, 1874-02-22
THE LAB0RER'S HIRE.
Something hora than honey-Payment Duo
to The Jealous Worker.
The Wages of Gratitude for the
Gift Of Endcavor.

To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
Sin: That the laborer ia worthy of his hire
In money, no one disputes. II you agree to
give man so much, and ho does the work for
which you have contracted, you generally pay
his bill without too much demur. But there is
more than! the mere money-payment Of which
the laborer is worthy, and that is
RECOGNITION OF H1s DESIRE TO DO WE'LL
thanks for the goodwill with which ho has
worked, Tho wages OF gratitude for the gift Of
endeavor. And these arc just the wages which
are seldom, il ever, paid. Yet it is amaz-
ing what hesrt little praise, born
Of human kiIdneBs. puts into mans
work. It is like soul to the body,-like life
breathed into brute matter. It warns the work
or as nothing else can, and makes heavy burdens
light and thorny paths easy.
Unfortunately, praise is not 80 frequent as
blame. People will attack and abuse vigorously
enough, but they will not commend m effort
and, whilo they let nothing pass that displeases
them. live RI if dead and dumb to all lhat
ought to win regard. Every manifestation OF
virtuo is to them only what VIC have to expect
from all men, and doing ones duty ia matter
Of course, and not to be commended, because OF
course. Service, though the most loving, is
thing bought and paid for; and when
you, their sar7ltor, have performed your
part Of the contract, thoy have met it
with theirs. You hare no more to say.
ANY extra percentage Of gratitude does not enter
into their calculations; and
IT WAS ONLY his DuTY"
is tho limitation to al they might be supposed to
Now, contend that all service done with zeal
and heart ought to be repaid NTH gratitude and
recognition, extra the moncy-wagcs; aud that
no service is too small, and no server too mean,
to be so repaid, given the conditions.
Tho spirit in which o thing il done enters into
and transforms the most insignificant act; and
the very ahopman who measures or yard OF
ribbon can make his obligatory work personal
kindness by the pains he takes to please, and the
wish he has to treat you we'll.
Another man, who just does what be ia obliged
to do, and no more, is like one OF those sinners
who keep promise to the ear and break it to
the hope,-who obey the letter OF the Command
monts and disobey the spirit Of the Gospel.
You have nothing to bring against him. but you
know that his service is grudginglY rendered,
and that he is only so,ictous to tho least he
may. You cry quits with him when you lay
down your money, and you feel that you have
paid him
ALL rou ovE,-
Your bargain having been materih affair
throughout,-a grudgipg one.
Having found by experience that no extra en-
deavor secures even so much as a faint recog-
milton, the man to whom praise is dear
Bteels himself against what be has learnt to cali
the weakness of giving himself trouble for any
body, and henceforth resolves to give tho least
and exact the most within his power. Wrong is
always reflex, and no fault can be committed
which has not ita o1-pring and exaggerated
result.
Recognition Of endeavor is the most potent
Of all the influences which the superior can ex-
ercisc over the inferior. Desire Of praise il
stronger than d1ead Of blame in healthy minds,
and love is an active and living power, where
Children will do moro. and forbear
more, to be caresaed and applauded
for their good behavior, than they will for fear
they may bo punished and scolded for their bad.
The appreciation. the love, the caressea, OF the
parents, rouse all that is bost in them; their
hearts are warmed, their con.ciences satisfied,
their ambition fulfilled while constant reproof,
il It does not break their spirit, tonds to harden
and make them rebe!lious aud defying,-,,Naturo
giving the instinct Of resistance as vol as the
impulse OF obedience. Of cou1se there must bo
reproof and punishment, too. at times; but
free use OF
GENEROUS RECOGNITION,
and as much care taken that no eudeayor to do
night shall pass unrewarded, na that no wrong
doing eha!l pass un1ebuked+ will do more to &C.
cure both happiness and yirtue than any other
means we know Of.
How we'll one can read tho signs OF house.
mark by recognition and encouragem There
is moral oxygen, spiritual sunshine, in the whole
atmosphere; and souls ire stimulated, not re-
pressed d,-heartenod up, and not houndcd down.
The children arc free and unconstrAined and de-
void OF that craven terror so painful to see in
the weaker; tho servants mo7o easily, speak
naturally, and look as if they are At home,-that
is, in place where they are loved, made much OF,
and the good that is in them recognized. There
is no sense Of repression in Buch house,-all
rf arr ant nd NJ nd
ing for it's own sake is not known. Every one
has room to grow, power to expand and this
careful mixture Of the good and the noble Of it.
nclf atrophie5 evil tendencies, aa the vigorous
pornicious weeds which in the beginning might
have choked them.
Almost all the best things in 1ifo haTs been
done By
but it vii! be q prohtsb1e, retnEn
if We receive no moro than tho
bare money-payment for the grace
NO ourselves give beyond the strict covenant.
Grant that We are but improbable servants at
the best; still, the endeayor to reduce the gross
thing in our favor, and deserves to be scored to
The good for us. But some people arc 80 deg |
poratcly afraid Of spelling those Who work for \
Them, they keep of all commendation as weak |
D7cry word Of praise will be used against
hem as B basis for exacting better terms /
and, the lower they can beat you down in your
own SELF TEEN, the more good they imagine
themselves to be. They maintain that praise
makes people presumptuous and conceited, and |
hey make no distinction between injudiciouH |
lattery- praise given where there has been no
Effort, consequently no merit-and that appro-
patton Which is the hearty recognition Of desire
o do well. These people, therefore,
GET ONLY WHAT THEY BAHGAN FOR;
he strict letter Of the law is kept, but no ride
given beyond; the stipu-
ated work is done; the hours sgreed
N are honestly employed; but Of all
hose little extra touches which give that value |
yhich love alone can give to work, there is not
me; and, if another half-hour would render
perfect what is now only passable, it il not
,iven.
Why should they, tho workers, toll beyond
heir terms OF their covenant,-.they Think
Ehon no effort will be recognized, and al extra
ill be taken as 30 much due and in the bond2
1uman nature has need Of praise aud love. It
nay be weakness, and the ttern Roman princi-
le Of duty-doing for duty's sake is superior
tate Of things; but it is not common. Per-
APPS it ought to bo; but ne have
o deal with the world as We find it, and mako
ho best Of the material at hand and it strikes
az that the severity which torbenrs to praise