Smyrna times., 1876-12-27
Voluntary Idleness,

When you are accosted by a beggar on
the street who in a pitiful voice solicits
aims, and you venture to ask him why he
does not work, you are invaribly met with
the answer, " have tried, sir, but cannot
succeed And this complaint is not alone
confined to the professional tramp and the
deadbeat, but also to men who have learned
a trade or profession. There are in our
cities to-day hundreds of men wandering
listlessly around the streets, or lounging on
the sidewalks listening to the old worn out
jokes Of some travelling mountebank or
vender of patent medicine, and if they
were to be questioned as to the cause of
their indleness they would give you the
same answer you had from the beggar.
How they live is a mystery, and why they
are allowed to exist at all is one of those
inscrutable problems which have never
yet been solved. We do not, of course.
mean to assert that all the idleness which
we daily see around us is voluntary. Times
have undoubtedly been hard But the
exalted ideas which many men have of
their labor, and the false independence
with which they are imbued, are often the
causes OF large amount of suffering and
poverty. This feeling of superiority which
the working classes assume is due in
great measure to the manner in which thev
have been petted and treated They hear
stump orators and politicians talking Of
hOrny-handed sons of toll" "nature's
noblemen," and other terms used to
attract the average voter, and they become
impressed with the idea that they are the
most necessary prop to the social fabric
The pretended independence with which
men sometimes clothe themselves would
be amusing were it not sad to contemplate.
The ship p-carpenter does not consider he is
sacrificing his honor and independence by
putting worm-eaten plank in a ships
bottom at the command of his master, but
he would lose both his own and his follow.
workmen's esteem if he continued to work
beside some man who had not subscribed
to the rules of particular society. The
clerk has no scruples about sanding the
sugar or representing a cotton fabric as
being all wool, but he would sooner throw
up his situation than degrade himself by
lifting package which ought rightly to be
handled by the porter. In every depart.
ment Of trade and commerce this false
notion as to what constitutes true pride
and self-respect prevails. \ young and in.
telllgent man whom we talked with lately
stated that he had been out Of employmen
for fifteen months and could not get work.
Persistent inquiry elected the fact that he
had been i'll the service Of one of the rail
roads leading out Of this city, and had re-
signed his situation, Il comfortable one as
to the salary, because he had to get up at
an hour before street cars were on the route
and walk two miles to the depot where he
was employed; and for over a year he had
hung around town and subsisted on the
earnings of his mother. This is only one
instance of many which are met with in
everyday life. There is no greater mistake
than Tor young man to suppose that lie
degrades himself by working in what he
considers a menial capacity. Honest labor
dignities the meanest occupation, and all
the gush We hear as to seli-respect and in
born pride not permitting you to do
certain things is mere claptrap often used
to conceal laziness. The young man who
says am single; | have no one to support,
| can afford to be independent is mistaken
He can afford to be independent when his
manhood, his honor and his individuality
are at stake he cannot when by some
false idea of caste or Of what his COM
panions will say OF him he let's his faculties
rust, and weakens the power of action
which has been given to him. Life is not
all smiles and sunshine; ain the sweat of
thy brow shalt thou eat bread is the only
sure promise that man receives and has
proved 20 him blessing instead of curse
If men could only believe with the old
monks, that to labor is to worship, they
would throw aside this artificial sentiment
which controls them, and if they will
| depend less upon others than upon them
selves, be Indifferent as to the ieers of
society and act well the part assigned to
them, they will find truer satisfaction
and a surer reward.-Bah. american.
STAMMERING.-A gentleman who stam-
mered from childhood almost up to man.
hood gives very simple remedy for the
misfortune. $50 into a room where you
will be quiet and alone, get some book that
| will interest but not nxcitn un,, n,.L -.