The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-03
The Question of Rest.
Labor is rest from the sorrows that greet us;
Rest from all petty vexations that meet us;
Rest from sin promptings that ever entreat us
Dc. rr,,,, ,,Trll s;rar- that lura i1s IN in ''

be! When our great-grandfathers were
hard at it, chopping down trees, building
cabins. splitting rails and demolishing
stumps, and making this great American
little thought or fear of overwork. They
cheeriully accepted the plan laid down in
the beginning, to do their work in six days
and then rest one. They had no time 10
fret for fear they were doing too much
work They never doubted but one day
in seven was sufficient leisure
The housekeeper piled her unceasing
trade of spinning, bleaching, knitting,
securing and cooking the week through.
No evenings out, no "At homes or after
noon Teas no balls, or concerts, or lee
lures, or conyersazioni; it was only work
from early morn to dewy eve, and the
question of rest was never thought of.
They raised large families of healthy
sons and daughters in those days without
the aid of doctors or bottles. In short,
our ancestors were tireless people, and
never dreamed of the rest needed in these
later days
But they do say that it is brain work
that is exhaustive, and from the number
of holidays We now require the inference is
that we are running to brains, and in few
more generations shall not have body to
bless ourselves with-will be all think and
no act. Lawyers and law makers, and they
are synonymous almost, have found out
how very wearisome to the flesh it is to
work four or five hours each day, and so
they have exerted themselves to get legal
holidays scattered thickly along, they need
not be completely overdone with the strain.
By having New Years Day, Washington's
Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, In
dependence Day, Labor Day. November
Election Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christ
mas Day, and closing up at noon on Satur-
days, and on February Election Day, they
can manage to keep moving along without
fear of immediate dissolution while they
regulate the affairs of the rest of creation.
The farmer seems to be about the only
one left with any of the old time stick-at it
propensities, and he is so hampered by the
closing up of business that he finds it diff
cult to get on with his affairs on those days.
In the little use he has for Labor Days, Me
mortal Days, Good Fridays, and the rest of
them, he sometimes forgets they are going
on, and goes into the village to do some err
rands; but he must stay until after 6
clock at night to get his mail, can do no
bank business, stores and shops are closed,
and the restful tin horn, fire cracker and
brass baud are the only things abroad. He
only, whose twice taxed land so largely
aids Government officials in their numerous
holidays, rests and outing, is Obliged to keep
on working to make both ends meet.
Children have grown so brainy that they
can now be taught to be wiser than their
parents with only half days schooling )
days in week, having all the Saturdays
and holidays to train in idleness and mis-
chief, while the teacher devotes the time
the public is paying for to personal uses
With all our brains and all our rest it seems
surprising that as a people We have more
poverty and wickedness abounding among
the masses than at any other previous time.
1t looks as though rest and brain would
not get us into the Kingdom. 1t looks as
though We have been trying so hard to
creep out of work by the invention of ma
chinery, by the holiday system, and by
general won't-do-it principles that the Pow
er that rules abcve has now stepped in,
and is showing us what comes of shirking
the command, Six days shalt thou labor"
The higher law makes no provision for
holidays, theatres, fireworks and big feeds.
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread is its decree.
The question that seems to concern this
country particularly is how to obtain the
nest luxuries with the least work. Some
Of the FIVE hours a day fellows have fifteen
hours day wives, which help out good
deal in family and sometimes ten hours
a day wife, which assures dough cakes for
that family. Time was when if man
and his wife and children all pegged away
At some useful industry, according to
the example of the early settlers, they
would rise in importance as surely as cream
rises to the top of a pan of milk. Nor is
The good old plan of industry and economy
yet entirely untrustworthy, though grow
ing more so as the years roll by Large
houses, fine furniture, elegant dress and
equipage, with no business or visible means
to back it all up, are everyday sights.
One is often tempted to think there is not
much difference between those who work
md those who play, but that the balance
$ in favor of those who play This is IA
natural conclusion from superficial stand
,oint. used to have some such ideas
myself in those early times when in my
'idiculous fondness for the Head of the
Sidney's feared lest some last straw would
Freak his back and shorten his days, and
leprive me of the privilege of darning his
bookings and sewing on his buttons for as
ong term of years as | desired. | per-
uaded him to take the world easy (which
lie didn't, and live like gentleman 'bnt
lie wouldn't,) for felt certain should get
nfo idle and disorderlv habits and ha