Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-02-18

hour at books was a real solace, and |
also believed it an occasion OF improve
ment. Then | cny;el those whose lei.
sure allowed them to feast on books
perpetually; but the mistake | made
was in failing to discriminate between
the mental habits and requirements Of
the profcssed student and those of the
working NAH.
'.In this wrctchel condition did time
at my country- drag heavily a ong.
Visiting was perfect bore, for not
feeling tho slightest interest i. such
masculine topics as corn, grubs, and
manure, and caring less for the femi-
nine ones cf dress and local gossip, /
did not know what to talk about
Books set nc to sleep, and not having
the society of my two boys, who were
OF to boarding school, became fully
satisfied that nothing to do was equal
to having every thing to suffer.
"My most delightful place Of resort
was Il blacksmith's shop some two miles
from the house. where occasionally |
would ,ndlc the hammer, and clang q
little on the anvil, but my wife making
the discovery orc day that my hands
were getting grimy again, | was ob.ig-
ed to own up the cause Of it, and this
to my SORROW was succeeded by pos
tive prohibition on her part from my
taking any further exercise at the forge.
After this, when | would sometimes ride
past the shop behind my prancing Nor
gan horse, the tears would start IN my
eyes at my being dcbarred the only en-
jovment which was in the least adapted
to my taste or capacity.
, - Bat, cousin Alcok, to shurten my
story, my wife pcrceiying my unhappi
ness was increasing, at last consented
) to move back to town, and let NE re-
sumo my business. I had no difficulty
in renewing an arrangement with my
old partner, and hence here You see me
hard at work, and happier than the
President. an perfectly able, in q
pecuniary point Of view, to live without
WORK, but l have learned to my salts
faction two important truths: First, thai
We never enjoy ourselves so we'll as
when we are usefully employed; and,
second, that there is no occupation or
; the whole, for which we are so we'll fit.
ted as that to which we have long beer
accustomed, and which has hence be-
come to us, as it were, second ma
ture."
was much pleased with the good
sense in my wife's cousin,' as cvlnce,
in the small section of his autobiogra
ply which he Lad given me, and yer,
soon after he had finished it we reach
!, ed his dwelling. IF his shop was dingy
there was no dingiLess here. The edi
e fee was built on the Philadelphia style
having large dining-room back Of tn
! two parlors, and noble kitchen in tn
? rear Of the dining-room. The who'll
0 floor, as we'll as the airy and pleasan
bedrooms above stairs, were probabl,
i adorned with better description o
furniture than was owned by the Gov
Z ernor Of Pennsylvania. Everything wa
in perfect order, and although the lock
c smiths wife was somewhat uppish il
y her notions, I soon perceived she was
capital hcusckeeper, and that my frien,
was proud Of his house, and proud o
: his two SOILS who had come from board
F, ing school to spend the vacation.
[ found that these lads were quit
: intelligent, and that they were both in
y tended for the learned professions
While one Of them entertained me will
some music on q parlor organ, tn
a worthy smith begged me to excuse hin
for few moments, after which he ap
+ peared in perfectly clean linen and ;
suit Of dainty black. We supped at
$ table spread with the utmost profusion
and in the evening some company com
ing in, conversation and music filled W
! the passing hours. I was deeply inter.
estcd, and concluded that my wife's
y cousin the locksmith and bell hanger
was wise man, and that unwittingly
, he had discovered the philosophers
! stone.
l Daily work vas to him as necessary
as his daily bread, and the toll Of tho
shop only served to enhance the pleas.
urcs and recrcations cf refined anC
happy home. On taking my leave,
realized that had been taught vau.
able lesson: Employment is the onl }
healthful lot of life and he who seeks
for happiness in state Of perpetua
repose, betray; profound Ignorance
Of the beneGccnt laws that govern his
: being.
For THE CURIoUs.-Somc ploddine
genius has discovered, while spending
his own timo that the vorl tjo,o itSalf