Those who have a good conscience, and are not
at odds with their work, can take their pleasure any time--as
well before their work as after it. Only where the work of the
day is a burden grievous to be borne, is there cause to fear
being unfitted for duty by antecedent pleasure. But the joy of
the sunrise would linger about Mary all the day long in the
gloomy shop; and for Joseph, ho had but to lift his head to see
the sun hastening on to the softer and yet more hopeful splendors
of the evening. The wife, who had not to begin so early, was
walking with her husband, as was her custom, even when the
weather was not of the best, to see him fairly started on his
day's work. It was with something very like pride, yet surely
nothing evil, that she would watch the quick blows of his brawny
arm, as he beat the cold iron on the anvil till it was all aglow
like the sun that lighted the world--then stuck it into the
middle of his coals, and blew softly with his bellows till the
flame on the altar of his work-offering was awake and keen. The
sun might shine or forbear, the wind might blow or be still, the
path might be crisp with frost or soft with mire, but the
lighting of her husband's forge-fire, Mary, without some forceful
reason, never omitted to turn by her presence into a holy
ceremony. It was to her the "Come let us worship and bow down" of
the daily service of God-given labor.
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