Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-01-22

Wv NQRS--1t seems 10 DC G1iuslon Of
most people that they are oyerworked. This
Selling crops cat in the tendency to shorten
The hours for study in the public schools to
increase the vacations OF men Of leisure, and
10 reduce hours Of labor Indeed, it is felt in
almost every sphere Of lie. Thoae who work
the least are generally infected mos, thorough
Il with the peryaaing idea, and, SO far as such
men are concerned, VIC are not sure. but they
are right FOR Of all situations in life none is
more exhaustlng to mental and physical energy
than idleDesS
The young lawyer, who slts half his tune
with bis feet on 3 green Laizo table, With an
imposing array Of unopened law books teforc
him, is very apt to talk Of his arducus lsbors,
and to regret that he has to subject his brain
TO such constant pressure. The journalist Is
eaay victim ct this delusicn, and after DO
ing nothing for one Ealf the day, aud very little
the other half, goes home with the magnificent
consciousness Of having borne the world upon
his shoulders ike another Atlas, or, a.least, of
having moulded, BY his able articles, the opin-
ions ola hemisphere. The only real doubt
on his mind is as to whether be is not work
ing himself to death. . and be can always lind
come sympathizirg toady to tell him that he
looks 50 pale. and is in danger Of mental
syncope This information gives him d
balusd in bis heart Of hearts as one
msn of ten thousand, snd as being unrl-
vailed for his just appreciation of intel
lect and its attendant labors and dapsers.-
This ''orer1ork" delysion has made similar
havoc iu the pulpit, where e-bodied clergy
men, from lack of open air exercise and physl
cal work, often acquire fashionable pallor OF
countenauce, which shey al once attribute to
the mental labor expended on their soporifc
ssrmoas so conducive 10 that Sunday slumber
which is most inviting and tsntalizlug when
surreptitiously iudulged in at church They
are wearing out their brains, friends tell
them, and the remedy is the trip to Europe,
or to the White mountains, or to some tasEioa-
able seaside watering place:
Mercantile clerks complain greatly OF beng
overworked, and generally with more cause
chan the clergyuen and the lawyers; but on
the other hand, the average clerk Of the pre-
sent day is quite uncomfortable when long
away from his business, and utterly lost IT., by
chance, he has considerable succession OF ho-
idays. He thinks himself orerEorked, but, II
idle for few days, pines to pe at work again
50, on larger scale, is With the merchant
while, as to the doctors. there never was one
of the race who did not think himself the most
hard worked man in the comnunlty.-
Many parents are terribly distressed over the
work their children have to do IN school old
people, vino sill around doing nothing groan
over the weight Of their duties land: as we
have said, really the latter have the most req
son to complain ! and thus all through lite,
this sweet consolation Of grumb!ing is lett us
it is one of our lest boon5, aud without it very
MANY Of Us would &c wrstched. Some people
are never 20 happy es when they arc miserable,
and they derive Immense satisfaction trom tn the
reflection that they ''night be better of" We
repeat chat one Of the most blessed eonsoI Iatons
7ouchssfsd to liz on this earth ia the incst:-
aabe privilege Of grrsmbilng.
70 be sure, while 50 maay agv c1mplasnin,g
that they are overworked. there are few Wild
theorists who insist upon it that work IN itself
ishann;ness, thus trying to reverse the primal
curze Of man. To these we have not much to
say. They would seem to be beyond the pale
af common sense. Accepting work as tedious
necessity, We ought, at least, to be very thank
full for the compensating comfort contained iu
our firm conviction tha. we are all most tho
roughly overworkel Philadelphia RseTt.
A Bellies CONQUEST AT WAaEISa1os.,- =
Some gifted quiIl-driver ought to take up the
annals of the National Hotcl, that abounds IN
comic and serious events. For many, many
years it was the headquarters and grand ren,
de2Yous Of political pumps Journalists aud
promiDeut social actors and actresses OF past
Generations. The volume Of register alone that
must be extant would ba IS valuable as patent
Office reports and as Interesting as those OF the
Agricultural Bureau rhera was time when
Presidents elect vent from the National to be
jnaugurated and lovely bellies swept through
the parlora captivating beaux known to the
Union. The thought brings np one OF the last
named sort: whose entrs1ce to a ha!l-room was
the ovation to a queen-a talr girl from the
West, and at whose feet the so'called states
men bowed in love that approached adoration
She married one OF these statesmen, aud r.
val belle, her superior in Wit, but not equal 10
beauty, said, commenting upon the event:
You wonder at the match be'ause you
don't understand it.
What do you mean!
I mean that she marie! one term III the
Senate
What smal! amhition--only aix years out
Of alifetime,' ;.
Six years make up woman's social llie.
After it Is living toub in nursery and then
she has her chances
What do you meaaf'
Did you never read the story OF ptn!oso
pher who undertook the difficult task Of making
fhe Pasha's donkey read the written words OF
the prophet !
Never did: tel me-; =, !
tfhe philosopher, like all philosophers, was
poor. At times he was hungry: at all hours ne
We, ragged. lie offered the pasha to seael
hi, donkey to read in tive years; but aur!1s
The difficult task he was to be clothed III purple
and fue linen, fed on the best and lodged 10
palace. If be failed the penalty was deas. ei
One day an old friend met him Leading lor.l
the roya donkey to the grove where the 1essJ.
1as supposed to be givec, md ne salM m oulei:
Jou do not expectthat ass to read Ihe pnllos
opher putting his thumb to his nose, ",pket ,p.s
one of bis learned eyes and said nothing but
continued the friend, 'ifycu fail at the end 40
Eve year. you will surely be strarslsd. ~: ~:
friend responded the philosopher; YOU u, lot
sot that 10 that time the ass may die mes 3s
are her chances. The Senator may de"
Caetal