Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-23

EDITOR Posr-ISrxLLIorcKR:

EDITOR fOS1-lSTEILI0SCER
The hired man is said to be much e
blame for the sorrovs he brings ON poe
terity. although the Last time saw him
he seemed to be pretty happy; he VA
vhistliVg tie Spanish Cavalier" and
making an artificial bog 70 tease the dog
with. 1t is true, that in the life of the
hired man there are periods of depfes
sion. times when his soul seem steep
ed in bitterness, because have observ.
ed that ths line eameuts Of his features
would become rigid, and his lips would
move as il in profanity, when you pui
salt In his tea, or threatened to shoot
him. In the evening, when the peace
full shadows of the night draw nigh. the
hired man may choose TO sit around the
fire and smoke, in pensive thought; and
sitting there, his strong right arm at
rest, he broods; and in the wonders Of
the mind he lives again in scenes Of
other days, wherein life's mysteries
abound; perhaps the brilliant thought
that lives upon his brain, and causes
the caressin9 smile that now reposes
sweetly on his face, IL Of the-buttons
on his vest, OF Of tho straQRliuR
beard upon his manly chin, OF
Of the day long past. whom
Michael and myself gave . slsiRht
Of hand performance late at night
among the fowls in Farmer Coots's hen
roost, OF Of the sunday long ago, whom
the summers sun vas Low. they tied
two cats upon a stick and slunR thsm
into church. and rnised hades accord
insly. Perohanoe tho vision Of Sarah
Avn starts forth. it's bangs. ito ffeckles,
and its bright blue eyes makes hired
man look sick and shake as il the strains
of operatic music had struck him aud
he felt their charm, and then he rises
calmly and goes to his rest f0v the night
"A miracle blessed in comm and Ut sub
jects-in his mind. The bed upon
which the hired man woos the mystic
god Of slumber is often, yes very often a
hard, uninviting place of repose. Far
Out upon the pathless ocean, amid the
tossing, moaning waters that shrek
pisiless cry, or upon the arid plains. or
trackless sforestsa of other climes,
he rests, although he has been
known to sleep with his boots
on under the blue sky of heav-
en- and gunny sack (the property
Of his fellow mem. The hired man is
not new character upon the worlds
stage of action, bat an old established
institution (tims whereof tho meme
~ Of man runneth not to the contrary,
transmitted from generation to genera
ton, in all well-regulated families en-
joyinR the dioniAed felicity that 10 coin
cideut with honorable poverty. His
tory, ancient, remarks: BE it said to
the glory of the hired man that the
world is indebted to him for all beauti-
ful things. its many great wonders, in
cludine the temple of Jerusalem and
the grand old pyramids Of Egypt"
And yet the hired man will borrow
eighty -6ve cents and a stand-up collar
from bis brother Bill and get drunk on
Sunday. But. though his fOllies may
be great and his virtues rare, yet often
will his heart 60 ont like great swell
ling tide toward some object worthy of
benevolence, az when he unostonta-
tiously spends dollar and q half for
the benefit Of his mother -in-laW, which
is never returned. Is it. then, true. as
some men saith, that the sins
Of the world, foul stains of
centuries REjm rest upon the garment of
the hired man? Il cannot be; for |
have seen him at Sabbath school read
ing from the good book, his placid fea-
lures illuminated by tho sweet smile of
sanctity. his spirit seeming as pure as
the snowy bosom of his shirt, which
had been washed bv sone sinful heath
On Monaghan (whO never got paid).
Still ever onwards on the path where
progress leads he must toll, what,
though, he brings up the rear in
splendid ''march of mind" his glory,
"a dollar per day." The Great Napole-
on in his proudest moments, or General
Grant tasting the sweets Of brilliant
victory With olitterin9 phalanx leagues
in length. will have said to the hired
man, my friend, with all thy faults l
love thee still.
PORr TOWNSEND, December 10th.