Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-14

Moral.
We must work. Many who have
been fortunate In business, and having
early acquired wealth, have retired from
the active pursuits OF life to find what
they call ease, have found instead, an ac-
cumulation Of cares and evil, real and
imaginary, which they never supposed
to be connected with a life Of idleness.
There, for instance is our old friend
Coffee, for many years one Of the firm
OF Coffee, Rice e. Co., wholesale Gro
GERS, In South street. Coffee CON-
menced business In early life, and being
enterprising and energetic, and Gas busy
as bee,r the business prospered and
the firm became widely known for their
successful trading. After Coffee had
been In business for about twenty years
he concluded that he would retire from
active life and spend therest Of his days
he was only forty 6ye) In some seclu-
ded spot, where the fluctuations OF th Q
-four market, or the rise and fall OF pork
and molasses, would disturb his quiet
soul no longer. He would not be an
anc horite, not he. He loved good lv-
ing and good society too we'll for that.
He would build him a mansion in the
country, far away from the noisy sound
and noisome smells Of South street.
He would provide ample accommoda-
tions for friends who might come to par
take Of his good cheer, and he would
lead a pleasant easy life. Such were
his plans. But alas! poor Coffee! while
thou was acquainted with all the ins and
outs OF trade, thou was ignorant OF
thine own self.
The partnership was dissolved, the
site for house selected, andin due time
a splendid mansion was built. II was
the most elegant mansion In all those
parts. The honest rustics gazed ith
astonishment on the evidences sf wealth
Il displayed, tho country storekeeper
congratulated himself on the probable
acquisition OF customer, the village
doctor calculated on an additional pa
tent, while the poor parson rejolced In
his heart that there was some probabll.
ity Of having his small salary increased
by the liberality Of retired merchant.
For the frst few months every thing
went on admirably. Coffee had enough
to keep him at work 10 arranging mat
ters around the new place, and getting
everything ia proper order for perma-
nent use. But when all this was ac-
complished time hung heavily on his
hands, There was nothing to keep him
employed-for all the work on his place
was done by hired hands. and as he was
determined to be free from all care he
even employed man as overseer from
the whole. The sam total OF Coffee's
daily occupation was eating, drinking,
and sleeping, with little reading, and
an occasional ride. II was not long be-
fore symptoms OF dyspepsia and OF gout
appeared, and after suffering months OF
untold agony he left his splendid man
sion for "the narrow house appointed
for all living" Poor fellow! He died
because he had nothing else to do!
Then there was his neighbor Lap.
stone, who tried hard TO keep souls into
the bodies Of himself and wife and eight
children, by daily plying his honest
trade Of shoemaking. Lapstone's hum
BILE house was almost under the shadow
Of the great mansion, and he often sigh
ed as he looked up from his leather sea,
and saw the rich Coffee whirl rppidly by
in his splendid coach. and was as often
tempted to break the tenth command
ment, and wish himself away from his
wsx-ends and his avis, und in posses
ion OF some Of his neighbor's riches
Tfuo, Lapstono was In comfortable cir
cumstances, though be was q poor man.
He had little garden patch where
he could labor for an hour or two every
day. and while providing for his table be
preparing himself by outdoor exercise
for the indoor confinement OF his trade,
Then his wife was 4 woman, frugal and
industrious, while tho eight young Lap
stones were hearty and robust, and some
OF them old enough to help In the shop.
But Lapstone had fancied, as he saw the
wealth and show Of his neighbor, that
Il was a fine thing to be rich, and take
the world easy. Therefore no sighed
when his neghbor rode lazily along Ia
a carriage, while he sat for ten hours q
day hammering sole-leather. But when
at length he saw tho funeral train which
carried the rich idler TO his long home
no came to the conclusion that health
was better than wealth, and content
m ent more to be desired than great rich
es. And that's the moral OF this story