Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-06-23

Too Much " Ork.

1t is said that more than one-fourth Of the
lunatics of the country are farmers and mer-
chants, and among the reasons assigned for
crazy farmers, are too much work and too
little recreation. Now, what is the remedy
for this deplorable state Of things2
For my own part | was slow to believe the
above statement as applicable to us here in
New England, Notwithstanding our farmers
are supposed to be the hardest working agri-
culturists of any in the country. But ] know
of many who work too hard for their own in-
terests, though their keen Yankee sense seems
bright and sharp as ever. The motto Of these
men is, better to wear out than to rust out. -
So it is; but what need of doing either2
There is no real virtue in too much work.
On the contrary, is it not a sin for one to tax
unduly the strength and energy Of a body so
fearfuly aud wonderfully made
Much is said in these latter days of beasts
of draft and burden being overworked by
morciless masters, and societies are specially
organized to prevent such cruelty. May not
some farmers be justly accused Of being their
own worst task masters And now that the
busy season comes on apace, let me just sound
my feeble note of warning.
In all our farming towns may be found
some lazy, shiltlcss ones, as you may find
droncs in any hive. There are also able
bodied stragglcrs, begging yictuas from door
to door, who ought to be set at work saving
wood TO sweat out their sheer laziness. But
there is the opposite cxtromo--men growing
prematuroly old; nay, killing themselves with
hard work Some are trying to work them
selves out of debt. Others are slaves Of
avarce-the more they have the more they
want The former class would seem to merit
our sympathy only, while the latter merit the
condemnation we are wont to pronounce on
I the avaricious. But some men seem ihted to
be debtors, and the harder they struggle the
deeper they sink in the mire, till the bank
rupt actn finally extricates them. They toll
early and late, and work their teams till they
give out, but they barely succeed in keeping
the wolf from the door, after all. Mean
while, hungry mouths multiply within doors,
till they are in danger Of being eaten out OF
house and home. All eirsurpus, remaining
after feeding and clothing their families, is
eaten up by relentless interest on borrowed
money, till they must sell out and emigrate,
or keep toiling on uphill till death comes at
last to their relief
Some have too many irons in the fire.
and, between them all, they must needs keep
blowing and pounding away till they get their
fingers burnt. Always ready torun here and
there, sparing neither man nor beast, until
they prematurely run their rlce, and get no
credit from survivors for all their manifold
| labors and favors.
1 But are there no more who make drudges
of themselves Just to make money! Nay,
worse, who lay themselves, body and soul,
on the altar of Mammon. OF course, this
statement is not limited to the farmer, nor is
the imputation of too much work. Yet in
the case of the farmer, such drudgery seems
more noticeable.
Now, why not slack little, and not work
yourselves to death to find, when all is over
that as you brought nothing with you into
the world, so you can carry nothing out2' II
is relief to know that some have taken the
hint, perhaps from bitter experience of sick.
ness and iu6rmity, brought on by wiful disre
gard of the laws of health; and that Others
have finally yielded to the remonstrance Of
wife and daughters who have plead with them,
by the love they bear them, not to work Sc
hard, and give little more time to those
small, sweet courtesies and charities which
they had once ignored
1t is true the farmer cannot always kceI
within bounds, in this matter of work. Their
will come emergencies in harvest time whcr
he must toll early and late; times when h,
must make the most of brief intervals of fan
weather, and secure his crops at any hazard
And sometimes he has so much crowded into
one season, besides his regular farm work
that he must keep all hands toiling to thei
utmost to get through. But is it not Otter
the case that work falls behindhand or is
crowded for want Of some system and wise
forethought2 Worst of all, some old-iashioneC
farmers will persist in taking the hardes
way, and plodding on Independent of this an,
that labor-saving machine which would lighter
half their load and give them a new lease o
life. In doors and out it is work, work
work" aud when they are dead the property
50 hardly earned, may 60 to make only idler
and spendthrfts W. L. n.
Longmeadolc, Mass, June 1863.