Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-08-09
Farmer Blake's First Lesson.

Farmer Blake's First Lesson.
When | first went to live up at the
Grange, Farmer Blake took me into the
fields to talk to me. | was-young then,
but quite old enough TO understand wha,
he said.
"My lad" said the farmer, "if you
are to learn farming, and were to 90 on
tidily together, either / must teach you
or you must teach me. Now, as hap
pen to know more than you, it will be
but reasonable that should take the lead
and il will be time enough when you are
the wiser of the two TO alter the plan"
Farmer Blake said This in kind tone
of voice, but the frmness with which
he spoke, convinced me at once that his
word was to be law.
"You have picked up little knowl.
edge at the school house," said he,
''and now you must try to pick up llt-
tie at the Grange Farm. The first les
son that shall give you to learn, is this
"a lille at a time, and go on. AL
most all great things are done on this
principle. he rain from the skies
comes down in little flakes; and yet
both of them, by going on, cover the
face Of the ground.
"Look here," said Farmer Blake, stop
ping at bush, on which a spider was
weaving his web, "see how the little
creatures employed. First he fastens
one line, and then another, without
wasting his time by idling between,
and it will not be very long, | am think
ing. before he catches his fly. The
weaving spider is following the rule--a
httie at time, and go on
What farmer Blake said appeared so
very clear TO me, that | wondered why
the same thing had not occurred before.
But the farmer determined TO impress his
lesson in my mind.
On turning round corner we came
suddenly upon a woodman, who was
telling an elm lree, and the dry chips
flew around him as he delt his lusty
stroke with his axe '.Oh;" thought l,
"the farmer will be at me again now, a
bout his first lesson;" but no, not word
did he speak. | saw, however, that his
eye was now and then fixed upon me-
Though the woodman did not appear to
get on very fast, yet by repeated strokes
he made great cash more than half
through the trunk of the tree; and not
long after, down came the elm with a
loud crash.
Farmer Blake walked on in silence,
and ! was silent too; when suddenly he
said to me, "Well, my lad, what are you
thinking of!" 81 was thinking sir"
said |, "lhat the woodman has brought
down the tree by doing a little at Time,
and going on" '.Just as expected"
he replied: and now l see that you have
learned my first lesson.''
When left to myself | thought every
word that Farmer Blake had spoken, and
felt sure not only that he was the wisest
man knew, but also that could not do
a better thing than attend to his remarks.
In the course Of that day could hardly
look around without seeing some object
which brought before me Farmer Blake's
first lesson. A bricklayer was building
wall near cottage; shepherd with
his crook, was climbing highe hill; and
two men were filling cart with gravel.
By laying brick al time, and going on,
the bricklay er would build the wall; by
taking step at time, and going on, the
shepherd would get to the top OF the hill;
and by throwing spade full at time,
and going on, the cart would be filled.
Many have | known who were not
satisfied with doing little at time; they
must needs do great deal, and haste to
be rich; but they fell into snares, and
their riches did them no good. And
some have known who were very zeal
Gus in holy things, but they did not 60
on. Oh, it is an excellent thing to feel
thatwe are dependent uron our Heavenly
Father for all we have, even our daily
bread. ! ieel myself much wiser than
was before.
/ lived many years at Grange, and
have great reason to be thankful for the
many useful lessons that the honest far
mer taught me; but not single day Of
these years is better remembered by me
than the first day that entered on the
farm, and not single lesson is more
deeply impressed on my mind than the
very first that he taught me.
know that Farmer Blake, in teaching
me his first lesson, intended to apply il
especially to farming; but have learned
to apply il to other things. Thousands
would have been benefited had they un-
dersfnnd and nractisad the humility