Gazette Of The United States

FROM THE CONNECTICUT COURANT.

The PROMPTER.

Any other time will do as well.

NATURE never says this. She jogs on without delay and always does her work in season.

The parson puts off preparation for Sunday, from Monday to Tuesday, and from Tuesday to Wednesday, and so on to Saturday. He can write a sermon at any time. The first of the week slides away in visits—in business—in amusements—the last of the week is to be devoted to study—but company, a sick parishioner, and twenty unexpected avocations break in upon this reserved part of the week—no preparation is made for the duties of Sunday, until Saturday evening—a genius may yet be tolerably well prepared in a few hours—but how few are the preachers of such genius! Yet even the dull have a resource—an old sermon with a new text is just as good as a fresh made sermon—True, for how few would know whether they had heard a sermon once or a dozen times. Happy dullness! Like people, like priest!

The Doctor has a patient in a dangerous situation—he hurries to his relief—he makes no delay.—But suppose his patient has a lingering disorder—why, says the doctor, I can visit him at any time. He has assigned an hour indeed when he will see his patient; but any other time will do as well. The patient waits till the hour is past—then he becomes impatient—if his disorder is not violent, most probably he is cross and irritable—he frets at the doctor—and ten to one the doctor loses his custom. Then the doctor believes with the Prompter, that no time will do so well as the right time.

The Lawyer has several causes in court—he can prepare them for trial at any time. Several causes stand assigned for trial before his—he can finish the pleadings at any time—by some unforeseen accident, business takes a new turn—the court urge forward to complete it—his causes are called, and they are not ready—a nonsuit a continuance—or some other expensive alternative is the consequence.

The Farmer's fence is down and his fields exposed to his neighbour's cattle—but he has a little job to do first—he can repair his fences at any time—before his any time comes, fifty or a hundred sheep get into his field and eat and trample down his wheat.—For want of an hour's work, he loses ten, fifteen or twenty bushels of wheat. His apple trees want pruning—but he must dress his flax before he can do it—warm weather approaches—he will certainly prune his trees in a day or two—but he'll finish a little job first—before he has done, the season is past—it is too late to prune his trees—they must go another year—and half his fruit is lost.

The lounging house-wife rises in the morning in haste; for lazy folks are ever in a hurry—She has not time to put on her clothes properly—but she can do it at any time. She draws on her gown, but leaves it half pinned—her handkerchief is thrown awry across her neck—her shoes down at the heels—the bustles about with her hair over her eyes—she runs from room to room slip-shod, resolved to do up the work and dress herself—but folks who are slip-shod about the feet, are usually slip-shod all over the house and all day—they begin every thing and finish nothing. In the midst of the poor woman's hurry, somebody comes in—she is in a flutter—runs into the next room—pins up her gown and handkerchief—hurries back with her heels thumping the floor—O dear, you have catched us all in the suds—I intended to have cleaned up before any body came in—but I have had every thing to do this morning—in the mean time, she catches hold of the broom and begins to sweep—the dust rises and stifles every soul present. This is ill manners indeed to brush the dust into a neighbour's face, because the woman is very sorry it happens so. Many a neighbour has thus been entertained with apologies and dust at a friend's house, and wherever this takes place, depend on it, the mistress puts off to any time, that is to no time, what ought to be done at the present time.

The Prompter ends his respects to his correspondents, with thanks for their aid. As it is his professed business to give good hints, he is cordially disposed to take them.