The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-01-13
XENIA, FRIDAY, JANUARY Is, 1855.

In this manner did time, at my country
seat, drag heavily along. Visiting was a
! perfect bore, for not feeling the slightest
/ interest in ,uch masculine topics as corn,
grub and manure, and caring less TOR the
feminine ones Of dress and local gossip, l
A., didn't know what to talk about. Books
set NE asleep, and not having the society
Of my two boys, who were at a boarding
school, became fully satisfied that tn
ing to do was equal to having everything
to suffer.
My most delightful place Of resort was
q blacksmith's shop some two miles from
the house, where occasionally would
handle the hammer, aud clang little on
the snVil, but my wife making the dis
cOvery one day that my hands were get
ting grimy again, was obliged to own
the cause Of it, and this, to my sorrow,
was succeeded by positive prohibition on
her part from my taking any more sx-
srciss at the forge. After this, when l
would sometimes ride past the shop be-
hind my Morgan horses, the tears would
start in my eyes at being debanod from
the only employment which vas in the
least adapted to my taste or capacity.
But Cousin Aleck, to shorten my story,
wife perceiving that my uDhappness was
increasing, at last consented to move back
to town, and let me resume my business.
l had no difficulty in renewing my engage
ment with my old partner, and hence you
see me hard at work, aud happier than
the President. 1 am perfectly able to
live without work, but | have learned two
important truths; first, that We never eT
JOY ourselves 50 we'll as when usefuily
employed; AMI second, that there is no
occupation, on the whole, for which We
are so well fitted as that TO which We have
long been accustomed, and which has
hence become to us, as it were, second
nature
was much plased with the good sense
Of my Wife's cousin, as evidenced in the
small section of his autobiography which
he had given me, and very soon after be
had finished it We came 10 bis dwelling.
If his bis shop was diugy, there wss no
dinginess here. The edifre was built in
the Phila lelphia style, having = large
diningr room back Of the parlors, and
noble kitchen in the rear Of the dining
room.
The whole floor, as we'll as the airy and
pleasant rooms abOves stairs, we're probably
adorned with bert description Of furui
ture tran was owned by the Governor of
Pennsylvania. Ever hing W in perfect
order, and although the lock-mlh's wife
was little uppish in her notions, soon
perceived she was a capital housekceper;
and that my friend was proud of his
house, proud,r Of his vile, aud proud Of
his TWO sons, who bad come home from
boarding school TO spend the vaeatun.
1 fOnnd that these lada were both intend.
I'd for learned prof siOns.
While one Of them entertained me with
some music on p rlo..rs,n, the worthy
smith begged me to excuse him for a few
minutes, after which be reappeared in
perfectly clean linen and a suit Of dainty
black. We supprd at a tab'e spread With
the utmost prufusiUn. and in the even 6,
rome company Gaming IN, conversation
aud music fTICd the Ps=sing h'7TTT.
I was deeply impressed. and concluded
that my wife's cousin, the lock, uitb aud
hcll-hanger, was wise man, and un-
Willingly be bad found the sue philoso-
piers one. Daily work ..as ., mecca.
ry to him as daily br, al, and the toll Of
the shop only served TO enha, ee the p eas.
ure and recreation Of reund and happy
home.
On taking my leave, I realized tLat 1
had been ught a valuable lesson. En-
plOyment is the bcalthiul lot Of life, and
he who would seek happiness in a state Of
perpetual repOse, betrays profound igno-
rance of the benefcent laws which govern
his being.