The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-02
Ten MINUTES.

/ was NOT Sucn very important matter
that absorbed her mind, either. She
had been reading, but had stopped &c
/ consider whether she would not have
acted differently under the circum-
stances in which the heroine of the
story was placed.
Charlotte had one prominent fault
which unfortunately she could not be
made to consider as of much conse-
| quence. She was always a little be-
hindhand, given to dilly- dallying. Tom
had called her twice, saying the last
time:
g | shall be at the door with the horse
IN Jitfy, and if you want to ride you
must be ready"
Presently she put away her book and
went upstairs, glancing at her watch.
"Ten minutes OF three! Pll be ready
at three, and that will be soon enough;
Tom need not be in such a fret"
AS the hall clock chimed out the hour
she went downstairs. She could do
things quickly when she once got at
them. The trouble was, the habit OF
delay in starting was strong upon her.
She opened the door and stood upon
the steps waiting for Tom. Just then
the stable boy came around the corner
"Where is Tom?'' she asked.
"Gone to the city,"
Gomez"
"Yes'm; he said was to tell you he
could not wait any longer as he had an
engagement in the city, and must be
there before banking hours were over. ="
BOTHER said Charlotte, in a vexed
tone. "He can't have been gone more
than minute or twon'
''No. ma am; he only Just went, but
he said every minute was precious -
and here the boy stopped suddenly,
which Charlotte noticed, and she in
sisted upon his finishing the sentence
"Well, Miss Charlotte, it was moth
ing, only he said he had given you
time enough to get ready"
Charlotte went slowly upstairs and
INDUCED in hearty cry; she was dis
appointed, for she very much wanted
to do some errands in the city. and
now they must wait until Monday, for
this was Saturday. She would be
obliged to wear her old gloves to
church, and her little brother and sis
ter must do without the Sunday treat
from the confectioner's which she al =
ways provided for them. at was Just
horrid, of Tom, anyway
Three hours later they met at the tea
table; some way the story had leaked
out, and Mrs. Ballou, seeing Charlotte's
sober face and knowing how great had
been her disappointment said gently:
Tom, dear, couldn't you have
waited for Charlotte this afternoon"
''No, mother; | was obliged to be
in the city at half past three, and
told Charlotte to be ready at ten
minutes of the hour, so as to allow for
delays. And as it was, l didn't get
away until almost the hour-''
~You said ten minutes of thrse, and
L was ready and downstairs at the door
at three. I'm sure ten minutes isn't
much to wait | don't think that would
have made much difference
Il could tell you of a time when ten
minutes saved a whole regiment" re-
marked Mr.. Ballou, quietly eve
didn't know what we were saving up
the minutes for, but we found out when
we came to the river"
"+Won't you tell us about 1T, sir?"
asked Tom.
1T was during Colonel Grierson's ex-
petition through Mississippi in 1863
We were approaching the Pearl River
and we knew it was the season of high
water, and consequently it would be
| impossible to ford the river. The
! bridge was our only hope If the
| enemy had succeeded in destroying the
/ bridge before we reached it we would
/ be at their mercy. Every horse was
urged to its utmost speed, and every
1 man anxious for his life WAS on the
| lookout for the cleaning of the river.
+ Before we caught sight of the waters
X we heard the roar of the rushing flood,
/ and above that sound came the crash
/ ing Of the tmbers, which told us that
| the enemy were ut the work of destruc-
ton. l tell yoa, Charlotte, ten minutes
made all the difference to us between
! life and death, or, at least, between lib
! erty and Southern prison. The work
of demolition was ended by short en-
| counter, and we passed over the bridge,
ON and beyond the reach of the coming
army. That ten minutes might easily
have been spent in getting started, il
our commander had been like oul
Charlotte in thinking that q few mo-
ments more or less could make no differ
ence.h
'But, father" said Charlotte, ''that
was in war, and of course, it was i'm
p&tant to save up the minutes
MY child, we did not know that ter
minutes would make us too late, anC
you may come to a bridge, inst little
too late, when you least expect it. "
al hate to be always hurryingn
pouted the young girl.
There is no need of hurry. If you
are always prompt TO put the righ
work in the right time you will neve
have to hurry. I'll venture to say tina
you hurried to get ready this Afternoon
and were too late, after all, becaus,
you did not save the minutes in thu
first place. How long did you sit dream
ING after Tom told you he was going tt
the city, and told you that you could g,
if you were ready?"
Charlotte's cheeks flushed as she re
piled:
"Well, | know it is bad habit. Mex
time I'll be on handv'
LET it be not only next time, bu
erery ttnlen' responded Mr.. Ballou
,,Eor Won can navnr fOraSpp the pXap