Evening star., 1900-10-13
CURE FOR OVERwORK.
1t Was Severe, but Profitable In the
End.


Il used to be one of those chaps who try
to Kill themselves with overwork" said a
hale and hearty business man of sixty odd
years, but before l had quite accomplished
fatal termination, as so many of my
brethren have done and are doing, found
I was inJuring my business by it and quit"
How can a man injure his business by
devoting himself to It completely?" asked q
tired-looking party. THAT is preposter-
GUS"
'Is it?" smiled the hale and hearty man.
We'll, listen a moment, and when you
nave heard, maybe you will feel called
upon to think 1t not so excessively prepos-
ferrous as 1t seems. Thirty yars ago, at
which time / had built up a business that
was worth ten thousand a year to me, was
so overwOrked that l was almost a shadow
My digestion and my nerves were gone 1
could scarcely sleep, and the little spells Of
rest took when my wife and the doctor
forced me to do 1t were of no use at all
Lord knows how long l would have stood
IL, but the business was growing and 1
was making more money every day and
seemed to think that that was justification
Tor the loss of everything else save honor
l had one big manufacturing firm whose
president threw into my hands yearly con-
tracts that brought me at least half my
pronts and was about to receive one that
would net me $4,000 and greatly increase
the yearly business. The president had
been friend of my fathers, and 1t was on
this account he had given me first chance
at his work, other things being equal.
had not seen him for couple Of years,
and just before awarding the big contract
he wrote to me to come to the city where
he lived to talk the matter over. / worked
harder than ever to get everything up be-
fore taking four or five days out of q busy
time, and rode all night to the city. | was
at his office when he got there and by
Jove. he didn't know me.
laa 10,
VINO L was, you are killing yourself with
oVerwork. l know all the symptoms, and l
know dozen men who have gone Just the
way you are going
working pretty hard, but I'm young and
have good constitution. and think 1 can
stand It.
He was testy old fellow. and he argued
temper
I tell you. Fred he said at last, I
know what I'm talking about, and I will
not De party to your self destruction,
You've got more work than you can do al
ready, and I'll give that contract to one OF
the other firms that are after it, and give
them, besides. one-haif of the business I've
oeen letting you have. That will give you
eood deal less to do, and when you have
pulled yourself together again, and given
that good constitution Of yours a chance.
L II see what we can do for you.'
well, IT almost took my breath awev
out ne was not to be moved to a recon-
sideration. and 1 went back home without
the contract l suppose I might have
worked harder than ever to get other bust
ness, but the old gentleman's method OF
getting at me brought me to my senses. and
l concluded that when man was working
so hard he was injuring his business proh.
aply II was time for him to take q rest.
And take rest did. for whole year. I
worked. Of course. but without crowdine
Things and when 1 went to see the presi-
dent to have talk with him about larger
contract than ever he didn't know me
again. 1 was so much improved in appear
ance and when 1 told him who / was he
not only gave me the work. but insisted on
my taking him out to a champagne djnnar
as q fee for his medical advice"