The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-05-20

rnr nIsrnNllNrrp pEAnrIrM

I THE DISCONTINUED PENDULUM
An old clock That had stood for en-,
z years in a famcr's Kitchen, without ri, nf
) rs owner any causc of complaint. earl,
one summers morning, before the famil,
MAS stirring, suddenly stopped
Upon this, The dal.platc (if we may crr.
dit The fable changed counienHnce with
alarmi the hands made a win effort Ia
continue their course the wheels reman
cd motionless with surprise the weights
hune sprcthle-s each memher lelt dispoz
sed Ia lay the blame ON the others. II
| length the dill instituted "A lormu inquiry
a. 10 tie cause Of the staEnulon, Nhen
hands, wheels, weights, with ono voice.
protested their innocence. lial unu faint
tick WIS heard below from the pendulum,
Who thus spoke;
] e0loss mysclf to be the sole cause Of
The present stoppage aud am willing, Ion
The general satisfaction, 10 assign my rcaf
sonH. The truth Is, that | am tired Of
ticking. -tipon hearing this, tn old clock
became 50 enfnged that II vas on the very
point Of ai,ihiug.
Lazy wire ~ exclaimed The dial plate,
holding np Ifs hands. every good - re-
Plird The pendulum, " II is vastly easy for
you, Mistress Dial, who have always, ~
every body knows, SET yourself up above
n1r,--lt Is vastly easy Tor votf, | say, To
accuse other people OF la1iness! You,
who have had nothing 70 do all the DAYS of
Naur life hat 10 stare people IN the lace,
AMI 10 amuse yourself with watching all
that goes on IN the Kitchen Think, be.
seech yon, how You would like To be shut
up for life IN this dark closet aud In wag
backwards and forwards year after year.
~ do ~ 10 lhat,h SAID the dial, Z" j.
there mol window in your honsc, on pnr-
pose Tor y"u To look through p
For all thru resumed the pendulum
I'll is very dnk here and, although there
IS window, ! dare uot stop, even for an
lnstaut, 10 look oht at il. BESIDES, | am
really tired ot my way of life aud, il Won
WISH, III tell you how | tool. this disgust
n my employmrut.-.l happened this NOR
nlng 10 be calculating how many times /
should have 10 tick IA the coarsn 81 only
Inc next twenty -four hours perhaps some
oi yon abUHe there can give me the exact
sum-
The minole-hand, being qujeh at figures,
presently replied, &" Eigaty six thousand
four hundred times.n
-" Exactly so,' replied the pendulum j;
wei | appeal to You all il the yer, lho't
oi tins was mol enough 10 fatigue one and
Nhep began 10 multiply the strokes Of
one day by those 81 months and years, re-
ally 81 i no wonderful felt discouraged at
the prospect $50, after great deal ofrca-
soniug aud hesitation, thinks | io myself
I'll stop
The dial could scarcely keep it's countc-
nance during tliw haraueue bui fcalming
is gravity, thus replied
Dear Mr.. Pendulum, ! am really asto-
9i5'"d that such asriul, industrious per
son MS yourself 4heuld have been over.
come BY this sudden action II is true you
have done great dead Of work in your
lime So have Wc al, aud are likely IL do;
whlci, although Il may fatigue us 10 think
Of the question Is, Nhcthrrit will laliugr rs
10 do. Would you now dome The lagor TO
gtNc about ball Il dozen strokes to illus
lralc my argument
The pendulum complied aud licked six
times IN rs usual pace. Now resumed
the dial, may ! be allowed TO enquire, il
thai ekeriion Was At all latiguiug or dlsa
gferable 10 you ~
g Moi in the least" replied the pendu-
lam, il 10 not of SIX strol,rs that com
PLAIN, nor Of siYty, bal ol mdiioas.
" Very good, replied the dial )" but re
collect that though you my Hiak Of u mil
lion olslfokes ~ an instant Son are rrquir-
ed Ia execute but oae and tlit, however
often You may hereafter have 10 swing,
lnoment VIII always be give you to swing
That consideration staqgcr5 me, ! con
Tess, said the pendulum. "Tbpn hope"
resumed the dal, I've shall al immediate
y return TO our duty; for the maids viii
Ii IN bed tll noon, If ncstan ding thus"
Upon ths tho weights, who had never
been accused ii hPH conduct, used oil their
lnfla"nee IN mglus hun To proceed ; when
AS VITA one consent, the Wheels began to
turn the hands began To move, the pendu#
! lam began Ia swing, and 10 lis credit tick
! Cd aa loud as ever; while red beam Of
| tie rising spn dat strcaned through a hole
III ihe kitchen, shining full upon the dial
| plate, it Enlightened up as if nothing had
ben the matter.
When the farmer came down to break
fast that morning, upon looking at the
clock, he declared thathi. watch mad gained
hall an hour IL thc njghs.
MORAL.
\ celebrated modern writer says, Take
care Of Inc mamic1, aud tLp hours via cake
eate of themseIyes.o This is an admirable
remark, aud might be very scasonabiy re
collected whom ue heaiu 10 be " weary in
we'll doing from the thought Of having
much 10 do. The present moment IS III
"e iaset 10 do win, in any scnse de past
! ialTccoserlble the future j. uncertain
nor IS II fair 70 burden one monont with
the weight of the ueai Sufficient unto the
o,omeHi IS The trouble theeeoG II we had
10 walk a hundred mics, wc should stIl
have Ito set bat one step at tiHe, aud dis