The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-02-08
BEING ON HAND.

The habit OF being on time, never a
minute behind, is one of the greatest
helps to success in life. While,on the
other hand,to get into the way of de-
laying, keeping others waiting. not
being prompt, punctual, and ready,is
the secret cause of failure in ten thou
sand cases, many of which have seen
in the course OF my life. We notice
it in children. What you are in the
morning you will be at noon, and
probably at night. THE child is faith
er Of the man, Just as the twig is
bent. etc. The family meet in the
morning for worship and breakfast;
one child is late. She is usually late,
the same one. She was behind in get
ting herself ready;the rest waited for
her few moments and then went on
without her, and presently she came
disturbing all and making herself dis
agreeable and then uncomfortable; the
boy with such a disposition is late at
school, not prepared with his lesson,
always Just little behindhand in
everything. Perhaps he goes to col-
lege or into business, trade or profess
sion, and if he is dependent on his
own exertions be makes a failure in
everything.
"Forty years ago I knew two smart
boys, helpers in a grocery
store. They were brothers. They
seemed to be made OF steel springs,so
quick, prompt ana decisive were they
in filing every order. They were
poor boys, apprentices then. But
they worked as if the concern was
their own, and success depended on
their energy, push and faithfulness.
Now they live on one Of the fashion,
able avenues of New York in their
own large mansions, retired from the
grocery business, in which they made
their fortunes. Holding important
trusts, they are useful and respected
citizens and Christians. They owe
their success solely, under God, their
own promptness in performing every
promise, in being always ahead rath-
or than behindtime. And there are
mechanics and tradesmen who I once
had dealings and now have deserted,
because they never would fulfill an
order in season, would not send q
thing home to me when they promise
ed, and invariably kept me waiting
whatever might be my distress to be
served. This vice runs in the blood
sometimes, and whole families are
distinguished by taking it easy, time
enough yet, being their motto and
rule. They drop behind in the race
of life. They would be run over if
some one did not pick them up and
help them on. Half the world has
this work to do besides doing it's own
In absence of positive crime, this
habit Of taking it easy causes the
poverty and failure of the greatest
part of the human family, with the
same chances, with equal health, and
wits, in the same field one man suc-
ceeds and another makes a dead fails
ure. Aud why? Because one took
time by the forelock, was ever prompt
and therefore prosperous. The oth-
er was always little behindhand, land
by-and-by SO far behind as to b.
counted out as of no account.
"When you are old enough your
selves to meet and move with men
and women in business and good
works of life, you will soon find some
one who is late at the appointed
time, who comes bustling in,aten or
fifteen minutes after the hour, saying
Il had no idea it was SO late "my
watch never deceived before, 4 am
very sorry 10 keep you waiting All
such managers are poor timber to
make boards of. II they had the
grace of resignation, they. would
make room for somebody not always
u little behindhand.
"The train starts at nine in the
morning, and they reach the station
two minutes late and are left. The
boat goes at fve,- and they arrive in
time to be laughed at by the passen-
gers who see them wiping the pers-
piration from th-ir heated brows.
1t is the one principle on which the
prize of success in this world de-
ponds, and immortal glory beyond.