Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-03-04
A9rirnIntraI.
Farming as a Vocation.

"for the best essay calculated to give FARMER
an a!equatc concsp tioa of the nlture ami wort
Of their VOCATION
The life Of the farmer has ever bee,
considered by himself, one Of toll ant
drudgery, but with how much reason. j
may be well to ask, to investigate, and +,
become satisfied. 1t is tie lot of man i,
general to have an occupation. If no
necessary for living it is made a mean.
OF obtaining wealth, fame. or mower. A
few, born to wealth or titles, pursu, nc
calling but that of pleasure. Such lead
miserable lives, and 10 little or RIO goet
in thesworld. 1t is appointed unto all
men TO ac0rk. 1t IS necessary to health
strength. comfort and happiness. But t.
work, 1t is not necessary to guide the
plow or harrow, TO WELD the axe OF
seythe, to SOW or reap. There are 9th
Ell kinds of work, equally labonous and
fatiguing-other occupations more wear
ing to the system. and attended with less
pleasure. In this count. Y. there are
more men engaged in farming than in
any other occupation. and in the rural
districts, they constitute a large MAORI
ty OF the inhabitlnts, aud. as a conse-
quence, sec and know little Of the drud.
gerry of other occupations. In their Wis
its to the mechan c, or manuacturar,thcy
see him sheltered from the storm, and
cold, they notice that his skin is less
tawny, his hands softer and winter, and
his clothes perhaps less solel and torn:
and It /. but natural that thev should
think his labor less hard than theirs
They see the merchant behind his count.
er smiling to his customers, or at his
desk counting his money, and they can
not think he rorkS: and they 90 away
wishing that Providence had been as
kind to them. They sec the lawyer ad-
yocatins the cause of his client, uttering
with eloqueuce witty or grave sentences,
bringing tears to the eyes. er laughter to
the countenances of judge. jury, and
spectators; and they 90 away, repining
that the gifts Of Providence are so par
TALLY bestowed. They see not the me-
chanic at work by his lamp. while farm
ers are reading by their fre-siles; they
see him not with his accounts. anxiously
looking forward to the time when his
payments become due, or his flour bar
rel empty, or his pork barre. cut; they
see not the anxious and care-worn coun-
tenance Of the merchant, while al0ne IN
his Office, jus; b fore his bank note be
comes due, and 10 money to meet it; and
they see not the lawyer in the still hours
of the night, with aching head and wea-
RED eyes, looking up authorities to sus-
tain his cause on the eve Of trial
1t is fkey t4emsclrsS the farmsrs-
that have set the stamp Of drud-ery upon
their occupation No one else admits o,
believes It. The lawyer, tie doctor, the
merchant and the mechanic, envy the
farmer his arm and his happiness-his
bread, butter and caee e-his fruits
meats and his grains, the product Of his
own labor, that he can eat with an ap-
petite sharpened by muscular exercise
and knowing that they are pure and
healthy. Ask the mechanic what he is
striving for, and what is his aim. For
home, piece of land that I can eu.ti,
vate and cat the fruits of my own ra;s-
ing; the merchant will tell You that he
hopes to eui his days upon firm; and
the lawyer AMI doctor will tell you the
same. What if their faces arc blancael
while the farmer is tawny-the;r fingers
delicate and supple, while the former ar
dingy and clumsy-their garments fin
and clean, while his are soiled and coarse
Each is appropriate and equally r1sp2cta-
bic. A chimney sweePin white linen, or
a farmer at his pillow in fine Lyoadoloth.
would be an object Of ridicGlo, equally
with the lawyer in rags. Moe men
make themselves ridiculous by overdress-
ing than the reverse. Iftle farmer has
not delicacv, he has strength, and power
of endurance-far more valuable If ne
is not educated and refned,it is no fault
of his occupation. did be himself no;
think so; for 20 one has more leisure Tor
reading and study. If he minsles less
with the world, and learns less Of cti-
quette, he has opportunity for thought
and learns less of deception, intrigue and
chicanery, which make no one happy
Whose sons make the NEST enterpris.ns
ard successful merchants, the most pro
found statesmen, the most emin5ns engi-
neers and the most learned lawyers and
divines? TIE Farmers. They 90 forth
from the farm. with healthy blood in
their veins, in erited from healthy pa
rents, and cons equently have healthy and
vigorous minds. Who are looked up to
as defenders Of our homes in case Of in
vasion? Whose names are in our Jury
boxes, ard whose names are sought for
faye, little to often sucesSSf Ia } on
bank note Brother farm rs. let US not
repine at our lo': let US po' envy Others
while they envy US; let Us honor our call
ing and it will honor US.
"Honor and fame from no condition rise"
axe that would win mast ltlgffo tn pr7-e."
S. B. Z.
Gorham, n. Y, Nov. 1858.