"I well remember one evening when I had sat with tears in my eyes because my father had treated my lover coolly, that my mother tried to prevail on him to consent to my wishes. Father took down the Bible, and picked out a great many texts similar to those I have repeated, and gave them to me to commit to memory. The next day he met me walking sadly behind the house, and asked me, 'Dare you, Julia, unite yourself with one who lives in constant violation of God's command, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work."'?"
"I, of course, made many excuses for my absent friend, and said that I knew he wanted to find some steady employment; that he disliked to be out of work as much as any one, but circumstances had not favored him. He gazed in my flushed face earnestly for a minute, and then said, 'O, my child! I'm afraid you're bringing sorrow and affliction upon yourself! God's word never has failed, and it never will!'"
The poor widow covered her face and wept. "Oh, how many, many times those prophetic words have come back to me!"
"Father was a miller, and in a prosperous business. Every one of the children had been brought up to labor at some regular employment. About this time he wanted to build an addition to his mill. I noticed that he went, for several days, to the widow Danforth's; but he said nothing to me of his business there. One day he brought home your father in the wagon, and told me that Henry was to put in a certain sum, and become a kind of partner in the business; that he had given his consent, if Henry would work regularly ten hours every day for six months, we might be married.
"I was, as you may suppose, very happy, and very sanguine that my lover would do all that my father wished. On account of being near his work he was to board at our house; so that I had opportunity to encourage him when his energies began to flag. Father said nothing, but I noticed that he watched Henry closely; and I was delighted when I found that the cordial, amiable temper of the young partner began to have its effect.
"When I look back I can see that, but for this strict watching, and perhaps my influence, he would have sold out his share in the mill long before the time expired. But as it was, the season named arrived, and we were married. My father did well by me, and offered to give Henry a larger share of the profits at the end of the year. But, alas! before that time my dear father died, and died too, knowing that all his prophecies for his daughter would be fulfilled. Henry had returned to his old habits of idleness; and even I, sanguine as I had been, began to have fearful misgivings about the future.
"We moved to another town near by, and then to the city, where my poor Henry seemed always to be in search of work; but, when he found it, could never conquer his distaste for regular employment; and so at last he came to fulfil the prophecy of Solomon, 'By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands, the house droppeth through.'"
"You will see now, my dear son, why I have been so earnest to have you establish in early life a habit of industry, and to cultivate a taste for daily, honest labor. No matter what employment you have, if it is honorable employment. Remember your little verse,—"
"'For Satan finds some mischief still, For idle hands to do.'"
"Remember, my son, any work is safe upon which you can ask the blessing of your Heavenly Father."