Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1847-07-15

CiasScS we reprint IL 10 De remembered as q SORT
of tasmanic aid, in those cases of manifold per-
pexity which we meet in this toiling word.-.Mrs.
kirkland.
THE DISCOUNTED PENDULUM.
An old clock that had stood for fifty years
in farmers kitchen, without giving its
owner any cause of complaint, early one
summers morning, before the family was
stirring, suddenly stopped. Upon this, the
dial plate (if we may credit the lable) chang
ed countenance with alarm the hands made
a vain effort to continue their course; the
wheels remained mOtionless with surprise !;
the weights hung us if dead each member
felt disposed to Law the blame on the others
At length the dial Instituted a formal inqul-
nv as TO the cause of the stagnatlon, when
hands, wheels, weights, with one voice pro-
tested their innocence.
But now a faint tick was heard below
from the pendulum, who thus spoke:
IL confess myself to be the sole cause of
the present stoppage; and am willing, for
the general satisfaction, TO assign my rea-
sons. The truth is, that am tired Of tick
ing.'
Upon hearing this, the old clock became
so enraged, that it was on the very point OF
striking.
"Lazv wire!'' exclaimed the dial-plate,
holding up its hands.
Very goodn replied the pendulum; Git
is vastly easy for you, Mistress Dial, who
have always, as everybody knows, set your
self up above me-, is vastly easy for you,
say, to accuse other people of laziness -
you, who have had nothing to do all the
days of your life, but to stare people in the
face, and to amuse yourself with watching
all that goes on in the kitchen! Think, |
beseech you, how you would like to be shut
up for life in this dark closet, and to wag
backward and forward, year after year, as
do.''
Gas to that" said the dial, lis there not a
window in your house, on purpose for You
to look through -
"For all that,'' resumed the pendulum,
cit is very dark here; and although there is
a window, dare not stop even for an In
s,anr, to look out at it. Besides, am really
tired of nv way of life; and if you wish,
I'll tell you how took this disgust at my
employment ! happened this morning to
be calculating how many times should
have to tick in the course of only the next
,wen,y-four hours; perhaps some of you,
above there, can give me the exact sum-"
The minue-hand being quick at figures,
presently replied:
Eighty -six,housand four hundred tines
Exactly so,' replied the pendulum ;
swell, appeal to you all, if the very thought
of this was no, enough to fatigue one; and
when beganto multiply the strokes of one
day by those of months and years, really ii
is no wonder if felt discouraged at the
prospect: so. after great deal of reasoning
and hesitation, thinks to myself, Ell STOP
The dial could scarcely keep It's counte-
nance during this harangue; but resumlng
its gravity, thus replied:
ssDear Mr.. Pendulum, ] am really aston
ished that such useful, industrious person
as yourself, should have been overcome by
this sudden action. 1t is true, you have
done great deal Of work in your time: SO
have we all, and are likely to do; which,
although it may fatigue us to think of-the
question is, whether it will fatigue us to do.
Would YOU now do me the favor to give a.
bout half dozen strokes to illustrate my
argument:"
The pendulum complied, and licked six
times in its usual pace.
Now" resumed the dial, "may be al
lowed to inquire, if that exertion was at all
iatiguing or dlsagreeable to you?'
.sNot in the least,'' replied the pendulum !;
81. is not of six strokes that complain, nor
of sixty, but of millions"
..Verv good" replied the dial but recol-
lect that, though you may think OF million
in an instant, you are required to execute
bat one; and that however often you may
hereafter have to swing, moment will al
WAYS be given you to swing in"
THAT consideration staggers me, con-
TESS" said the pendulum.
"Then | hope,' resumed the dial-plate,
9we shall all Immediately return to our du-
,y: for the maids will be in bed if we stand
iding thus"
Upon this the weights. who had never
been accused of light conduct, used all their
influence in urging him to proceed; when,
as with one consent, the wheels began to
turn, the hands began to move, the pendu-
lum began to swing, and, to It's credit, tick
ed as loud as ever; while red beam of the
rising san that streamed through hole in
the kitchen, shining full upon the dial-plae,
j, frightened up as if nothing had been tine
matter.
When the farmer came down to break
fas. tina, morning, upon looking at the clock,
he declared that his watch had gained half
an hour in the night.
MORAL.
A celebrated modern writer says, "Take
care of the minutes, and the hours will take
care of themselves.' This is an admirable
remark, and might be very seasonably re-