The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-24
rue NAN VINO Is ALWAYS LATE


How the Bad Habit OF Delay Leads Co
All sorts OF Trouble.
Reader. did you ever make the acquaint-
ance of the man who is always too late
Who never SAYS or does the right thing at
the right .imes Who always thinks of
what should be done after the time has
passed for doing itg know him. Per-
haps you know him. too.
Some months ago man in New York
committed suicide for one of the oldest of
all reasons. He had never known the
want of the necessaries and many of the
Injuries OF life; though not what the
world regards IS rich. he had always been
in comfortable circumstances: anything
within the bounds of reason he had ample
means TO obtain. Yet he was not happy.
And Why? Simply because. a. stated IN
brief letter found upon his table. he had
''aiways been too late. This bad ire
qusntiy subjected him to modification
sometimes TO humiliation. Therefore ne
had come TO regard his life as failure.
He thought the world had no use for
man like him: hence his suicide.
The man who is always too late is to be
pited. although his iudicrous mishaps
sometimes compel people to laugh at him.
His diiarory habit Is constantly getting
him into trouble. Many times 1t has
brough, him TO grief and led him 10 noun
that ever he was born. One who believes
in the popular maxim the early bird gets
the worm" says he never knew anything
lost by being too early, while he has seen
much lost by being tooiate. Then he gave
as follows the result of his actual expert
ence and observations. using the pronoun
che" instead of the names Of persons In
his mind at the time.
He invariably delays starting from home
in time to reach the steamer or train on
which he desires to make q journey. One
day he stepped on one end of 3 wharf
lust a. the steamer he wanted to catch
was leaving the other end. bounding for
ward at the top Of his speed he 60, to the
outer end of the wharf when the steamer
was about twelve feet distant Making
flying leap, for which the impetus ac-
quired in running was somewhat TO blame,
he had Just time and breath enough TO
shout Too latei' before he struck the
water. When they fished him out, wetter
but not wiser, he consoled himself by say
ing "Just my Iuckp as If luck had any
thing to do with his immersion.
He was coming from Portland TO Seattle
by rail At the Lakeview hotel he saw an
old acquaintance standing on the plat,
FORM He left his seat in the car ana
Joined his friend, TO whom he had so
much to say that he did not finish before
the train started. A few quick steps and
a perilous Jump landed him spawning
upon the car steps, skinning his knnckies
and shins and mutiiating his tngernaiIs.
After brushing the dirt of his clothes ne
entered the car with paipitating heart,
visibly trembling at the thought OF his
narrow escape from horrible death,
which was only averted by his seizing
with firm grasp the iron stanchion sup
porting the rail. But for this he would
have fallen of and become another victim
to the merciless wheels of railroad train.
Then he remembered that every day some
body somewhere lost his life by being too
late for the cars and vainly trying TO
board them while in motion. But that
was not the end of it.
He retired that night thinking of the
peril he had encountered and happily es-
capped. His waking thoughts became the
subject of dream. in the sequel of which
he was not so fortunate. A nightmare
ensued, attended with the usual painfully
oppressive sensations. He awoke with
the terror strong upon him that he was
being crushed and mangled by the crue.
wheels of that train of cars. A long Pc
riod elapsed before he recovered from 1he
effects of this incident, the contemplation
of which caused him to 'xremble still with
fear" He has vowed that be would never
again be dilatory in re-entering his car
when uineying by rail.
He once engaged IN speculation and
met the usual fate of spectators who too
long delay TO realize on their purchases.
Having $50, 900 in cash he was advised by
friend to buy all the wines and liquors
in first hands in California. This was
forty years ago. With the aid OF borrowed
capital he succeeded in getting possession
of all save q limited supply in the hands
of retailers. Meanwhile the prices ad-
vanced TO figures that would have enabled
him to pocket $4,000. or double his or
iginal capital. if he had sold out. But his
ayarice craved more. One day. before he
unloaded, a bark arrived from Havre with
large cargo OF wines and liquors. II am
too latel" he exclaimed, when he heard OF
her arrival. Down went prices. Not only
did his capital vanish, but he was left so
deeply in debt that many years passed be-
fore he extricated himself.
He sometimes attends public meeting
or social gathering, dessrous of creating
favorable impression by saying or doing
something winch would reject credit upon
him. Not until he comes away does he
realize that he omitted TO say or do the
very things he should have said or done.
IL is then too late. aud he has missed
another golden opportunity to distinguish
himsef
lie didn't get good sense until he was
TOO old to profit by 1t; indeed. few men
gain worldly wisdom until TOO late To do
thcda ait5 ESJN shcSt RNcHsrf WhCu hGat-
ing their graves, find they have been fools
al their days. That is why so many wish
10 live their lives over again.
He Joined a popular club and blindiy
learned to play cards and indulge in fash
ionable drinks. BY degrees he became in
fatuated with card paying and in love
with Intoxicating liquors. One day the
scales fell from his eyes and he found that
he WAS fast becoming gambler and a
drunkard. lie must call halt If he
would save his health and character.
Again he Was too late. The passion for
gambling and strong drink had grown
until II got beyond his control. When
last seen ne was on the down grade toward
"a dFGnkard's grave. the brakes being pow
ersess 10 stop his career.
lie lost his Mary Ann by being too
SLOW. She bad TWO strings 20 her bow.
While he hesitsted, betwixt fear anu I'M
certainty, she accepted the other fellow.
When lie finally proposed he received the
mortlfylng reply: Too late; I'm en-
gagged
The above might be supplemented with
many other cases well known TO every in
teAigent reader. These will suffice TO
show the dangers of delay whether APP
piled 10 morals. to ones safety or comfort.
or 70 the ordinary affairs oil life. Not a
few have discovered too late" errors
which wrecked their happiness. but whieh
could easily have been remedied by timely
action. Being too late" often is triiling
matter. vet II is sometimes attended with
momentous consequences. &. i.