St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-03-16
STEEL'S DILEMMA.

There is none Of us (the present read
er, of course, excepted), however charm
ing and irresistible, without our faults.
Fauntleroy, one Of the pleasantest men
in London, was addicted to forgery.
Robespierre, surnamed 1.-THE Incorrupti.
BILE, for his steadfastness of purpose,
had weakness for the guillotine.
Caesar, who never turned his back upon
q military foe, fled from the sheriff's
officer. Nine. Laffarge was young, beau
tiful and accomplished, but she had
passion for the administration of arsenic.
The benevolent Rousseau, who devoted
himself to his fellow creatures, sent his
own children to the Founding. Henry
VIII, genuine adorer Of the fair sex
But enough Of examples. have
quoted sufficient to show to posterity
that my hero, Captain Hippolyte Steel,
adjutant Of the Royal Blankshire volun-
teers, was not the first person recorded
in history whose otherwise unexception-
able character was marred by defect.
He was good looking and patriotic,
courageous and genteel; he had e4O0 a
year Of his own in land, never smoked
tobacco, was bona fide member of the
church Of England and the best shot in
his regiment-but he was not punctual.
There was the rub. He had indeed
conventional respect for time just as
men Of fashion have for women, but his
behavior toward the same was abomi-
nable. In drill, it is true, he made his
men keep time, but we all know how
easy it is to correct the faults Of others.
He never kept it himself; / think may
really say never.
OF course there is great deal of rub
bish talked about the value Of time.
Commercial gentlemen, who pull out
their watches and mutter "tut, tut, )"
when the omnibus stops at the corner,
do not impose upon the world SO much
as they hope to do. We are we'll aware
it is not really vital matter whether
they begin reading the newspaper at
their office at 10 precisely or at l0:15.
The city would not collapse If they were
even an hour late, nor (between our
selves) would it be Of much consequence
even to them. They are set Of hum
/ bugs as respects the Importance OF their
9 every moment; it is one of the engines
/ that they employ to persuade the public
. of the gigantic character of their opera
q tiops. AS though one day was not just
! as good as another for making money!
q 1t is curious that even the rank and
: file Of the commercial army affect this
exaggeration of the value Of their time.
;, "Give me "a hours to turn about in y
q says some poor wretch surrounded BY
= creditors, land you shall all be paid. >
' What is the good of his turning round
in "a hours, like the globe itself? "Tim'
d is money" runs their foolish proverb
( whereupon it was once wittily observed
Il "Then, if you give me time, it is tn
d same thing as if I give you money,
't which is quite new way to pay oil
u debts.
le Lawyers also make great deal
8 fuss about the value Of their time, bu
'e with better reason, for they charge folk
ar not for what they do for them SO muc
OF as for the time they take in doing i
az which is one reason, among many, VIII
,lf lawsuits are so prolonged. 1t is to tt
ne credit of the other professions that the
as do not boast themselves in this particl
o. lar, for although the clergy are en-
to pbatic about the value OF time 1t 10 NJ
ne upon mere times account, but on tt
relation which it bears to eternity. The
at may make vital questions out OF man
an foolish things but / never heard
of their attaching supreme Importance
he their sermons beginning exactly as Il
he clock strikes IL, while, as to endir
ISIS them at any particular time, have gel
ty orally noticed their congregations to
tly more solicitous about that than Their
TO selves. We find, indeed, it is the mi
ble who does the most work who has
in ways the most time to give to Other
,ar and the idlest dog who has always ~
of time to spare, he fritters away t
ed. hours he ought to employ in labor, Al
ME then complains how closely he has be
ar. kept to his desk. 1t is SO much easier
an. tell how long you have been work.
nv. than to explain what you have done.
rt- have written this much to show Il
am not myself blind devotee OF tin
and therefore apt to judge Captain d
polyte Steel with harshness. have
49,, personal feeling in the matter whatev
VII | have never waited dinner for nj
,ok or any other man, one minute. Peo
for who do SO at the risk Of their whiteb
, nd being spoiled pay a very poor comI
Nv ment both to their own palates and
lot those guests who have arrived at
'rm proper time.
nee But all persons have not the cour'
FIJI to be just, and Hippolytes prospe
" were blighted by q circumstance WIFI
lwn at first sight, seemed to reflect ere
loft, upon him. The Newmans of Eaton pl
her once waited 25 minutes for him
Tho got their turbot spoiled. This, OF its'
~ only showed that the Newmans, be
AVE. parvenus, were ready to abase the
selves before the heir presunptive o
,fes. baronetcy, but old Bullion, the bani
- unhappily for Hippolyte, was also
con' the party and not at all inclined
his abase himself. I heard what he NUT
8 OF I'd over that fish in rags. but do
r;no venture to repeat it. When the p'
20 unconscious captain, drawing his cl
eS. toward him in friendly manner
2 he ,L :.u.;,od UAod how 10