--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 5 published: 1901-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Bide Your Time: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 5 (March 1901): 353.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0405unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0405unse start_page: 353 end_page: 353 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0405unse publication_year: 1901 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Bide Your Time: A Poem HAVE YOU MET THE GENTLEMAN? 353 downdilly, bursting into tears. "If there is nothing but Toil all the world over, I may just as well go back to the old schoolbouse!" "Yonder it is, there is the schoolbouse!" said the stranger; for though he and little Daffydowndilly had taken a great many steps, they had traveled in a circle instead of a straight line. "Come, we will go back to school together." "There was something in his companion's voice that little Daifydowndilly now remembered; and it is strange that he had not remembered it sooner. Looking up into his face, behold there again was the likeness of old Mr. Toil; so that the poor child had been in company with Toil all day, even while he was doing his best to run away from him. Some people, to whom I have told little Daffydowndilly's story, are of the opinion that old Mr. Toil was a magician, and possessed the power of multiplying himself into as many shapes as he saw fit. Be this as it may, little Daffydowndilly had learned a good lesson, and from that time forward was diligent at his task, because he knew that diligence is not a whit more toilsome than sport or idleness. And when he became better acquainted with Mr. Toil, he began to think that his ways were not so very disagreeable, and that the old school-master's smile of approbation made his face almost as pleasant as even that of Daffydowndilly's mother. BIDE YOUR TIME. Who bides his time —he tastes the sweet Of honey in the sal test tear; And, though he fares with slowest feet, Joy runs to meet him, drawing near. Who bides his time, and fevers not In the hot race that none achieves, Shall wear cool-wreathen laurel, wrought With crimson berries in the leaves.