Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-08-22

enough to keep him in ignorance of
a famine through all his mortal days.
The climate, especially where most
Of us colored people live, IS the
kindcst in the world. IT is cold
enough to make laziness inconyen-
lent, and warm enough to secure an
encouraging return to even those
who labor much less than they are
able. Why, then, is it that SO many
of our people live in the "feast and
famine" style?
1t is so, with some families, be-
cause none Of their members man.
age we'll enough to secure regular
employment, When they have work
they have wages, and wages bring
supplies. But it is a poor way Of
living, and at their table the signs
of want are much more constant
than those ofplenty. In other FAM
lilies one or two work, and the others
are dependant upon them. Thenum-
bers who eat idle bread are in the
majority. OF course when disasters
come to the bread winners those
whose mouths are more diligent
than their hands, have hungry stom-
achs.
Very many have famines because
they do not learn q lesson from JOS
eph in Egypt, and in tho years Of
plenty lay up some corn for the
years in which there shall be no har-
vest. They do not look ahead.
They eat at once all they have in
hand, and If tomorrow does not
bring a new supply they 60 to bed
supperless. Now, it is part of the
duty Of to-day to remember that
there probably will be tomorrow,
and that to-day is the time to get
ready for it. No man should liveup
to his entire income, no matter how
small il is. From every days 70.
ceipts he should lay aside even lit
tie to. meet the wants of those days
in which he shall have no receipts.
If he is getting only seventy Aye
cents in cash, his outlay Of cash
should be only sixty. True it is
that at this rate his preparation
for 80 rainy day" will be very
slow, and his readiness for great
storm of adversely, will be complete
only when he is old. But such peo-
pie generally have other qualities
which keep srainy days. away from
them; and when they do come they
have got house ready to 60 into,
and when the storm bursts they can
sit there in comfort and let it blow.
Let us get out Of this miserable
feast or famine way OF living. Make
everybody about your house, who is
able to work, earn his own bread.
BE sure to set the example yourself.
Hang up over your table the motto,
"If any man will not work neither
shall he eatr' And see to it that If
there is little in the cupboard that
not all Of that little is consumed at
ore meal. Let us learn a lesson or
two from the bees. They keep no
drones over winter. They kill eyery
son OF them off when the hon.
ey flow stops. They eat every day
through the Summer, but they lay
up some honey every day for the
Winter; and when Winter comes,
and the flowers are dead their hives
are homes Of plenty and comfort.
BoAz.
THE N. Y. Tribune contains a Sc
rial, that we wish might reach the
eyes Of all the conscientious men and
women Of the country. It's intend
ed to portray the evil results Of the
convict labor system as carried on
in some Of the Southern States.
That the cruelty with which the
poor prisoners (many Of them inno-
cent, or committed for offenses the
most trivial) are treated, falls little