Year: 1874

dull the hum OF human industry IS not
hushed indeed, but has lost much of its
volume. The world of workers are rest
ing on their oars. Especially here in
America, the land where the fret and
worry and hurry of life are greatest, and
where the strain on the workers is sever
est, change has come over the spirit
of the dream, and in the world of busi-
ness and industry there is great calm.
Instead of complaining and grieving
over the dollars we are not making, let
us rather thank Providence for chance
to rest and proceed to make the most of
it For it viii be short enough, never
fear never fear but that the world viii
be hard at work again full soon enough.
Such vacations for poor work-a-day hu-
manity are as brief as they are frequent


There evidently isn't much use try
ing to make a great dea! of money this
Summer. Providence has ordained 9TH
erwise. Heaven has sent vacation and
why should we not take it in the true
holiday spirit The dullness of busi-
ness may thus easily prove a blessingin
disguise.


There is probably no other way of
checking the feverish intensity of Amer


ican business life, and compelling the


busy workers to take it easy, than by
just such an experience of dull times as


we are now going through 1t is bit
ter pill, but we doubt not it was most
necessary treatment. The American cit


izen, be he employer or employed, has


more leisure on his hands this Summer


than any previous season for many years.


The question is, will he improve it ?


VIII he NOPE around bemoaning slack


trade, or, making pleasure of neces-


sity, get the utmost possible return of


recreation out of the enforced idleness ?


If this principle be properly carried out,


the summer of 1874 may be more truly


profitable to mind and body, through its


ministry of restfulness. than the busiest


season of them all.


The treadmill routine of labor, the fe-


verish rivalry of business are terribly


exacting. There is no discharge in that


war. The man to whose shoulders the


yoke has once been fitted, bears it till


he falls. There is no let up, such an


occasional dull season affords, to at least
some classes of workers. Not to all
classes, indeed. The minister, the doc
tor, the lawyer, the journalist, must plod


on as ever, looking for their reward in
heaven but the busy bees of the work.
, shop and the men of business, these have
a vacation, and if they take it in the
, holiday spirit and use it to a holiday
purpose it may prove to them kind re-
, storer, storing up fresh resources of Wig


or and vitality for the speedy renewal
of the battle of life.


We should then call dull times a de-
; wise of Providence for compelling har-
, rassed and hard working generation to
e take rest in spite of itself. 1t is some
e times a little difficult to see the smiling
e face behind frowning Providence, but
D in this case we can make it out very ca
| silly. Let us then be thankful for dull
dull times. for breathing space in the
r crowd and rush Of the struggle of exis-
e tence, and make the most of it. by treat
G ing ourselves for once to all those recre-
: ations and amenities of life. those joys
s domestic, social. sylvan, Of which we arc
+; wont to deny ourselves with that genu
2 inc and universal American phrase. 81
n haven't got time" For once time is not
9 money and he who is wise viii be prompt
: to seize the unusual opportunity Of coin
f ing it into the amenities Of life
It Springfield Union.


& oE sau4Uc.ss K1Ey DIDN'T.