The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-03-25
Vol. v.

running brook; even the flower, is not
an idle pIeasure.seeker. Each is doing
its appropriate work, according TO its
place in the great Universe Of God;
and each is happy. And will man or
a woman, gifted with reason above all
these, sit idly down in the very fresh
ness and Of life's spring-time. and, ne
glecting all uses in the social world,
expect the reward of labor without
bearing the burden! Alice, even you
have something to do; and unless you
put your hands to the work, you must
not look for your reward. If you do SO,
you will look, as you have long looked,
in vain" lf"N @.d
"Work!-labor!-Aunt, / do not
comprehend your
"Olhers work for you. Not a gar
ment that you wear, not jewel that
decks your person, not a particle Of
food tha, you eat, but comes 10 you as
the work of other hands. And for such
inestimable blessings, drawn from the
labor of hundreds, it may be thousands,
what return Of good do you make to
society? Who is benefited in any
way, by your efforts? Alice! The
very law that holds human society to-
gether-the law of mutual service-you
are daily violating; and is it any won.
dei that you are not happy"
All this was new doctrine to Alice,
and strange and almost as incompre.
hensible as new. Her mind had dis
tant glimpses of what her aunt was
seeking to impress upon her, but such
glimpses, instead Of making her mind
clear. confused and disturbed it only
the more. Mrs. MayGeld saw this,
and thought j. best not to press the
subject any closer just at that time.--
But she felt it to be her duty to give
her neice, if possible, some practical
evidence Of the truth. that happiness,
instead Of coming from mere pleasure
seeking, is consequences Of useful EN-.
ployment, done with a cheerful and
willing spirit
Mrs. Mayfield had large family, and
her husbands income, though enough to
supply all their reasonable wants, was
not very great. The consequence was
that Mrs. Mayfeld found enough to do
in the economical arrangement Of her
household, to keep her always busy
Since Alice had been in her family, that
young lady had not offered to assist her
in any thing. This Gid not arise from
upwiIlingness or Indifference on the
part Of her neice, but from habit and
thoughtlessness. Delicacv had pre-.
vented Mrs. Mayfeld, heretofore, from
seeking for any service, whatever, at
the hands Of Alice, for that was to ask
Tor a good to herself, and she did not
wish to do that. But now, since Alice
had expressed feeling Of unhappiness,
and she knew, from what source the
feeling sprang, duty TO her neice made
it imperative upon Mrs. Mayfeld to do
whatever she saw to be right, no mat
Ter what the appearance might be.
II was, perhaps, an hour after the
conversation which we have given,
took place, and while Alice was still
trying, but in vain, to kill the time that
hung heavily on her hands, that Mrs.
Mayfield said to her
"AIice, dear, | wish you would sew
on this lace for me. | want 10 wear
the collar tonight, but have so much
else to do that am afraid l shall not
find time to finish it,
"Withipreasure, aunt" replied Alice,
ia cheerful voice, and with sudden
light in her eyes.
"Have you a thimblew
"No. did't bring any with me-
"Never mind. | can lend you one."
And Mrs. Mayfeld supplied the lit
lie instrument. ..- ......
Well pleased, Alice took the collar,
and sewed on the lace very neatly
When it was done, she handed it to her
aunt, ana said
"Will that do, aunt?' .....
Mrs. Mayfield looked at il carefully,
and then said ...l
"You have done j. very neatly in
deed, Alice. ! am very much obliged
to you. ,...a d, ..rrg -.
The real pleasure that Alice felt, was
glowing in her face.
"Can't do any thing else for your"
fell spontaneously from her lips, for it
was the feeling Of her heart, and the
thought Of her mind. o,alf ..
"lf you will run the hem around this
little white apron for Anna, you may"
"Certainly," replied Alice. 81 will
do it with the greatest pleasure in the
world" - ,.;y,l5 -
And she took the white cambria a.
prom in her hands and commenced
again plying her needle, while her
heart swelIed with new and pure dc.