The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-04-18
Work and Worry.

l have two neighbors who interest
me considerably. For some time past
1 have been observing them pretty
elosely-observing them as philoso-
pher. The humanitary aspect of the case
keep out of sight as much as possible,
as that would disturb my mind A
philosopher, you know, must dwell in
serene atmosphere. One of my
neighbors is a poor woman with four
children wholly dependent on her labor
for food and clothing. The other is
the wife of a citizen comfortably well
off, and has servants to do the work of
her household.
1t is about two years since com
menced observing them, and both have
failed considerably in that time. Ifthe
work of exhaustion continues as rapid
as it has been going on for the last
twelve months it will only take a year
or two more to complete their life his
tories. My poor neighbor, l think, will
hold out the longest, as the disease from
which she is suffering does not break
down the constitution SO quickly as one
that has robbed my other neighbor's
cheeks of their bloom, and her step OF
its lightness.
Yesterday l called in to see Mrs.
M, my poor neighbor. found her
standing over wash-tub, with a pale,
weary face. 1t was three o'clock in the
afternoon, and, from the quantity and
condition of her work, it was plain that
she had yet two hours of exhausting
labor before her.
"Always hard at work, Mrs. M u
said /.
eyes" she answered, with faint
smile, IT and work are old friends"
Work. / remarked, ''is a friend
that sticks to some people even closer
ffttifraa brother"
"You may say that" was her
reply to this, with ann amused express
sion on her face; 81 anf-Hork's favor:
ite sister," ---c
| smiled in return and said: r..
"You manage to keep cheerful. with
it all, Mrs. M" -
"Not always cheerful, and never very
sad; 1 sing at my work sometimes, and
that makes it lighter ~. -
l glanced around the room. To my
eyes everything wore oheerfulaspect.
Two neglected children were playing
on the floor. Perhaps / ough; not to
say neglected, for their fac.s were
clean, and their clothes not il a very
bad condition. Yet it was plain to see
that the mothers hands were too fond of
work to care for them properly.
ssSinging,' said /, ''is bdter than
signing. / am glad you lave heart
enough to sing at your work ..-
sWhy shouldn't % Everybody has
to work; some harder than others, it
is true; but it all goes in tie lifetime.
am too thankful to get work to sit
down and cry over it"
eAnd so you sing to makdt lighter ?"
eyes," she answered in quiet way.
"Your health is not ery good ?''
said I.
sNot so good as it wasa year ago.
1 tire more quickly and affer oftener
with bad headaches. Oflate | have
been a good deal trouble with pain
| in nv side. But / try mt to think of
it. Thinking about painand.troubles,
YOU know, always make hem worse.
81 know some people, said |, "who
would.be happier than tey are if they
had few grains of youphllosophy,"
"Our minister says tbt we make, for
the most part, our wor of happiness
or misery. And belive him. Why
| if gave way to glody thoughts |
should make myself yetched all the
day long. But what ould De the use
of that? 1t wouldn'fghten my work
any, but make it fayier; and dear
above knows, it is hegy enough now
!Some one has saidthat worry kills