The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-09-13

Psnza, and all Of their merry circl,
ever come in with a broad grin. There
is no situation in life short Of the out
casts despair where the influence Of
books is wcrthlcss; and even the oai'
cast, Il he has ever known the joys Of
associating with these faithful friends
Of the press may feel "a sorrows
crown Of sorrow" in remembering
happier things.'
The farmers work requires him %
look downward, yet he need no: grow
Ell among the clods at his feet. When
the sun goes down upon the days hon
est toll he has still ample time for q
refreshing chapter in some book, OF
for a column or so Of the newspaper.
Let him gil his mind with an agreea'
BILE group of fictitious companions, OF
with useful facts upon which 10 ponder
as he follows the pillow and turns the
sod.
Let the blacksmith learn Of Vul.
can, his great forerunner in mystic
lore. Or, read Of the great mechan.
les of the nineteenth century, so that
every ring Of his anvil will emit
sparks of honorable competition and
ambitious fellowship.
Let every tradesman amass for him.
self an Intellectual store that shall
soften the asperities Of mere animal
life, by cultivating the neglected field
Of his untired powers.
Then will the crowd about the
church doors, the group about the
post-office, the loafen at the black.
smith shop, find topics Of conversation
that reach higher than the pocket.
Then will crime flee from the heart
and virtue assert her claims upon eve
ry son and daughter Of the land. And
the tired mothers of the land ! The
worn-out, woeful Hannah Janesl They
toll day after day-aye, night after
night, with never a book or paper to
divert the crazed or crushed brain.
Man works nom sun to sun,
woman's work Is never done.
Never. There is no rest for mothers.
Yet every labor Of love might be
every irritating friction Of
the grating wheels be oiled, if some
lesson of patience, or hope, some story
Of one whose lot was harder than
hers, could only drop down into her
little circle and kindle spark amid
the darkness. I have known one who
began liie's earnest work with little
more than the rudimenis of an edu-
cation, whose thirst for reading led
her to save every dollar not needed
for the household so that she might
buy books and subscribe for papers.
She actively performed all kinds Of
household work, accomplished mira.
Giles with her needle, and patiently
cared for the little children that null
tiplied about her in quick succession.
Yet her CLEANS of light we're many.
Her duty did not always lead into
dreary channels. Every time she
dropped her work to appease the hun
ger of her babe at natures blessed
fountain, her disengaged hand sought
some book with such eager avidity
that during a period of forty years
she had amassed a library of six hun
bred volumes, and had become almost
nm encyclopedia of knowledge. With
Dat the aid Of grammar or rhetoric,
her conversation was marvelously flu
snt, and her powers Of composition
nearly faultless, SO admirably did ex.
ample work in the field where precept
had been barred, so thoroughly did
'elfeducation supply the lack ofschool
training. She fairly revealed amid
genes Of the writer's invention, and
Kept pace with all the general infor-
nation of the day. No time TO read ?
This is the cry. And yet venture
% assert that this mother achieved
more in the line of absolute labor, and
ess in the line of social gossip than
my other woman of her time. There
S prejudice that to be seen with a
book or paper in hand indicates Ia
.iness Of spirit, or an afiectation of
and that either is inconsis-
ent with LIES duties. What are life's
luties' DO they require us to attend
o the welfare of every thing but the
rain, that grand motive powers And
loes not the case just cited prove that
he necessary hours of respite from
york may be proftably spent? That
looks may be mixed up with babies
nd cooklng-stoves and sewing ma.
hines and ironing-tablesi Let the
'Oung girl restrain some OF her enthu.
iasm for visiting and learn to devote
portion Of every day to reading.
.et the young gentleman shorten his
sunday loafng at least one hour and
mploy his mental powers. If all the
'orld could resolve to bring about
eformation in regard to literature,
"