Book 3-Lesson 07

LESSON 7
THE BOY WHO WAS ALWAYS TOO
LATE
SOLOMON SLOW was the son of a gentleman, who lived on the border(1) of the
New Forest.(2) His mother called him Solomon, "Because," she said, "he is a
wise child; 'slow and sure' is sure to do well."
"Yes," said his father; "but he is too slow; and unless he become a little
more quick, and a little less lazy, I shall never make a man of him."
When he was about ten years old, his father and some friends planned a
picnic(3) in the Forest, and hired(4) a large van to take them there. They were to
set out at seven in the morning. Solomon knew this, as he had heard his father
say so the night before.
The sun was shining very brightly when he awoke at six the next morning;
but he was as lazy as ever. "If I get up about ten minutes before seven," said he,
"I shall be down in plenty of time." So he lay still in bed, and heard all the party
pass his door as they went down stairs.
They even called to him; but he gave no answer, and only lazily rolled
himself up in the clothes. At last, up he jumped, dressed, and ran down stairs;
but he found the breakfast-room empty, and the van gone!
Snatching(5) up his hat, he ran as fast as he could down the road; but there
was a high wind, and the dust was in clouds everywhere. He screamed and
bawled for the van to stop; but all in vain.(6) No one could hear him; and at last,
tired with running, and half choked with dust, he walked sulkily home.
But even this did not cure him. He was a lazy boy, and grew up to be a lazy
man; and when in business,(7) though the coach passed his door every day, he
was seldom ready. Just look at him, in the picture, running up the hill, and
bawling "Stop! stop!"

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(1) Border, edge or outside.
(2) New Forest, a wide plain in Hampshire, in the south of England.
(3) Picnic, a feast in the open air.
(4) Hired, paid for the loan of.
(5) Snatching, seizing quickly.
(6) In vain, without success.
(7) Business, trade or employment.