Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-01-06

we have not much OF II TO waste. In
all our engagements 10 o'clock ought
to be 10 o'clock. and 3 o'clock o'clock,
and 8 o'clock 8 O'clock. will not
waste your time. and you must not
waste my time Just reproof was that
which Mrs. Washington. the wife OF
the first president. gave james Peale.
the great painter. His daughter says:
my father had an engagement to
paint a miniature Of Mrs. Washington
In Philadelphia. the general being then
out Of town. He was obliged to go TO
her house. and the appointment for a
sitting was arranged at 7 o'clock In
the morning. My father arrived at
the house. and. taking out his watch,
he found he was exactly on time. A
thought then struck him that possibly
II might be early to disturb lady. and
he decided 10 give ten minutes grace
before knocking at the door. He nc-
cordlngly walked the pavement and
at the end Of ten minutes pulled out
his watch and rang the bell. He was
ushered into the parlor. and Mrs.
Washington. accostlng him. drew out
her watch and said she had given her
orders for the day, had heard her
daughter take her lesson on the harp
sfchord and had read all the morning
papers and after al. this had been
waiting for him ten minutes"
Ne PunctuaL
My friends. as our life Is short,
punctuality is one Of the important vir-
tues and lack OF punctuality one of the
worst Of crimes. How many who
know nothing Of punctuality! They
arrive at the depot FIVE minutes after
the train is gone. They get to the
wharf In time TO see that the steamer
has swung 800 yards from the dock.
They are late at church. and annoy all
who have promptly taken their places,
the late corners not being as good as
Christian woman who. when asked
how she could always be so early at
church. replied. at Is part Of my re-
liglOn not TO disturb the religion OF
others" The tardy ones mentioned
are apt to speak the word Of counsel
when II Is too late. They are resolved
to repent at some time In the future.
but when they come up ''the door Is
shut" They resolve to save soul
when II Is already ruined.
But short as time ls II is long enough
II we rightly employ it. The trouble ls
we waste so much time we cannot
catch up. Some Of US have been chas-
Ing time we lost at 20 years Of age. or
30 years Of age. or 40 years Of age, and
II we lived $50 years we could never
overtake It. Joseph. poor apprentice,
every morning passed certain store
as the church clock struck 9. at the
moment when the merchant took down
his shutters. each OF them saying
GOOD morning. sir" and nothing else.
What was Joseph's surprise to find
that the merchant had suddenly died
and left him his store and business.
That Is not the only instance where a
man has made fortune by punctuali-
ty. The poets verse reads:
Time dies away fast.
The while we never remember.
How soon our lite here
- Crows old with the year
That dies with the next December
A third reading Of my text reminds
me that life is not only story told.
hut a story listened to. There Is moth
Ing more vexatiouJ TO any one than 10
tell story when people are not attend
ing. They may be- Whispering on some
other subject, or they are preOecupied-
One cannot tell story effectually un-
less there are good listeners. Well
that which in my text is called the
stale that 10 told" has plenty OF lis
teners. There is no such thing as soil
tude. no such thing as being alone
God listens. and the air Is full OF spir'
itual intellIgences. all listening. ana the
world listens TO the story of our hfe
some hoping it will be successful. otn'
ers hoping it will be a failure.
We talk about public life and private
lie. but there is no private life. The
story Of our life. however insignificant
II may seem to be. will win the ap
Misuse or hiss Of a great multitude thai
no man can number. AS tale that II
told" among admirers or antagonists
ceIestials or pandemoniacs. the uni
verse Is full Of listening ears as wei
as OF cleaning eyes. If we say or d'
the right thing. that is known. II W.
say or do the wrong thing. that Il
known. suppose the population o.
the Intelligences In the air Is more nu
merous than the population. Of lntelli
0ences on the earth Oh. that the stor!
Of our life might be fit for such al
audience In such an auditorium! Coz
grant that wisdom and fidelity and ear
nestness and truth may characterize
the "tale that IL told.
Tale That Ir Told.
Ave all thp world will yet listen t
and be redeemed by tale that
fold" We are all telling II. each u
his own wny--sOme by voice. some ~
pen. some by artists pencil some o.
barp and some by song: mother tellin
II 70 child. teacher telling II 10 Sat
hath class. reformrr telling II to ou'
cast preacher telling II to assrmblag'
The story Of thr Tovrlirst Of heaye
coming down to this SCARED and bias
ed island OF O world. He was ordere
back from its shores and struc
through with lances of human hate
soon as he landed. Shepherds do
baying on the hills that Christina
night was better treated than this he
cuer Of a race. yet keeping right o.
, brambles on brow. feet on spike
, daaellated with whips that had luml
= Of lead fastened to them. through Ill
. nights without lanterns throue