Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-10-14

II hcUecHOn-LdLY JdkeS HDuSe-HtS Beb"
chdmoer-'d DiScovery or an Instance OF hduct've
Reasoning.
Had the task allotted to our hero been that of
! overcoming any of the cardinal virtues, or ofcon-
! batting the vice gulony lust, intemperance, Wi
| ting for magazines avnrice or even doing in
! church, he had not troubled himself much about
| the result, but when he reflected on the nature
and influence OF laznrss, he felt appalled, by the
riS inertia opposed 10 him. OF all lie sins which
most easily besut man, this is the darling of their
pfogenllof Tor It makes It's way so nsldlously ana
so easy like huge anaconda gliding through u
country, and talnting all things with its poisonous
breath aud 1t has such tenacity OF its conquesls
that II is one OF the most powerful engines OF u
vi ever devised Might !, in sober narrative
IKE the present., allude with proprieIy to the pro
lane history OF the Grecians, would say that la
ziness like the apparently harmless peace Offering
OF the Greeks to the Trojans, carries the armed
vices ID It's womb, who Will soon spread havoc
through the town and surprise the citadel
Before commencing his operations, he thought il
advisable to survey the residence of Jake and OBJ
serve whereabouts hay The best avenue for his APP
proach.
About half mile from PeashIossom's in the
outskirts of The village Jake reposod on his patri.
monIal remuins. lie had Inherited many II broad
field aud rich meadow; his house had been ell
conpassed by lnxurlant gardens and thrifty OF
chards, flocks OF CHule covered his pnstures the
loud nel2hlug of steeds the soft beatlng of sheep,
tue piteous lowing OF COWS, he complainant grul,-
ting Of swine, filed the atmosphere around him.
Turkeys gobbled, hens cacliIeh, ducks quacked,
and geese gabbed through his barnya lie had
money CHI nj interest and a secret hoard OF Span
lsh dollars in his house. Never had a man IA fair.
err chance for life OF prosperity. But in vain IA
blight had been on Jake from his youth upwards
He was, in truth one Of The --LATEST of mortals -
Nought loved he beyond his bed ; and when he
had rolled out Of it he would swallow his break
fast, and then Lighting his pipe, sink into his arm
char and puff away the live long morning. His
laborers. too, imbibed the sweet poison his seeds
were never in the ground until his neighbors were
taking OF reapmg--his winter grain was not
sown until the irosts had set in. " eeds clicked
up hls gardens--his unpruned trees spent their
juices in uniruitiul shools-h fences gradually
fell down-his cattle were negleced-his horses
died OF the disemper his eggs turned adde in
their unsuught for nests his turkeys ran wild in
the woods and the foxes and weazels stole into
hls yards md carried off his geese and chickens.
The rains gradually rotled away the shingles on
his roofs and caused his walls 10 moulder. In
few years his money was called in, aud in few
spent; and sill his disease was upon him. To-
morrow he would besr himself, and 10 morrow
he would arouse; but what sgnfed his doing ii
to-day. Bat on the morrow he slept SO Lutte that
II was useless to make the effort; he could do
nothing in hnlf day, he would begin with the
next week. Bu perhaps the next week was stormy,
or Jake did not feel very t0eAl or his boots were
without sOles, he must send them to DO meuded
that very day. The cobbIer bent his lap.
stone all the week. but not on Jake's accouut.-
Aud then the next week was too late in the sea.
son, and why should man worry himself 10
death he would reform with the new year but
January is SD cold. And thus would Jake 90 on,
rouslns himself up desperately every half hour
to light his pipe, and eating his dinners, and sup
pers, and breakfasts and teas and luncheons, with
an energy that asonished himself and sleeping
with resolution undisturbed by aught but indl-
geslIon and surfet.
The grayness of morning was stealing over The
heavens, when our advehturer came III sight OF
Lazy Jake's abode; and ere he had commenced
his survey the pale winIry sun had high advanced;
but still scarcely sign of life about the premises.
halt starved COW turning its sides and
shoulders and heavy head OH some scattering
straw near the barn, aud endeavorlDg to obtain "a
little more sleep and u little more slumber.'
wall eyed horse was hanging h'S head out of the
weather boards of the stable, while II skeleton pig
was assisting his steps towards the kitchen by
leaning against Il struggling paling on his path.
Every hing about the house appeared IN state
of dapidailon the rains had washed the paint
from The boards and the pointing from between
the stones. The shutters had disappeared from
the windows, or hung by half hinge, the glass
was bruken, and panel wanting IN the door he
truyed an uncurpeled and fhhy floor Within
doors things were in grievous plight bottom.
less chairs and broken lables-he clock unwound
the locks all out of order,-blue mould on the
walls, aud grease md dirt on the floor There
was a bedsed in the parlor, aud kitchen utensils
in the bedroom, where stewng aud steatnIng in
his dirty blankets ny Lazy Jake himself
Jake had eaten and slept until he had become q
mass Of soft unhealthy fat; so that wrapt up rs he
was in the woolens, he might have been compar
ed to q roll Of rancid butter enveloped in yellow
| cabbage leal. He was of an easy good natured
disposition, as plant as the conscience of potl-
clan, The gum culoutchoc, or whatever its
unorlhogmphabe name may he. Jake Ind de.
cded aversion 10 motion, aud he once INDUCED 10
an astronomical speculation, which was, why the
devil the stars and planes keep moving about ms
they did, seeing they have nothing IN the world 10
do. He used to wonder why The
"lte busy bee"
| did not
"improvc each shining hour"
| by nap in the sun, instead of keeping up such
| an incessant toll and pother
But we have not leisure TO detail all the sayings
| and doings Of Jake, though few pages wond
suffice for the actions Of his HE The devil per
| ambulaeG the room with "A curious eye an incuri-
Gus nnslri but still he unsatsfed in one par.
lcuIar. He cautiously approached the bed, rails
ed the end of the clothes and discovered the fact