Smyrna times., 1858-11-11
SELECT ARTICLES.
MY WIFI E'S COUSIN.
A STORY wIrH A MORAL.

4 STOk1 WITH MORAL.
Some time ago | called on cousin of m,
wife, who resided in the city of Philsdelphia
had not seen him for long time, but ha WING
Understood that he was in affluent sircumstan.
ses was but little prepared for the condition
ia which found him. Through information
derived from Philadelphia directory, went
to one of those alleys with whish that city
IbOslds, and found his name on sign.board,
associated with that of another man, over dark
aud dingy shop. The sign pursorted that they
were lOcksmiths and bell.hangers; also that
locks were repaired aud keys Stted. Without
ceremony | walked into the gloomy recess.
Whsre there was a blacksmith's forge, and
where, among several muscula looking men up
TO their armpits in work, was "my wite's cou-
Hn." He received me most cordially, aud for
imOment internitted Sling a huge brass key
90 which he waa engaged, and the shake Of my
'Sn dexter by one of his broad, brawny hands
can llken to nothing nearer than the shock of
lyOung earthquake.
Take seat, take seat" he observed, /" and
lu't as soon as I finish this hey, sell make
tracks for home.''
As soon as it Was completed he washed the
EOrsS Of the dirt from his hands, hung up his
SOrk sPrOn, aud put.ing on his coat asd hat,
Esmarked in a cheerful tone, " Come now, Cou.
Hn Aleck, let's go and see whether wife has
got any tea for us
After we were in the street, our conversat ton
lasensibly ran on business, and took occasion
10 say to him that had been of the opinion
that be had retired Son his trade on q ha ndsome
eomPstency. "Don't say a cord abost retire
nsni," he replied; -" it nearly made ne sck to
think Of it. People talk Of rstiriag from busi-
Dess whiIe they are healthy and able to work
Why. l tell you, Alsck, they don't know what
amesns. ddn't know what it meast until
ried il, but noU retirement and misery sound
10 my ears like words of about the same mean
ing.
" You see, Aleck, it is about three years ago
that having, as you would say, a COM mpeIency, |
made up my mind to stop work and move into
The country. So sold out my share of the
business to my partner, spent year or more in
boxing at two or three score of country places,
and at last found one that wife aud myself we're
considerably pleased with.
"For two or three months matters and things
vent on very we'll, because had something to
attend 10 in making few little improvements
about the house, and in furnishing a number OF
the doors with locks Of my own invention; but
nlhe whole premises were in excellent repair
when 1 bought them, | soon came to point
shere there was nothing to look after but the |
cultivation of the garden. l was not long. |
though, in making the discovery that had DO
genius or taste either for digging around roots
wpulling up weeds aud SO, as wife didn't wish
lhe garden to run to waste, employed regu-
lac EagIish gardener to carry the thing regu-
Afly through.
@Well, L didn't mind the expense he put me |
., but somehow felt out Of my gearing in not
having the right kind of employment. Wife
I'd her best to coax me into gentlemanly ways;
had the old mechanical CRIME all thoroughly
srabbed out of my hands-6nger-nais cleaned
cut and rounded--so as to make il appear that
had never done any manual labor.
~Then we must get behind a.eouPle of Nor
gao ponies which ] had purchased, and make
hshIonsble calls 10 the daytime on those who
'd called on US and wife wanted me TO soften
s'sn my voice, and to be particular about my
V'mlnsr and the subjects talked on; but
ametlmes forgetting myself would revel in
ne proud memory of the locks and keys had
aAdled 10 happier days, and commence a bis
"y OF my exploits in that line, when my wife |
would look as though she was going TO sink
I'0agh the floor. Ia fact she wished 10 keep
perpetual lock on my lips ESQ far as our ante
Ssaenis were concerned), with the key 10 her
p'esat But | sighed for the shop, and time
sang 50 heavily on my hands, that an hour spent
%Hipd listlessness about the house seemed
o'geF to me than day did, when had orders
neal for locks. and was driving hard to get |
@en done at given time.
Ny Youngest brother. who is college-bred
van and alawyer, sent me. at nay request,
~ssOlleesioa Of books on all imaginable sub |