The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-11-10

mokluX CODdcCO from one OF Cn0 nlF0u
nen, piece of plug tobacco from the
,ther, and handful of matches from
Mrs. Brown, and was at the point of
;aking his departure when asked him
f he felt an aversion for hard labor. In
my question he made quite
J speech which will repeat for your
benefit, but I cannot promise to give it.
verbatim.
"Say, Mister, you touched me at a
tender spot. There is no man living
loves work better'n do-that is, in a |
general sort of way. Many and many's
the time when hiking along the rail-
road track have sought the shelter of
some convenient shade tree for the
sole purpose of watching the farmer
and his men working in the field. l
love to see others work. In such mo-
ments l feel that life is, after all,
worth the living Work, as you say,
is a privilege a1d a blessing. How
happy those horny handed sons of toll
must be when working in the field on
a hot summer Cay, with the sweat
trinkling down their spines and their
whiskers, and the dust around them
forming perfect cloud so that at
times they are almost hid from my ad-
miring gaze! have watched them
uncovering their heads when they
came to the end of row, and it has
always been my belief they offered up
silent thanks for the glorious privilege
of working in the sweat of their bTows.
Yes, sir, in such moments, while fam
ming myself with an old newspaper, l
realize that life has its recompenses.
1t is then that feeling of happiness
comes stealing over me, for, tho debar-
red from work myself, I yet have the
privilege of seeing others work. |
once took trip@en steamboat from
Buffalo to Detroit, and that short trip
convinced me that in order to 5e happy
man has to work ] didn't take a
state room on passenger boat, but
that's neither here nor there For a
long time stood on the grating over
the firehole watching the firemen feed.
ing the Unsuitable nav of the fiery
monster down below. The firemen
barred to the waist, their muscles re-
sembling bunches of india rubber, the
sweat pouring down their grimy faces
and sooty bodies, working like demons
with shovel, bar and hoe, must have
been the happiest mortals alive. Ani
when they were cleaning the fires
standing and working over heaps Of
red-hot Goals and clinkers, their happi
ness must have been well-nigh insup
portable. 1 am sure of this; for l, wht
was but a lookeron, felt so much hap
piness come floating up through th'
grating that began to grow dizzy
and would have run away, only I re
membered the watchman had threat
ened to knock my bloomin' head off i
left the spot. But at last this second
hand happiness, aided by the insuffer
able heat from the hot Goals below
and the steam that scared upward whel
the fireman threw bucketsful of waite
, on the Goals, caused me to faint dea'
away, but a liberal sousing with col
water and few vigorous kicks fror
the watchman restored me in jiffy
and was o. X. again. As I said be
fore, there is no greater blessing tha
work, and no man loves work better tina
1 do-that is, in general sort of way.
{ "Why then don't you go to work ?"
asked rather impatiently. A look 9
pain came over his placid features.
"Say, Mister, is it possible you don
i understand me? Haven't I told you
;, am philanthropist as well as ph.
f osopher? Don't you know there is a
i ways an army of unemployed in tn
Q country? Don't you know if I 60 I
: work some one else will have to gu
j, working? Am the man to rob m
i brother of the blessed privilege
]. work? Shall wallow in happiness /
q depriving some one else of the meaI
9 of happiness I say no, thousan
times mol I'd rather be idle all n
Il; life than to do anything of nature I
!" contrary to my principles. I am trr
K philanthropist. deprive myself I
y the means Of happiness that othe
II may enjoy fuller measure Of hapI
II ness. Alasl How sad it is that 9 me
# Of your generous nature should fs