Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-02-05
FROM THE GOLDEN BOOKS.
Worldly Wisdom From Poor Nie's
ards AimanSc"-t.

CBenjamin Franklin In the Almanac
OF 175S.A
stopt my horse lately where \
great number Of people were COLLECTS
ed at o venAue OF Merchant Goods.
The hour Of sale not beins come. thsy
were converstng ON the Badness Of
the Times. and one a. tho *9pNpany
RlIU To- , plain, clean Old rENwith
White Iocks.s PrGy Father Abfaham.
what think you. II fthe timesy Won't
these heavy taxes quite ruin the
country? How shall We be ever able
|se pay them, What would you advise
Fus TOT ~.
Father Abraham stcsd up atd sre.,
pied. II you'd have my advice. III
give Il to you In short. for . word to
the wise u enough. md nanv wusds
won't mi Z bushel. - Poor Richard
says. They joined In desiring hin to
speak his mind, and ggthertns rouud
him, he proceeded as follows:
FRIENDS. says he, snA ndshhors,
the taxes are indeed very heavy. and.
u those laid on by the government
were the only ones we had to pay, va
might more easily. discharge them;
but we have 10. many others. and
much more greivous to some Of us.
We are taxed twice az much BY our
idleness, three times ~ much by 0ur
pride, and four times al much by u
folly, and from these taxes the COM
missioners cannot ease OF deliver as
by allowing an abatement. However.
let US hearken to good advice. and
something may be done for as; God
helps them that help themselves.
as Poor Richard says in his Almanac
of 1873.
It would be thought a'hard' govern.
ment that should tax its people. one
tenth part Of their time, to be employ.
ed in its service. But idleness taxes
MANY of us much more, II we reckon
all that is spent in absolute sloth. or
doing Of nothing, with that which Is
spent in idle employments
or amusements that amount
to nothing. Sloth. by bringing On
diseases. absolutely shortens Hfe.'
Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than
labor wears. while the used key is al
ways bright, u. Poor Richard says.
But dost thou love life, then do not
squapdeE time. for that's ~tAe stuff
life is made OF, as Poor Richard says.
Flow f1ucn more than Is necessary
do We spend In sleep' forgetting that
the sleeping fox catches ne poultry,
and that there will be sleeping enough
In the grave, as Poor Richard says. L
time be Of all things the most pre-
cious. wasting of time must be. as
Poor Richard says. the greatest pro-
digality, since IS he elsewhere tells
us. lost time Is never found again;
and what we call time enough, always
proves little enough. Let us then be
up and doing. and doing to the pur'
pose; so by diligence shall we do
more by perplexity. Sloth makes All
things difficult, but industry all
things easy, az Poor Richard says:
and hs that riseth late must trot all
day. ana scarce overtake hts business
at night while ,lAziness travels so
slowly that pSverty soon overtakes
him az we reid in Poor Richard. who
adds, Drive thy business, let not that
drive thee: and early to bed and
early to rise. makes a man healthy.
wealthyEand wise. y "
So that signifies wishing and
hoping for better times? We may
make these time better II we bestir
ourselves. Industry need not wish,
a. Poor Richard says, and he that
Hives upon hope will die fasting. There
Fare no gains without pains; then help
hands, for ! have no lands. or II
have, they are smartlv taxed. And.
as Poor Richard likewise observes:
He that hath 1 trade thesr an estate,
and he that hath . scdliing hath an Of.
flee Of profit and honor, but then the
trade must be worked at, and the
calling we'll followed. or neither the
estate nor the office. will enable III
70 PA. our ,taxes. IL
". 4. Lewis. u~Sdetalksr aad ~.
halnner. AZ 4 lnNnan Ave. hokh nh00cn