The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-08-06
A BAD HABIT.

thuOSN, w oltSly SoU uio uOibS FClJ
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.
know it's bad habit, my dear"
said Mr.. Applegate, "but, then, it
doesn't hurt any one but myself, and I
car afford it"
"You can afford it, Walter? ?" ex-
claimed his wife, in astonlshment.
How you talk this morning Surely,
you do not know what you are saying"
~ assure you 1 do" said her hus-
band, laughing, 81 am perfectly wide
awake and know what J. am saying"
"Indeed, you are doing wrong" per-
sisted his wife. "You promised to-
meet Mr.. Gay at your Office this morn
ing 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
few minutes" said her husband, bal
ancing his spoon on the rim OF his
ooffee-cup, and looking at her with a
smile. He can afford to wait awhile
for me, as the matter he wished to ar
range to-day is entirely to his advan-
tage;"'
- Dull IL IS wrong TO make Dlm walt
if you can avoid it. He has his bust
ness to attend to, and after all may NOT
have as much time to spare rs you
think he has. Besides this, if you da=.
lay too much in your business affairs
you will lose the confidence of your
friends, and you will be sure to suffer
by it."
Jennie" said her husband, laughing,
"You would have made a splendid
merchant. However, to please you I'll
60 down at once"
So saying, Mr.. Applegate rose frem
the table, and in few minutes was on
his way to his place of business. But
ne 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 impa-
tience.
"Good morning, Mr.. Gay" he said,
as he entered. 81 hope have not kept
you waiting"
81 am sorry to say you have" re-
piled Mr.. Gay. 81 have great deal
before me to-day, and cannot we'll
afford to lose moment"
Mr.. Applegate's conscience smote
him, but he said, lightly, "Really, am
sorry, but I could not help it. 1 was
detained on my way longer than I had
anticipated"
The business between them was soon
transacted and Mr.. Gay took his de-
partnre with very poor opinion of Mr..
Applegate's habits of punctuality, which
trait is, after all, in a merchant, car
dinal virtue.
Mr. Applegate was a young man, and
had not long been in business for him
self; but he had been more than
usually successful in his transactions,
and had fairly laid a foundation for
what promised to be a lucrative and ex.
tensive 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 neg
lectful. even of matters of Importance.
1t was his principle never to do to-day
what can be done as we'll tomorrow
and the habits which he had formed in
lis early youth grew upon him every
year. His wife demonstrated with him
frequently, but to no effect. Mr.. APP
plegate had not yet seen the evil of his
way, and was too careless to attempt to
change it. He had not experienced any
inconvenience from 1T, and he laughed
at his wife's fears as the effect of her in
experience and overcaution.
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 op-
portunity was presented to him of
making an unusual speculation. A lot
OF goods were offered for sale at low
figure to any one who would take them
all at cash payment. The sum demand
ed was large one for him to raise in
twenty-four hours, the time given him
but one that he could have raised in a
week or ten days without much incon-
venience. Still the transaction seemed
to offer so many advantages that he de-
termined to make the effort.
Among his friends was a 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 refrained from asking any assist
ance from Mr.. King, as his friend vas
named but now he determined to avail
himself of his friends offer. He ac-
cordinsly called upon MIR. King, and,
after laylnQ the mattar hafora him
asked him to lend him the amount for
ten days.
81 am perfectly willing to lend the