The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1841-02-06
THE HAPPY MAN.

ditcfhOO1, OH my way w viz htsohai,
found crack III my soet and recollecing
the old adage that "a stitch in time saves
nine," popped into the first cobler's shop
met to ge, it mended. Unlocked for plea
sures are generally most relished. and had
no expectation of meeting with philose-
phicable cobbler. Pulling off my boot, l
looked at the man. What an intelligent
countenance What an expressive eye
"There is truth in phisognimy, exclaimed
I 10 myself; ",hat fellows brains are not
made Of green peas"
As he was fixing the boot then thought
Of man born with capacities for iniellectu-
al pleasures and improvement, lofty ,lordly,
man, wasting his whole existence pent up
in small room, knocking away with his
hammer, and bending from morning sill
night over lapstone and a piece Of leather
| | took another look at the man, and while
the glorious sun was rolling on in his gol-
den course, and all nature smiling in her
most gorgeous and superb scenery, woolng
the gaze, and filing the gazer with Sabine
feelings, here, said to myself, sits man
perpeiually straning his eyes to poke
hogs biis.e through little hole. What
an employment. for man, capable, ifProp-
erIy instructed, OF measuring the distance
from this to Mercury! 1t is impossible he
can be happy: he is ou, Of his sphere.
! just as he had got the thread through the
third hole, l spoke to him and said, 'your
room is very small; are you happy herer
He answered with some energy, happy
yes, happy as the day Is long; and would
not exchange places with General Harri
: son, though am certain he will be the
next President. dom, interfere with pol
itics, but know all about it,
'Bu. are you happy in your employment
confined all day in this small room!'
Yes, certainly. The fact is half tn
world don't know the way to be happy.
d was for while, myself. humbugged abou
j happiness; but sitting on my stool, and re
! hecting seriously one day, got the secret
had though, that to be happy one must b
i rich and great, have an inconveniently larg
II house, more furniture by far than necessary
table groaning with every thing; but SEQ
d found out that was all stuff. l am happie
s here with myself my las. and hammer
b than thousands with their fine houses an
" splendid eguipage, have great deal
:. enjoy men, in looking out of my little cabi
e and laughing at the follies Of the world
= They do not see me, and it does them n
d harm; and between you and me, the worl
% are busy pursuing mere shadows. or
wantd 10 be rich, another to get into Office
Al they are never satisfied, but here an
IS mending old shoes, conented with my Il
J. and situation, and happier, by far, than
j. King. Indeed am thankful that Heave
lie in ills wrath never made me king, for
m is poor business
p By this time my boot was ready, al
to wishing to prolong tse conversation with
T. man who displayed so much real Pracuc
40 philosophy, I said.
re Have you no distressing cares 10 We
!! YOU, no anxieties, no sleepess nights,
bills TO meet, no pangs for yesterday
III fears of tomorrow!
's' He stared at me moment and said
d, No. not one. The only cares which
bis have are comforts. have wife, the be
cd in the world, and two children, and that
enough of comfort for any one man to enJt
he As 10 bills, have none to meet, and new
lit buy on credit, and never buy what do
yn really want. AS for the fears OF to-morro
I have ne fear but trust in kind and eve
zee wa,chful Providence, believing that sui
'ss cient unto the day is the evil thereof, a
resignation to Providence to be the trn'
:. philosophy
90 What a noble fellow, said /, to mend
=" crack in boot! himselfa piece OF mol
- :: workmanship! | felt inwardly the truth
the saying, 'contentment is kingdsm; a
after left my philosophical cobler'
no thought much about him, and am satlsf
,ha. his philosophy was sound, and u