The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-06-20
0iling the Watch.

The Rev. DR.. f. N. u ibriskie illustrates
true principle, in the Journal Of Educd.
ton, as follows: / meet the old deacon
occasionally on the cars. He is not much
of gossip, and usually sits quietly think
ing, and now and then closes his eyes
as if in communion with better company
than his fellow-passengers. And l live
too much on the brink of headache, either
to read or talk on the rafting train. But
to-day he proved unusually commupica-
tive. He came over to me where | sat,
and made some kind inquiries about mat
tiers which just now are of special concern
ment to me and my friends. In return, |
congratulated him on his firm and rosy
health; for his step is as vigorous, if not
as springy, his eyes as clear and penetrat-
ing, his frame as fifty joined together and
as devoid of all superhuous tissue, and
his whole person as hale and radiant of
vitality, as it was score of years ago.
{" do not know what headache is" he
remarked, Sand have scarcely had an ache
or pain in my life" GLOW do you ac-
count for it, Deacon ?" 81 reckon" he
replied, that owe it mostly to living
an principle which | learned early in
my life. You may not know that was
factory boy, obliged to earn my own liv-
ing when a mere child For a long time
it was my duty to watch the looms, keep
ing them clear from refuse matter and
well oiled for smooth running. There
was associated with me another boy, who
sported silver watch which did not keep
good time. One day he preached to me
his theory that what his watch needed
was good oiliug, and proposed to apply
some of the oil we were using on the ma
chinery. | demonstrated with him, and
tried to show that a treatment which was
adopted to cotton factory might not an
swer for the delicate works of watch. But
he was headstrong and opinionated, and
straightway proceeded to open his time
piece and poured it full from the oil-can
which he held in his hand. Of course,
the poor little things life was utterly
quenched in the unctuous deluge, and
whether it ever recovered from the rude
treatment, is questionable. That Incl
dent" continued the Deacon, "made a
practical impression on my mind, which
l have never lost. That boy unconsciously
oiled the entire machinery of my life, in
way that has helped much its smooth
running, and not mi ured the woven fab.
ric. 1t has taught me the science, phi
losophy and religion of moderation in
all things You can easily see for your
self how widely and constantly the princi
pie can be made to apply, if one has it in
mind" "But, Deacon, how have you ap
piled it to the matter of health ?" con
in many ways; but especially as to food
1t seems to me that most people, in their
eating, are all the time pouring their oil
cans into their watches. They deluge
their stomachs-which are the works Of
their whole physical, mental and, to 6
great extent, their moral mechanism
with what is not adapted to them either
in kind or quantity. They glut and clog
the delicate machinery, so that it is nevel
able to work freely, and spends gooc
part of its spring and energy in merel.
keeping itself in motion. By-and-by i
stops altogether, and then we hear abou
the silver cord and golden bowl being
broken at the fountain. Pshaw Solo
mon said that about extreme old age
Better say-the silver watch stihed by tn
oil.can."