Year: 1859

did her best TO coax me lnCo SeHlieiHahiJ
ways : had the old mechanical CRIME all
thoroughly scrubbed out of my hands-fn-
ger nails cleaned out aud rounded-so as to-
make it appear that had never done man
uaf labor.


oThenswe must get behind a couple Of
Morgan pennies which I'had purchased, apd
make fashionable calls in the day time on
those Who had called on US; and wife want
ed me to soften down my voice and to be
particular about my grammar and the sub
jects I talked on; but sometimes forgetting
myself I would revel in the. proud memory
of the locks and Keys Fhad handled in hap
pier days and commence history of my ex-
ploits in that line, when my wife would look
as though she was goingtd sink through the
floor. In fact she he.wished to keep a perpet-
ual lock on my,lips, ESQ far as our anteee;
dents were coucerned) with the key in her
pocket. But sighed for the shop, and time
hung so heavy on my hands that an hour
spent In stupid listlessuess about the house
seemed longer to me than day did, when
had orders ahead for locks, aud was driving
hard to get, them finished at given time
Ny youngest brother, who, is a;college:bred
man and lawyer, sent me at my request, a
fine collection of books on all imaginable sub
jeets, so that my library outshoue that of the
parson or indeed any other man in the place;
but I found1 had no more taste to; sit down
and read than had for trimming currant
bushes. Time was, after I had finished
hard days work at the shop, when an hour
at books was real solace, and Ialso believed
an occasion of improvement. Then 1 en-
We'd those whose leisure allowed them to
feast on books perpetually; but the mistake
I made was in failing to discriminate be:
tween mental habits and requirements .'of
the professed student and, those Of the work
ing man. o.. - !


"In this wretched condition did. time at
my country seat drag heavily along Visit
ing was perfect bore; for not feeling the
slightest interest iu such masculine topics as
corn, 'grubs and manure, and caring less tor
the feminiueon of dress and local gossip,
I 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 'snothing
to do" was equal to having everything to
suffer.


eMy most delightful place of resort was
blacksmith's shop some two miles from the
house, where occasionally I would handle
the hammer and clang a little on the anvil,
but wife making the discovery one day that
my hands were getting grim again, l was
obliged to own up to the cause of it, and this
to my sorrow was succeeded by a positive
prohibition on her part from my taking any
further exercise at the forge. After this,
when would sometimes ride past the shop
behind my prancing Morgan horses, the
tears would start in my eyes at my being de-
barred the only employment which was in
the least adapted to my taste or capacity.
.. "But, Cousin Aleck, to shorten my story,
wife perceiviDg my uubappiness was increa-
sing, at last cousentedto move back to town,
and let me resume my business had no
difficulty in renewing an arrangement with
my old partner, and hence here you see me
hard at work, and happier than the Presi-
dent. ] am perfectly able, in pecuniary
point of view, to live without work, but l
have learned to my satisfaction two imper.
tant truths: First, that we never enjoy our
selves so we'll as when we are usefully en-
ploycd; and, second, that there is no occu-
patton on the whole, for which we are so
we'll fitted as that to which we have been
long accustomed, and which has hence be-
come to us, as it were, second nature"


| was much pleased with the good sense
of "my wife's cousin" as eviuced in the
small section of his autobiography which he
had given me, and very soon after he had
finished it we reached bis dwelling. If his
shop was dingy, there was no dinginess here.
The edi6ce was built on the Philadelphia
style, having large dining room back of
the two parlors,a and a,noble kitchen in the
rear of the dining room. The whole floor
as we'll as the airy and pleasant bed rooms
above stairs, were probably adorned with a
better description of furniture than was owned
by the Governor of Pennsylvania. Every
thing was in perfect order and although the
locksmith's wife was somewhat uppish in her
notions, I,soon perceived she was capital
housekeeper; and that my friend was proud
of his two sons who had come from boarding
school to spend the vacation. [ found that
these lads we're very intelligent, and that they
were both. intended for the learned pro-
fessions. While one of them entertained
me with some music on parlor organ the
worthy smith begged me to excuse him for
few moments, after which he re-appeared
in perfectly clean linen, and suit of dainty
black. We supped at table spread with
the utmost profusiou, and iu the evening,
some company coming in, conversation and
music filled up the passing hour. 1 was
deeply interested, and concluded that "my
wife's csusin," the locksmith and bell ham
ger, was wise man, and that unwillingly
he had discovered the true philosophers
stone. Daily work was to him as necessary
as his daily bread, and the toll of the shop
only served to enhance the pleasures and re-
creations of a refined and happy home. On
taking my leave, I realized that l had been
taught valuable lesson: Employment is
tho healthfnl lot of life. and he that would