Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-08-16
THE PUNcTUAL LADY.
She Found That Being Ahead of Time
Was Not Punctua1ty, But
Foolishness.

Aunt Clara an excellent woman
and highly esteemed, is noted among \
large circle OF friends and acouaint-
ances for a rather unusual feminine
tralt-abhorrence of hardness. Her
associates in church and club. prone to
arrive upon the scene Hurried and
GREATNESS at the last moment-if not
little later-look up to her with ave.
strangers frequently meet her with tho
kindling glance which signifies thar her
fame has preceded her; only in her
own family does she suffer the usual
fate of the prophet.
POSSIBLY not without some show of
reason. There are souls so cousti-
tuted that they are unable to find inv
In arriving at railroad stations an bonr
before time, reaching church before
the doors are open, and always being
the first arrivals at afternoon teas.
Aunt Clara's motto is, not .to-mo-.
row." one Of her nieces once remarked
1T is the day before yesterday"
Not long ago Aunt Clara had an a..
per1ence. She was. invited to spend
the day with some charming women
IN q nelghboring town. She had met
tnem oace only, but the meeting had
proved the three thoroughly conFenia]
with large common interests. and Aunt
Clara accepted the, Invitation with
pleasure.
she would arrive, she wrote, upon tha
half-past eleven train. as they sus-
gested. There seemed no possibility
OF complication, nor would there have
been with anyone else. But Amt
Clara reached the station. acoor1inp ia
her custom, an hour early, and when
soon afterward, Maplewood train WAS
called, she stepped on board, and in
due season-after shorter ride in
fact, than she had expected-reached
her station.
There was no one to meet her, which
seemed little strange. but Aunt Clar.
was always equal to any emereencv.
she hired cab and drove out to her
friends. There again no one seemed
to be expecting her, although one Of
the ladies appeared in I moment and
gave her a cordial welcome, Her sis
ter, she said, had gone to meet thu
train, and must have passed her on tina
way. She would be so sorry to miss her
and so concerned that she should baye
come up alone. s,s,...s
Then the guest caught sight of tho
clock; it was five minutes after ten.
She had taken the early morning train.
and an express. and arrived nearly two
hours before she was expected, More
over, it could not be concealed. for all
the hostess lovely courtesy, that kitch-
en- duties were calling. ~. H.
With one of the sudden flashes of il
Illumination that occurs to us all at
times, Aunt Clara understood that tho
sisters did their own work, and one was
to prepare luncheon. to which several
had been invited while the other en-
tertained the guest. 81
What did you say, Aunt Clara?" her
niece asked, breathlessly, when this part
of the recital was reached. ..s:,s- j
II said" she replied, with the direct
ness which endears her to her friends.
that have niece at home who would
tell me It served me right. That betne
two hours ahead of time wasn't pune.
tuality: It was foolishness and often
sinconsiderateness. Then" she added.
II went out into the kitchen and helped
Miss Barnes make salad. We had 8
splendid time. Youths Coupalieo