Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-08-05

When the moon shines on my bed,
God still watches DER my head;
Night or day, at church or fair,
God is ever, ever near,
Marking all do or say,
Pointing to the happy way.
>--
WHAT THY HAND FINDETH TO DO.
Don't take it so hard, Rufus I know it
is great disappointment to you. We must
all have our dark days but there is sunshine
always behind the clouds" And grandmoth.
er Ely laid her hand upon the head of the
young lad, and tried to cheer him.
Such sunny, pleasant breakfast room
the latticed window thrown open, and sweet
breezes playing in and out among the garden
flowers. The untouched breakfast stood on
the table. 1t made grandmother Elys heart
ache to see her boy so overcome with grief.
Everything seems against me, grandmoth-
err" sobbed the boy. 81 wantto dosomething
to earn my own living. I have answered no
end of advertisements in the papers; but they
don't help me any. Then you spoke of uncle
Bish, thinking he might put me in the way
of finding something; and now the letter
comes this morning, saying he is very sick,
and there's an end to that. 1t is an awful
hard thing, grandmamma, for boys to get
started in business with no one to hel p them. y
"Well, Rufus, sometimes [ think that those
boys who are the most self.reliant, and have
no one to help them, often make the noblest
men, How many Of our great statesmen,
and lawyers, and merchants, have commenced
life with only their own will and ability
They have taken up the work just as it came
to their hand, and worked on until they have
made themselves successful by their untiring
perseverance. You have tried nobly, Rufus
to find something to do; but so far you have
been unsuccessful. Suppose, instead of wait.
ing and waiting for just the right thing to
turn up, you just do the work that comes
right to your hand, until something more
agreeable comes to you"
"What work, grandmamma? l don't see
any work coming right to my hand ; nothing
at ALL"
"Well, stop thinking about yourself, Rufus,
and what you want to do, anc will tell you
You have been with me now over six months
ever since your fathers death and your com.
pany has been very cheering and pleasant to
me. 1 am widow, quite alone in the world
with this pretty place of my own-garden,
meadow and wood land. have cattle, sheep
and poultry. have accounts to keep, labor
ers to care for and to pay. | am only an old
woman, and not very strong; and you have
never offered in any way to relieve me of one
single care or to tighten one single burden.
1 can get along without you but you would
be happier, and so should l, if you employed
yourself about something useful, patiently
waiting for something to turn up. Perhaps
you have never thought that there is work for
each of US close at hand, if we will only look
for it and do it,
"Why, grandmother! you must think me a
very selfish fellow all this while, that instead
of trying to relieve you of cares have only
added to them. Set me to work and see what
can do
"No, Rufus" answered grandmother Ely,
"set yourself to work. Go round for day
or two, and whatever your hand finds to do,
do it with all your might; and all will say
is, that employ no laborer who is not wor-
thy of his hire"
Breakfast was soon over; and Rufus put
on his hat and went out, determined to turn
his hand to something. He had hardly left
the garden walk before he met one of the
hands coming toward the house.
"What is the matter, Eli p said Rufus.
II was just going to see madam" he said.
"My wife is very sick and must 60 home. l
am sorry, because we expected to get in all
those oats to-day"
"Let me do your work, Eli. Only leave
ME your overalls, and you will see how good
days work l can do"
ut is nothing heavy, Master Rufus. You
can bind the sheaves, or drive the team, or
help unload I'll run and speak to madam
and you are welcome to my overalls."
So Rufus went down among the oats, and
worked with considerable pluck; and the
men thought he made "frst.rate hand" At
dinner time he told his grand mother that he
had found employment for several.
In the evening, when he saw her poring
over accounts, he offered to help her; and he
relieved her very much.
For several weeks Rufus continued to find
work to do, and his grandmother paid him
regularly. Finally he told her he felt very
contented, and thought best to remain and
assist her about the work of the place.
At length she offered him situation as
steward for her, and assistant overseer with
her about the farm. This seemed to give him
a position at once; and when letter came
from uncle Blish, saying he would do his best
to find place for Rufus in some warehouse
in the city, if he desired it, he wrote in reply,
that he had concluded to become farmer
under grandmother Ely, and he hoped that
he would eventually become her right-hand
man.
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PERsEvERANCE.-Io once saw a company of
boys out on the ice skating. All were in high
glee, chasing each other over the smooth sur.
face, and cutting all sorts of figures except one
fellow, who was sitting down on the ice. He
held his skates in his hand, and while the
others were having fine sport he was curled
up shivering with the cold.
"What's the matter, Jim?" said Charles
Sprightly, coming round in graceful curve
to where James was sitting.
"Im cold, answered James, almost crying
"Coldw was Charleys laughing reply, as
he wheeled upon his skates and darted of, "up
and at it then"
Yes, that's the way, boys if we don't want
to freeze to death in this world, we must "up
and at it." Who cares if the work is hard
Who cares about labor and toll? Not that
smart, sprightly, energetic, persevering boy
who sits there with that long lesson before
him, telling by his flashing eye and determin
ed look, that he has resolved to conquer every
difficulty. No, surely not he.
By energy and perseverance we may accom-
plish almost everything we please. The wat
er falling upon a stone, will, in time, wear fol
itself channel. A few drops may not seem
to make any impression, but by continued
action the hard substance is made to yield.