The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-03-10

Charley was buried in his newspaper, and
| was gazing from the window upon the
fast whitening meadows, when the con-
ductor paused before us with demand for
Tickets" They were ready to hand, but
the conductor gazed upon them blankly.
Where to-" heasked, briefly.
"Montclair," replied Charley with equal
brevity
"Wrone train. Yours left ten minutes
later from the other door. You'd better get
out ut Newark, and take it there. If YOU
miss it, there'u be another along in forty
minutes
''Its fortunate that we have plenty of
time, " said Charley, to me, as the conduct
or left us.
Aren't you CAD that have reformed in
regard TO punctuality?"
''Oh, very glad!" I said, with slight
tinge of irony, and adding. inwardly, ''es-
pecially if it leads to take the wrong train
rather than wait for the right one
We got out at Newark, and took the next
train that come along. Being the next We
made sure that it must be the right one; but
it wasn't. That train landed us at Orange,
where we spent quiet an hour before an
other Newark bound train picked us up.
"You see, DEAR" said Charley, go up
on your principal Of always being in time.
II we keep on taking the first train that
comes along, we shall be sure TO get there
some time-if not in time for the wedding,
then, perhaps, in time for the funeral Of all
the family
ave shall certainly not be in time for the
wedding at this rate, I said half laughing
and half CRYING. Suppose, by way Of va
riety, We try the effect Of taking the last
tramp
"What! and abandon principle? Never!"
cried Charley. However think We will
enquire before we try again"
We did inquire, but with the result of
finding that the next train which it would
be possible for us to take would not reach
Montclair until half an hour after the time
set for the wedding.
fully. 1.-The wedding may be delayed, you
know. The groom may be unpunctual, Or
something"
fairly broke down at that.
''No we will not" said. Il don't want
to go dragging in just at the tail of the cere-
mony. I'm cold and tired and wretched,
and want to go home"
was cold and tired and wretched, but
was more than that. I VAS thoroughly in
dignant for was sure that Charley had
done it all on purpose. Though I had a
hidden consciousness that deserved les
son of some kind, l thought that he had
punished me too severely. So had little
to say to him, either then or when we were
sitting together in the evening. Charley
WIS too busy with pencil and paper to take
any notice, though.
''Leila,'' he said, suddenly.
"What is it," said rather sulkily.
81 am thoroughly convinced now," said
Charley, ''that punctuality is the king of
all virtues, the browning merit of humanity;
but doesn't it strike you as rather an expen-
sive one?"
''How so?" 1 asked, melting little, but
not much.
"Well, won't speak of to-day, for that
was not fair test. I know you think
that made all those blunders on purpose,
but didn't. I suppose the intoxication of
such unusual virtue few to my head, and
muddled my wits, for certainly made I'M
common hash of the affair. 1 have been
punctual, according to your ideas, for a
month nov, and have just been making
little computation of the result. [ began
to practice the virtue on the night of Mrs.
Lees reception, I believe? Very we'll. We
each spent solitary hour in the dressing
room, which, suppose, may fairly be con-
sidered wasted. Two hours, to began with.
We went to the opera an hour too early
Though our seats we're engaged) on two oc-
casions-six hours. Theatre, ditto, twice
-four hours. Six and four are ten, and
two make twelve. Really, my dear Lei d,
punctuality is a noble virtue, but, do you
know, it strikes me that life is too short lot
practice it in It mig hit do for Methuselah
or an archangle, but for ordinary mortals-"
Don't Charley!" cried, breaking down
suddenly. 81 have been a vain, conceited,
overbearing little idiot. I was so proud of
my one virtue, and it's nothing but vice,
after all. have been beg inning to see it
for ever SO long, and am ready to say that
l will never waste time by being punctual
again."
''Don't!" said Charley, laughing. "Ttis
month has done me no end of good, for l
was inclined to run things much to close.
never was exactly late, but often made a
precious tight shave Of it. Well help each
other after this, won't we, little woman?
You'll spur ME on, and I'll rim you in, and
we will neither of us get out OF temper with
the other Is it a bargain?"
His hand was out, and his good, honest
eyes were shining into mine, and, before
knew it, my arms were around his neck,an
was promising anything and everything.
So that was the end Of the first and last
quarrel that threatened to overshadow our
married life.-HGrper's Bazaar.
Mexico's Yankee Population.
Mexican Correspondence of the New Orleans
Picayune.
Mexico is filed with "Yankees," as all