The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-01-24
Labor and Professions.


1t is a grand mistake into which many !
American youth, fall that manual labor is
not honorable. To be merchant, a law
yer, doctor, an engineer, military or ma
val officer, or ship master, is in their es-
teen, much more honorable than to be
mechanic or farmer.
1t cannot be denied that all these occu-
patons require exertion. The doctor is Of
ten quite as weary when his days work is
done, as the farmer or blacksmith .can be;
but he is not half SO sure of quiet nights
sleep as they are; and we all know to what
hafdshipS engineers are exposed, as>well as
persons who follow the seas.
We often see vigorous young men seek
ing places as clerks. They all hope for
some favorable tide in the affairs of life,
which "wili lead thom on to fortune" 9th
er men have accumulated vast sums of mon
ey in buying and selling goods, why no! /!
is the language they use. They rarely con.
slider that but very small number of those
who embark ever complete their rCylge.--
Where one succeeds, fifty, perhaps hun
dred, fail! But an Industrious, thrifty far
mer seldom fails to secure for himself and
family, the comforts of life. The skillful
and practical mechanic, too, is generally
sure Of remuneration for his labor, and,
with common prudence, he can provide q
competence for the future. That prince.
ly fortune can be heaped by the plow, the
jackplane, or the sledge, we do not say; nor
is it pretended that men are likely to acquire
extended fame on the farm, or at the work
| bench, as at the bar. But the history OF the
world will show, that the men who have
done the most for the welfare of their race,
! and whose memories are cherished with the
most respect, came from the hard working
ranks PrnceIy fortunes are more easily
wasted than won, and while the moderate
! posscsso ions Of a farmer or mechanic supply
all the comforts Of life, they are attended
with few temptations of luxury or cXtrava-
gance, and still fewer risks from the folly OF
/ fraud Of others.
There can be no doubt, that agricultural
employments are the most natural to men,
and there is no country on the globe in
which the facilities for pursuing these en-
ploymcnts are SO great as in the U. States.
1t requires but small outlay OF money to
obtain farm to begin " it'll at least much
less than the professions or mercantile
| business requires, and here, the return for
the capital invested is next to certainty,
While in the others, comparatively few sue
ceed. A good knowledge of the method of
husblndry can be easily acquired The pro-
ducts Of the earth are sure Of good mar.
ket, and one which is easily reached. The
title Of land is well secured: the large mo-
nopoIies, such as some of the countries OF
the old world are burlcncd with, can never
exist here. What greater encouragement
could be asked by one who only desires to
live comfortably ana Independently! ..'
TALK Of the parlor with its touch-me not
elegance--we care nought for it. LIT its
covered magniicence riot in dlrkness-its
red velvcts lie in shrouds-its pictures gaze
dinly through crapa-ts splendid piano
stand dumb in it's linen cover-its worsted
roses and pinks, and gIIi,nowers rcman un-
p!ucked in dark corners--its carpet bloom
unseen. Let the shutters and double cur.
tains exclude every beautiful ray Of light;
while we can have the pleasant airy, yellow
tloored and uncarpcted kitchen. 'a
This is the place for real enjoyment-the
, kitchen, with its bright shelves and iti
clean white tables, white with time. The
, kitchen, with its old easy chair, and broaG
shining hearth, and with its cracking ant
blazing fire.. ...-
, We do not mean tn kitchen in the grea
f house, where servants have entire control
and the lady of the house never sets hel
9 foot within its precincts; but the homely an,
,omfortabie kitchen of the we'll do work
ing man, where the wife and the tea.kettle
f sing together, and little children prattle
$ ronnd the mother while her own hands Sc
the table for tea.
There may be snow in the cleaning, o
: sun-arrows lodging in the top of the trees
v there may be city walls about, or blue un
dulating hills. 1t matters not, in such
place every thing smacks of true comfort.