Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-04-30
OvEawORK,

| was done, lhe disease bhiIlel hll,
and thus they are passing away-the
good, the true, The brave, Eloquent
tongues are silenced vigorous pens
arc laid aside active brains are par
alyzed, and hearts that lhrobbed with
generous emotions lulsale no more,
I0verwork, want VI rest, absence Of
recreation, For these things medl'
cine has no remedy, no panaces, no
balm, lts the auction Of life, golag,
gong, gone, Struck down to the
biider-Death, II there, indeed, no
remedyi IL slna''s command 10 be
forever held In abeyance' Ia lilo 10
DO q oeaseless struggle, q continuous
warfare Is the physical and mental
harp with so "many strings" 10 be tor
ever kept In tuns to be SWEPT by tho
fingers Of necessity, whether the times
that are produced be rs solemn rs q
dirge or a cheerful as tho mellow
notes Of the lark Truly, "life IS
real, life Is earnest" but death Il quite
az rcal aud earnest, aud far les inyit-
ing. The laws OF lie are memorable
and irevocable, There IL absolutely
no appeal from them, The penalties
which their violation entails follow
quick, and their avoidance Is impossi-
bic. "ANorked TO death Is the sad
dest epilaph that was ever inscribed
on tombstone or tablet, when the good
sleep their last sleep, and still cover
work" Is taking of thousands Of mea
and women every year. Some choose
a lie of ceaseless toll, when their sur
roundings do not require IL. They
form the habit Of application TO bust
ness and pursue it without mental or
physical relaxation. 1t is with them
"business before pleasure" and the
leisure day never comes. 1t is the
tomorrow that never appears, for
with each dawning day come fresh de-
mands, and the promised recreation is
postponed. Such men do not trust
out but they wear out too soon, and
as result, communities are startled
with the announcement, dead by
oyeryork. "Oyerwork' from choice
| is not so rare spectacle ms good
many people might suppose, while
"overwork" from necessity is an exhi'
bition which may be seen on all the
highways Of lie. The victims OF
circumstances which they cannot con-
troll, harnessed to the treadmill Of toll
they are forever pulling, but making
no headway. The bright days come
and 90, q thousand voices invite them
from toll, to recreatious and relaxa
tons amidst the joyous scenes that
nature so lavishly provides tor the
recupera,ion of mind and body and
soul, but earnest longings are hushed
by the stern command of necessity,
and the work goes forward. The
Sundays come with their holy hush
the bells call to worship and TO prayer
the great thoroughfares are deserted
. by the restless, surging throng; bur-
, dens are laid aside; thoughts freed
from the daily routine, go out after
new objects of interest; the brain
! exempt from the exacting demands o
duty, regains its vitality, and the body
e relieved of the harness Of toll, find
G rest. For one day in seven it wa
8 designed that earth should be a typ
e of heaven-but alas necessity, whlcl
/ knows no law, demands in thousand
: OF instances that Sunday shall be Xix
Il all other days; that body and brai
p shall toll on until the climax is reache
e -"dead from overwork" -and the
l. another starts upon the task, to reach
J, in due time, the same sad fate. A
l. urgent demand OF the age is prope
:, division of time between labor an
l. relaxaton--a just comprehension
n the imperative demands of body an
l. mind for rest and recuperation.
G cannot be .all work and no play
N without being subject to penalti'
is which are productive only of sadnes
The time should come when Peep
'e should find time to die, instead OF b
rs ing killed. "Dead from overworl
IN ahould ha no mora writtnn "nr atnd
IS our application evidence want
~ knowledge Of the laws of lite ar
I. health. and those who are practisl1
IS such errors are killing themselves.
may be possible that in numerous
stances necessity demands the sac
fee; in such cases the surrender mt
III he made in the face of the penaltl
- certain to follow, but only when +
=" cessity. which poverty makes unco'