Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1853-12-10

tired from business
'oh, yes year since.'
so longi | only heard Of il a few
weeks ago. | have been absent from the
city. Well, do you find doing nothing
any easier than manufacturing good hats
and serving the community like an honest
man, as you did for years What is
your experience worth 7"
Il don'tknow that il is worth anything,
except TO myself, and il is doubtful whelh-
er il isn't too late for even me TO profit by
it,
How so, nay friend! Isn't living on
your money so pleasant way Of getting
through the world as you had supposed it
would BET
Il presume there cannot be pleasant
er way but we are so constituted that we
are never ! oppy in any position
perhaps not positively happy, bu, we
may be content
| doubt it.
You were once contented.'
Il beg your pardon; if | had been l
would have remained in business
'And been much more contented man
than you are now
Il am not sure Of that
Il am, then. Why, Parker, when l
met you last. you had a cheerful air
about you. Whenever came into your
shop found you singing as cheerfully as
a bird. But now you do not even smile |;
your brows have fallen half an inc low.
er than they were then. In fact, the
whole expression OF your face has changed.
| will lay a wager that you have grown
cap,ious, fretful, and disposed to take
trouble on interest. Everything about
you declares this. A year has changed
you for the worse and me for better
How you for the better, Mr.. Steele =
Il have gone into business
you huve! hope no misfortune has
overtaken you!'
Il have lost more than half my prop
erty, but trust this will moi. prove mis-
fortune
Really, Mr.. Steele, l am panied to
hear that rcverses have driven you to the
necessity of going into business
while am more than half-inclined
to say that I am glad of it. I led for
years useless life, most Of the time a
burden to myself. ] was drone in the
social hive; l added nothing to the COM
mon stock; was of no use to any one.
But now my labors not only benefit my
self but the community at large. My
mind is interested all the day lno long
er feel listlessness; the time never hangs
heavy upon my hands. have, as a
German writer has said, 'fre-proof pc
rennial enjnymen.s, called employments.
You speak warmly, Mr.. Steele
1T is because | feel warmly on this
subject. Long before large failure in
the city deprived me Of at least half my
fortune, saw clearly enough that there
was but one way to find happiness in this
life, and that was to engage diligently in
some useful employment from right ends
l shut my eyes to this conviction over
and over again. and acted in accordance
with it only when necessity compelled
me to do SO. I should have found much
more pleasure in the pursuit of business
had ] acted from the higher motive Of use
to nv fellows which was presented SC
clearly to my mind, than l do now, huv.
ing entered its walks from something like
compulsion.'
'And you really think yourself happi
er than you were before. Mr.. Steele ?
Il know 1t, friend Parker
Sand you think | would be happier thar
| am now if l were to open my shop
again 2
II do, much happier. Don't you thinl
the same 2
Il hardly know what 10 think. Tht
way live now is not very satisfactory.
cannot find enough 10 keep my mind EN-
ployed.'
.And never will, exceptin some usefu
business, depend upon it. So take my
advice, and reopen your shop before yol
are compelled to do it,.
'Why do you think l will be compelled
to do it 2
Because it is a very strongly i'm
pressed upon my mind that the laws o
Divine Providence are so arranged, ina
every mans ability 10 serve the genera
good is brought into activity in some wa!
or other, no matter how selfish he may
be, nor how much he may seek to with
draw himself from the common uses o
society. Misfortunes are some of thu
means by which meny persons are com
PEELED to become usefully employed. Pow
erty is another means.
sThen you think if I do not go int
business again, | am in danger of losinl
my property?'
i should think you were-but l may b
mistaken. Men can never foresee wha
will be the operations of Providence
If you should ever commence busi
! ness, however, it ought not to be from
this fear. You should act from a high
er and better motive. You should re
fleet that it is every mans duty t
engage in some business or calling b
which the whole community will be ben
efted, and, for this reason, and thi
alone, resolve that while you have tn
ability. you will be working bee and nj
a drone in the hive. 1t is not only wron
t but adisgrace for any man to be idle whe
there is so much to do
Mr.. Parker was surprised to hear h
e old customer talk in this way. but su
prise was not his only feeling--he WI