Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-06-16


brother, who is a college.bred man and 1
lawyer, sent me at my request, fine collec
ton of books on all imaginable subjects, 81
that my library outshone that Of the parsol
or indeed any other man in the place !; but
found I had no more taste to sit down anc
read than l had for trimming currant bushes
Time was, after had finished hard days
work at the shop, when an hour at books was
real soace, and | also believed an occasion
of improvement Then I envied those whose
leisure allowed them to feast on books per
petually; but the mistake I made was in
failing to discriminate between mental habits
and requirements of the professed student and
those of the working man.
"In this wretched condition did time at
my country seat drag heavily along. Visit
ing was perfect bore, for not feeling the
slightest interest in such masculine topics as
corn, grubs and manure, and caring less for
the feminine ones of dress and local gossip,
did not know what to talk about. Books
set me to sleep, and not having the society of
my two boys, who were off at boarding
schools, I became fully satisfied that nothing
to do" was equal to having everything to
suffer-
my most delightful place of resort was a
blacksmith's shop some two miles from the
house, where occasionally I would handle
the hammer and clang little on the anvil,
but my wife making the discovery one day
that my hands were getting grim again, was
obliged to own up to the cause of it, and this
to my sorrow was succeeded by positive
prohibition on her part from my taking any
further exercise at the FORGE After this,
when would sometimes ride past the shop
behind my prancing Morgan horses, the tears
would start in my eyes at my being debarred
the only employment which was in the least
adapted to my taste or capacity.
"But, Cousin Aleck, to shorten my story,
wife perceiving my unhappiness was increas.
ing, at last consented to move back to town,
and let me resume my business. l had no
difficulty in renewing an arrangement with
my old partner and hence here you see me
hard at work, and happier than the President.
| am perfectly able, in pecuniary point of
view, to live without work, but have learned
to my satisfaction two important truths: First,
that we never enjoy ourselves so we'll as when
we are usefully employed; and, second, that
there is no occupation on the whole, for which
we are so we'll fitted as that to which we have
been long accustomed. and which has hence
become to US, as it were, second nature"
I was much pleased with the good sense
of "my wife's cousin" as evinced in the small
section of his autobiography which he had
given me, and very soon after he had finished
it we reached his dwelling. If his shop was
dingy, there wss no dinginess here. The edi-
6ce was built on the Philadelphia style, hav.
ing large dining room back Of the two
parlors and noble kitchen in the rear of the
dining room. The whole floor as we'll as the
airy and pleasant bed rooms above stairs,
were probably adorned with better descrip.
ton Of furniture than was owned by the Gov
ernor of Pennsylvania. Every thing was in
perfect order and although the locksmith's
wife was somewhat uppish in her notions, |
soon perceived she was capital housekeeper,
and that my friend was proud of his two sons
who had come from the boarding school to
spend the vacation. I found that these lads
were very intelligent, and that they were
both intended for the learned professions.
While one of them entertained me with some
music on parlor organ the worthy smith
begged me to excuse him for few moments,
after which he re appeared in perfectly clean
linen, and a suit of dainty black. We sup.
ped at a table spread with the utmost pro-
fusion, and in the evening, some company
coming in, con versation and music filled up
the passing hour was deeply interested,
and concluded chat "my wife's cousin" the
locksmith and bell-hanger, was wise man,
and that unwilinply he had discovered the
true philosophers stone. Daily work was to
him as necessary as his daily bread, and the
toll of the shop only served to enhance the
pleasures and recreations of refined and
happy home. On taking my leave, / realized
that had been taught valuable lesson
Employment is the healthful lot of life and
he that would seek happiness in a state of
perpetual repose, betrays profound ignorance
of the bene6cent laws which govern his being.