Year: 1859

= -
was in failing to discriminate between mental
habits and requirements of the professed stu
dent as those of the working man.


'In this wrerched condition did time at my
country seat drag heavily along. Visiting
was perfect bore, for not feeling the slightest
interest in such masculine topics as corn, ,grubs
and manure, aud caring less for the feminine
ones of dress and local gossip, did not know
what to talk about Books set me to sleep,
and not having the society of my two boys,
who were off at boarding school. became
fully satisfied that nothing to do" was equal
to having everything to suffer.


Ny most delightful place of resort was a
blacksmith's shop some two miles from The
house, where occasionally would handle the
hammer, and clang little on the anvil, but my
wife making the discovery one day that my
hands were getting grmy again. | was obliged
to own up to the cause of it, and this to my
sorrow was succeeded by positive prohibition
on her part from my taking any further exer-
else at forge. After this, when would some
time ride past the shop behind my prancing
Morgan horse, the tears would start in my eyes
at my being debarred the only employment
which was in the least adapted to my taste or
capacity.


But, Cousin Aleck, TO shorten my story,
wife perceiving my unhappiness was Increasing
at last consented TO move back to town, and
let me resume my business. | had no difficulty
in renewing my engagement with my old part
ner, aud hence you see me hard at work and
happier than the President am perfectly
able, in pecuniary point of view, to live with
out work, but / have learned to my satisfac-
fyrn frnshp. Ein-f hat
er enjoy ourselves so well as when We are use.
fully employed and second, that there is no
occupation on the whole globe for which We
are so well fitted, as that TO which we have
been so long accustomed, and which has hence
become TO US, as it were a second nature"


was much pleased with the good sense of
I" my wife's cousin" as eyinced in the small sec
ton of bis autobiography which he had gwen
me, and very soon after he had finished it, we
reached bis dwelling. If his shop was dingy
there was no dingineSs here. The edifce vas
built on the Philadelphia style, having large
dining room back of the two parlors, aud a
noble kitchen in the rear of the dining room
The whole floor, as well as the airy and pleas
ant bed rooms above stairs, were probably
adorned with better description of furniture
than was owned by the Governor of Pennsyl-
vania. Everything vas in perfect order, and
although the blackSmth's wife was rather up
pish in her notions, | soou perceived she was
capital houSekeeper, and that nv friend was
proud of his house, aud proud of his two sous
who had come from boarding school TO spend
the vacation.


| fousd that these lads were quite intelligent
and that they were both intended for the
learned professions. While one of them enter
tanned me with some muSie on parlor organ,
the worthy smith begged me to excuse him for
few moments, after which he appeared in
perfectly clean linen, and a suit Of dainty black.
We supped at table spread with the utmost
profusion, and in the evening some company
coming in, conversation aud music filled up the
passing hour | was deeply interested, aud
concluded that nv wifes cousin" the lock
smith and bellhanger, was q wise man, and
that unwittingly he had discovered the true
philosophers stone. Daily work was 10 him
as necessary as bis daily bread aud the toll Of
the shop ouly served to enhance the pleasures
and recrea,ionS Of refined and happy home
On taking my leave, realized that had been
taught valuable lesson


Employment is the healthy lot Of life, and
he that would seek happiness in state Of per
petual repoSe, betrays profound ignorance of
the benefcent laws which govern bis being.