Year: 1870

THE words punctuality and punctuation
both come from the Latin word punctuDa,
point, and the value of both may be said
TO consist in placing points exactly in their
proper locality. We all know how nee
| essary 1t is, in order TO understand the
printed or written page, that the comma,
seml-colon and period should mark the
| proper divisions, and also the unfortunate
mistakes which the want of these little
points, or their careless displacement,
may produce. Much more essential is it,
both TOR our well-being and that of others,
that we learn correctly and exactly to
punctuate our time. The evils of finish
ing an important letter too late for the
post, of arriving at the depot just after
the train has started, of failing to meet an
urgent engagement, or to see a valued
friend, or TO obtain the physician on whose
presence life may depend, are so obvious
that their frequency may we'll be matter
OF astonishment. The evils that are the
most manifest are not the only injuries
that result from unpunctuality. Money
is but the representative of labor, and
| all labor demands time, there
fore he who wastes the time of others by
his tardiness is guilty of positive dishon-
esty. He has detracted by so much from
| snother'S power of labor, thus depriving
the community of the good that might
have been rendered, and the individual
OF the returns he might have received. 1t
may be said that the amount of good TINS
squandered is so small as to be unworthy
OF notice; but the fact is we can never
know how great it is. If a number of
persons, as in a committee or family, are
delayed five minutes by the tardiness of
one member, each one loses that amount
OF time, and whole hour is frequently
thus consumed. AS none can tell what
might have been effected by some of the
party in that wasted time, so there can be
no estimate of the amount of the loss.
Punctuality is then moral duty, and its
violation may in no wise be regarded as a
light matter, only involving inconvenience
to few, but must be looked upon as a
breach of honesty.


A press of duties is often pleaded as an
excuse for unpunctuality. But we usually
find that the punctual man is he who ac-
complishes the largest amount of business
In the best manner, while it is chiefly the
idlers of society who are addicted to this
fault There is, indeed, GLASS of busy
tGers, who, perhaps more than any others,
fail in this virtue Of punctuality They
look at their work in the aggregate, and
are frightened at its bulk but, having no
system, though they may begin it with
fervOr, they suffer one part to overrun the
time of another, and soon get into con-
fusion. Nervously busy, and exhausted
with unnecessary friction, they yet ac-
complish far less than others, who, by sys-
tenn and regularity, pursue their avoca-
tions with comparative ease. System is,
indeed, the soul of punctuality AS the
arrangement of the authors thoughts,
ideas and words into their natural divi-
sions is the foundation and cause of his
punctuation, so the systematic arrange
ment of time lies at the root and is the chief
source of punctuality. Life is long enough
for all the proper purposes of life, if they
are only arranged with forethought.


Time is not the only thing in which
punctuality is requisite. In the matter ol
payments that may not be legally enfcrc
ed, though justly due, the lack of this vir-
tue is ever producing grievous injuries
If the anguish of disappointment that is
frequently experienced by the poor when
their rightful dues are withheld or delay
ed by thoughtlessness or neglect, could be
opened to the view, it would reveal pic
ture of injury and wrong that would sad
den every heart. And into every duty this
element of punctuality enters. Every
known duty faithfully and punctually per
formed, is a means of elevation to the in
dividual and of benefit to the community
while one who suffers himself to procras
tinate duty and put off what is hard or un
pleasant, will gradually lose both hi'
self respect and the esteem of others
PhHadeLphia Ledqer.