Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-10-12
The DISCONNECTED Pendela2.--A
moral Story.

who have never read this little story. WnlCn
we reckon among the classics. We ro-
prin, it, to be remembered as sort OF
talismanic aid in those cases of manifold
perplexity which We meet in this toilng
world.-MRs kIRKLAan.
An old clock that had stood for fifty
wears 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 fable)
changed countenance with alarm; the hands
made a vain effort to continue their course;
the wheels remained motionless with sur
prise; the weights hung as If dead; each
member felt disposed to lay the blame on
the others. At length the dial instituted q
formal inquiry as to the cause Of the stag
nation, when hands, wheels 81 weights, with
one voice protested their innocence.
But now faint tick was heard below
from the pendulum, thus spoke:
Il confess myself 10 be the sole cause OF
the present stoppage; and am willing, for
the general satisfaction, to assign my rea.
sons. The truth is l am tired ofticking."
- vRpaay edn1aff ih %ss '6 On e point Of strk
ing.
LAZY wirew exclaimed the dial-plate,
holding up its hands.
Every good-' replied the pendelum; at
is vastly easy for You Mistress Dial, who
have always, as every body knows, set your
self up above met is vastly easy Tor
YOU, | say, to accuse other people OF Ia
ziness.-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 III the kitchen:
Think, beseech you, how you would like
to be shut up for life in this dark closet,
and TO wag backwards and forwards, year
after year, as do
GAS TO that said the dial ais there not
window in your house on purpose Tor
you 10 look through?''
sFor all that" resumed the pendulum;
''it is very dark here; and, although there
is a window, dare not stop, even for an
instant, to look out at it. Besides, l am
really tired of my way of life; and, if you
wish, I'll tell you how took this disgust at
my employment. happened this morn;
ing to be calculating how many times l
should have TO tick in the course of only
the next twenty -four hours, perhaps somc
of YOU above there can give me the exact
sum-
The minute hand being quick al figures;
presently replied, Eighty six thousand
four hundred times"
Exactly so,'' replied the pendulum;
"weil, l appeal 10 you all, if the very
thought Of this was not enough TO fatigue
any one; and when Ibegan to multiply tho
stroke Of one day by those of months and
years, really it is no wonder if felt dis
couraged at the prospect; SO, after great
deal Of reasoning and hesitation, thinks l
to myself I'll STOP"
The dial could scarcely keep lis coun:
tcnance during this harrangue but, resu-
ming its gravity, thus replied, "Dear Mr..
Pendulum, am really astonished that =
useful, industrious person asyourself should
have been overcome by this sudden action,
1t is true that 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 whetil-
er it will fatigue us to do. Would you
now do me the favor 10 give about half q
dozen strokes to illustrate my argument2'
The pendulum complied, and licked six
times in its usual pace.
Now resumed the dial, "may l be allow:
ed to inquire if that exertion was at all IA
tigueing or disagreeable to you."
s'Not the least,'' replied the pendulum;
sit is not of six strokes that ! complain,
nor sixty, but Of millions"
"Very good,' replied the dial; ''but re-
collect that, though you may think of . mil
| lion Of strokes in an instant, you are 70.
| quired to execute but one and that, how
ever often you may hereafter have to swing,
| moment will always be given you 70
swing in.''
'That consideration slaggers me, con-
fess," said the pendulum.
"Then hope" resumed the dial.plate.
''we shall ali Immediately return to our
| duty, for the maids will lie in bed if wo
stand idling 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 be-
gan TO turn, the hands began to move, the
pendulum began to swing, and to ITS credit
licked as loud as ever. While a red beam OF
the rising sun that streamed through . hole
| in the kitchen shining fun upon the dial
| plate, 1t frightened up as if nothing had
| been the matter.
When the farmer came dawn to break.
fast that morning, upon looking at the clock,
| he declared that his watch had gained half
an hour in the night.