said, lightly, "Really, ana
sorry, but could not help It. was de-
tanned on my way longer than had
anticipated" -ls
The business between them was soon
transacted; and Mr.. Gay took his de-
parture with very poor opinion of Mr..
Applegate's habits Of punctuality,
which trait is, after all, in merchant,
a cardinal virtue. a9l
Mr.. Applegate was young man, and
had not long been in business for him.
self; but he had been more than usual
ly successful in his transactions, and
had fairly laid foundation for what
promised to be a lucrative and exten-
sive business. He. had one great fault
to contend against, however. He was
extremely careless and was apt to delay
too much. He took but little trouble
on interest, and was too neglectful, even
Of matters of Importance. 1t was his
principle never to do to-day what can
be done as well tomorrow; and the
habits which he had formed in his early
youth grew upon him every year. His
wife demonstrated with him frequently
but to no effect. Mr.. Applegate had
not yet seen the evilo of his way, and
was too careless to attempt to change it.
He had not experienced any inconven-
fence from it, and he laughed at his
wife's fears as the effect of her inexpe.
rience and over-caution. 1s ns
: Itwas not long after the occurrence
related above, that Mr.. Applegate had
occasion to see the justice and force of
his wife's views. In the course of his
business an opportunity was presented
to him of making an unusual specula-
ton. A lot of goods were offered for
sale at low figure to any one who
would take them all at cash payment.
The sum demanded was large one for
him to raise in twenty-four hours, the
time given Kim; but one that he could
have raised in week or ten days with
out much Inconvenience. Still the
transaction seemed to offer so many ad-
vantages that he determined to make
the effort. st s3- ti-saa-
Among his friends was merchant of
great prominence, who had taken de-
cided interest in Mr.. Applegate at the
beginning Of that gentleman's career,
and had frequently offered to assist him
if it should ever be in his power to do
SO. Hitherto the young merchant had
retrained from asking any assistance
from Mr.. King,as his friend was named /;
but now he determined to avail him.
self of his friends offer. He accord
ingly called upon Mr.. King, and, af-
ter laying the matter before him, asked
him to lend him the amount for ten
days. ...a,l.a. ar(t
81 am perfectly willing to lend the
amount" said Mr.. King, "if you are
sure Of returning it within the time
! named. l think you have an opportu.