The Red Cloud chief., 1883-12-28
A LITTLE BEnlNDHAND,

pItiitpu, WlCu oOtS " fuuH HiNc
three handsp' '' 1Hl
This question was put by a child to
her grandfather, in the midst of the
family circle on Christmas evening.
They were all merry with innocent fun
and chit-chat. Giving and guessing
riddles was one of the entertaining
pastimcs OF the hour. The grandfath-
or repeated the child's question slow
". and. after thinking a moment. he
said: III give it up" The bright child
in great glec cried out: "a man has
three hands when he has u ri hit hand
md y left hand and gcts Ia ih:le behind
hand r
All hands laughed heartily at grand
fathers failure to guess, and he looked
so grave over it they laughed the more
merrily.
But the "head of the house, did
not sem to join very heartily in the
amusement, and they rallied him by
asking II 1t was not u fair conundrum.
Certainly: not only fair, but excel
lent: tho play on the word is very neat,
but 1t has set me thinking of what comes
of getting a little behindhand, and some
other time. when YOU want to hear it., I
will give you a little sermon or lecture
on the subject"
"Now-now--lct us have it nOw!''
they all exclaimed; but he knew chill
dren too well for that, and, saying
that his sermon would Keep. he told
them to go on with their riddles and
stories. Co., m
The next Sabbath evening, when they
were all in the parlor, the bright little
girl. who had puzzled her grandfather
with The cOnundrfm. looked up from
the book she was reading, and said, with
Il smilc: 0I1 t.Y
Grandpa. are you not getting a
little bchindhand with that sermon YOU
promised u.s."
"You shall have 1t now, if you wish"
and all sat still and attentive while the
good man began: ....
Tomorrow will he the first day of a
new year, and Il good time 10 take u
fresh start. To begin well is half the
do ng. whatever it is. The habit of
being on time. never II minute behiad-
hand, is n of the greatest helps to sue
cess in life. While, on the other hand.
to get into the way of delaying, keep
ing others waiting. not beng prompt,
punctual and ready, is the secret cause
Of failure in ten thousand 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 loon, and probably at night.
The child il father of the man. .Just
rs 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 II She was
behindhand in getting herself ready
the rest waited for her u few moments
and then went on without her, and pres
entity she came. disturbing all and
making herself disagreeable and them
uncomfortable. The boy with such Il
disposition is late ut school, not pre-
pared with his lessons, ALWAYS Just "a
little b%ehindhand in everything. Per-
laps he goes to college or into business.
trade or profession. and ii he is depend
ent on his own exertions he makes n
failure in everything.
"Forty years ago l knew two smart
boys, helpers in n grocery store. They
were brothers. They seemed to be
made OF steel springs. so quick, prompt
and decisive were they in filling every
order. They were poor boys, appren-
tices then. But they worked as ii the
concern was their own, and success DO.
pended on thoir energy, push and faith
fulness. Now they live on one of the
fashionable avenues Of New York h
their own large mansions. retired from
the grocery business in which the,
made their fortunes. Holding impor-
In t trtats tl,nx- a,a .tcnf,,t np,l ,..y,Nnnt
ed citizens and Christians. They owe
their success solely, under God, to tiis
own promptness in performing ever,
promise. in being always ahead rathc'
than behind time. And there are mo
chanics and tradesmen with whom I
once had dealings and now have st,-
serted, because they would nss, r
fulfill IN order in season. would not Scr
athing home to me when they PROM, d
and invariably kept me waiting what, II
might he my distress to be sctyed.
This vice runs in the blood somet!m IS,
and whole families are distinguished by
taking it easy, time enough YETI 'e.'
ing their motto and rule. They'd op'
behind in the race of life. They wo I'd
bo run Owe II some one did not r icH
them up aud help them on. Half thu
world has this work to do. besides do
ing its owl. In the absence of positive
crime, this habit of taking II ,nG1
causes the poverty and failure Of
greater part Of the human family. WIZ
tho same chances, with equal h,a
and wits, in the same field. OnO Nd
succeeds and another makes D id
failure, And whyp Because one Il
time by the forelOck. was ever mr. M
and therefore prosperous. The OF b.
was always u little behindhand. o. d
and.by 8 o far behind as to be &C uni Il
out as Of no account.
"Whon YOU arc Old enough ydf-
selves to meet and move with min (d
womenin business and good works OIL .,
you will soon lind some who ape LAD at
The appointed time. who como lst by
in, ten or fifteen minutes aftertl, sh II,
saying: ~ had no idea il wal s 4 49,
MY watch never deceived me Y sct3c;'
am very sorry to keep you waltiog r.
All such managers are poor ti,nbtf to
make boards OF. If they had ? le'11yvcc
of resignation, they would maze pom
for somebody not always a littlc bs4 ind-
hand. s" n
"The train starts at nine ii I ae1orn-