ON BUSTLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 53

ON BUSTLING.

If the busiest men and women were the greatest bustlers, plenary absolution might be granted them, but as a matter of fach bustlers are not the people who get through an enormous amount of work, and live at a high pressure; whei'biutlers are busy it is generally either about other people's business, or else about self-imposed, highly unnecessary work. The bustling man is bad encugh. We all know him, but we know also the limitations of his bustle. He begins early in the morning; his shavingwater and his boots cause as much fuss and commotion as if he were going to India or Australia, instead of to the city, or, if he "live in. the country, to a meet in the next parish. If he happen to be in thu - and 'on duty, matters are still further complicated by the pipe-claying of gloves and the cleaning of spurs, so that the appearance of - this • bustler on the paradeground, in time of peace creates as much stir and more worry than a whole regiment, starting for the field of battle in time of war. Everyone knows there will be no peace in the house until he is out of it, and everyone resigns himself to his fate, and breathes a sigh of relief when the door closes on the bustler, and inwardly hopes that he won't return before evening, when the moment he sets foot in the house ar other domestic tornado arises and lasts until he has dined well, and is enjoying his pipe, which, glory be to tobacco, genijrallv has a calming effect. But the bustling woman! No soporific influences can be brought to bear on her; she does not smoke, she has not time, we almost wish she did, for she is 10,000 times worse than the bustling man. Her bustle is boundless; it is perpetual; it is the only thing about her tint has no limitations; there is no escape from it; it begins at 6 o'clock in the morning, summer and winter, at which hour she commences operations by ringing up the servants, and disturbing everybody else, and it goes on the lne-long day, until sleep closes her weary eyelids at night. -Apparently, there is always an express train waiting somewhere fqr" her,' which hei Jife i.? rient in endeavouring* to catch; she can'i, to save her soul, enter a room quietly like other people with ten times as much m ork to do; she 7-always rushes -in, generally knocking.jdown some piece of furniture on her way; she never, by any chance, has time to shut adoor; she frequently breakfasts and lunches in her hat or bonnet; shs is always-in a hurry, yet she is never in time for anything, but is eithar too soon or too late. She is always busy, yet if asked at the end of the day wht:t she has done, she would find it very difficult to say what she really had accomplished. ' She never sits down for more than . five consecutive minutes at maals. No sooner has shs seemingly seated herself to read or write or work than up she jumps and finds some •other form of employment. —Household Words.