Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-03-26
SAVING HIMSELF OFF,

rldgepole for some slight structure !
and having got one end raised 10 the
top Of the supporting crotch, II was
found that the pole was too long !
whereupon no sent workman 10 tho
top TO saw of tho ead Of tho timber
Looking up shortly afterwards, he
observed that the mau was sitting on
tho extreme end of tho stick, aud dill
gently working away saving II OH
Not wishing to create any unnecessary
alarm, and being entirely confident
that the man would very soon gather
some new ideas on tho subject, he
allowed him to take bis own course,
After a while, there was sud.
den clutch in the mir aooye him, aud
then there seemed to he race to see
whether the man, the saw, or the
block would get to the ground first,
1t was rather q rough lesson, but It
was throughly learned the man was
never known to saw himself OF again,
We should hardly feel justified TO
stand by and see q man saw himself
of in this way, without reminding
hm ol the probable results Of his
actions, though sometimes man may
be obliged to be silent while such
process is going on. We recall
q somewhat serious instance Of saw,
ing off which occurred at the meeting
of n religious society. A new con.
sttution was proposed, aud in view OF
It's adoption arrangements were made,
officers were parceled out in advance,
and all things were arranged TO do
the business with dispatch. An all
night session was held, during which
the new constitution was adopted and
the names of the society changed,
and without adjourning TO take the
proper steps for legalizing their actions
they proceeded to elect the officers
which they had previously selected,
and transact other business, to the
surprise OF one man at least, who was
compelled to 81, in silence, as he was
not allowed to express his opinions in
the meeting. In the course Of n few
weeks they found out, what this man
knew at the time, th3t their constitu.
ton was not worth the paper it was
written on and that none of the
officers chosen had any right to act.
In fact the new society was com"
plete nullity. The managers had saw
ed themselves otf,and they took plenty
oil pains afterwards to arrange matters
tor the proper transaction OF their
business.
There are plenty of people around
US who, to our thinking, seem to be
b1sily engaged in saving themselves
off; as we do not wish TO see peo
pie harm themselves without warning,
we wish to call their attention to the
fact.
Here is a young man who is employ
ed in position OF trust. He spends
more money than he can earn, aud OF
course is forced to so IN debt OF steal
the balance. He helps himself to
funds now and then, anc supposes
that he is unsuspected, and really be-
lieves that he is making a good thing
of it. He has not the slightest idea
that keen eyes are watching him, and
that suspicious are aroused. Some
morning he will wake up and lind
himself discharged, or more likely
arrested, or in other words will find
that he has sawed himself off.
Another is an efficient, active, valu-
able worker, but he thinks that his
life lies among beershops, drinking
saloons, and Improbable places OF
resort. He imagines that it is
ne ones business where he goes or
what he does, if he preforms his custo
mary duties. Some day he will find
his place vacant, and steady upright
man wanted to fill it, and will then
learn that he has sawed himself off.
Here is another man whose inde-
pendence amounts to impudence, who
is cross, and gruf, and surly, and dis
agreeable. This be thinks is his own
business. Doubtless it is and by
and by he will find that he has sawed
himself off. His friends will be few,
and his enemies many, his life is
burden, and his death unlamented'
The merchant who thinks to make
a living by cheating the community;
who puts the best side of everything
out, and deceives, and lies, and
wrongs the unsupported, is likely to
saw bimself off, aud wonder why his
customers desert him and besiow
their patronage elsewhere.
Il.