Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-03
AGRICULTURAL.
MERCHANT OR rARMERi--wmcn Is
HESTi

sec II you Wantcu clcrk 1 snOulu ike 10
put my son into your store for while.
Mr.. B.-Indccd ] thought you needed him
on your farm.
so do need him but don't want my chill
dren 10 work as hard as have had lo-dq-
ging and delving, tell you It's too hard I'm
fairly worn all out.
'Ah you look more hale and hearty than
the most Of us, and yet you must be quite rs
old
yes, am turned Of seventy. But grow
lame and still, aud It's all from hard work.
'Ovcr seventy And ] am but sixty, and
my partner younger still, yet you see our gray
hairs.
well, something in families about
that, may be. Bot do you want my boyr
No, sir.
why mott
because you want 10 put him here TO lire
easy, and he'll be good for nothing, as clerk or
merchant either, in that way. We merchants
have to work hard II we would gain anything !;
and we have to work n good many more hours
in year than you do
Yes, yes, more hours perhaps but the
work isn't half so hard. Here you are in a
cool room in summer, and warm one in winter
while we are exposed 10 heat and cold, wet and
dry
Il know il looks so to you. But now do you
go into a room and spend all one long day /,
walking il from side to side, dodging this way
aud thai and see if long before night You do
no, want to get out Of prison---sec If you arc
not tired enough before supper time 10 be glad
to sit down in the evening with your family
and your newspaper. But no--you must no
back to your prison, and dodge and jumb all
the evening harder than ever. And when bed
time comes, you must post books
% you tell it all on your side But suppose
il is so, you make money and when old age
comes on, you can retire from business and live
easy
Not whit better than you can. thought
as you do once, and tried il. thought could
give up the confinement and labor, and only
orerscc. But this did not give me ease or leis-
ure ; 50 got head clerk, and rctired,' a, Won
call it; and what was the result WHY, /
failed. Aud what did you and everybody else
say Why, had quit work. and tried 10 be
gentleman, and no wonder | smashed il was
good enough for me might have kept a,
work like other folks"
Il know such things were said, bat VIC didn't
know you heard Of them But now lust look
at the poor farmers crops this summer, half
dried up. Jus, think Of such losses after all
our labor"
Yes and the day laboures too, who are gu,
ofwork in consequence ofthe unfavorable season.
will all fall upon me to knock off Just little
Of their account, because, every thing they buy
Of the farmer comes so high :, and mus do
It too, or be such s,ingy tight Jew, they'll
never go there to trade again,' to say nothing
Of those that go OFT without paying at ALL
We'll suppose merchants do have losses an
well as farmers. But 1t seems as il YOU didn't
have half 50 many vexations-shOwers COMING
up, tools breaking, cattle in the corn, and VIVA,
not"
'Yexation Z You know nothing about it,
Conc here and wait upon ungoyerned children
try 10 satisfy an old woman that ten cent calico
won't fade; lower the price Of pair Of shoes
or plug Of tobacco to suit an Irishman find
something nice enough for fashionable young
lady grave enough for quaker gay enough
for darkeo stylish enough for a dandy-and
can't suit one Of them till they have looked
somewhere else and you may fold up and nile
up your goods 10 be ready for the next unsatis-
liable set. Mr.. b., you know nothing sbou,
vexaiions. No wonder we grow gray before
our time
And SO you are sure merchants have the
hardest Of ii. But don't know what 10 do
with my boy. He thinks farming too hard. and
he don't like TO go to Enthusiastically III 7
don't know"
4 know, my friend You have taught him
10 feel that trade is too low, and farming too
hard, and now he is half spoiled for being suc.
cessfnl in any thing
4 wish could get him into bank. with
salary he'd like that. ] tried hard far !, lac,
week but they ask such an awful sum 0,r !
bonds; don't see what that's for.'
Mr.. b., you sometimes pray for vour.olf and
your children, Lead us not into Temptation. =
but here you are trying to get yoar only son
into situation, where the temptations and the
facilities for dishonesty arc so great. that those
best acquainted with the business find il neces-