The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-18
From the Rural Hsw-Ysrksr.
FARMER GARRULOUs TALKS.

Don't tell me It'll do" John. Idon't
like to hear such talk. 1t is not what a
farmer should use. He should not be
content with a thing "that'll do" He
should be sure to have it in the shape
that will do best-that's the idea! !
don't like halffinished job at all. And
| detest crooked things that should be
straight, and rough things that should be
smooth, and open jointed things that
should be close. Now you've spent time
enough on that horse.rake tooth trying to
"rough-hew" it and fit it to that hole in
the head, to have paid for a whole set of
turned teeth. And we've got as good
timber up over head in the shed there, as
ever teeth were made of. Don't say "it'll
do" tell you. would not let such q
piece Of work 60 out of doors-not from
the tinker and botch shop of old Farmer
Garrulous!
Did tell you that this shop and these
tools, picked up at odd times and with odd
pennies, is my school-roomi 1t is. I've
educated my Dick here. He is exact; he
learned to be so here. 1t is as good as
mathematics to teach exactness. Let q
boy have the tools; give him mortise to
beat out to the mark. See that he don't
let the chisel disturb the marks made by
the scratch" Some boys will fail sew
eral times-Dick did; but he learned at
last. Then give him square and scratch
and piece Of timber, and let him fit
tenon to the mortise he has made. Point
out to him what you mean bya well;joint-
ed tenon. Then LET him spoil few sticks
of timber. 1t pays. 1t is q lesson that
will do him good all his life to learn. 1t
will teach him better than any thing else,
what good joint is and he will always
appreciate good work and honor good
workman. And it will learn him how to
detect botches and how to escape them.
remember, when was boy, how a
lesson was taught me, which impressed
me, and which l shall always remember.
A playmate had purchased new knife.
| admired it, and determined to have one
like it. He paid certain price. Ipur.
chased one exactly like it Il thought) for
a much less sum. l so boasted to my
playmate, when | met him. He wanted
to see it; l drew it from my deep, strong
pocket. He quickly glanced at it; and as
quickly said, Pooh You don't call that
such knife as mineY Where are your
eyesr 1t is not finished! Wouldn't
give you mine for two like it"
"Not finished l"-I exclaimed indig-
nantly. What is the reason ?"
See here" said he, "look at those
joints! There is a crack between the
horn of the handle and the steel head,
large enough to hold small knife. Look
at these corners-rough as if they had
been cut with handsaw or cold chisel !
Now look at minel There is workman
ship for you! You don't see any open
joints nor rough edges, nor anything un-
finished about it. 1t was not thrown to-
gether like yours-it was fitted together.
Each part was made for the other. Any
dolt can see the difference !"
And so he could, after it had been shown
him. That was lesson, John, l shall
never forget. My knife deprecated in
value fast that day. Its joints gaped al
me with huge and increasing grim
And the angles grew sharper and sharper
until | couldn't endure it longer. l traded
that knife off the first opportunity. l got
a pair of skates for it, after the season was
| over.
Since that time have looked sharp af
ter open joints. | tell you. You can't sci
me tool "that'll do! 1t must be vel
made. 1t must be put together as if il
was intended to stay together. And
don't want any slouch work done on nv
premises. What's more, won't have it
Do you suppose would have such head
lands about field of mine, as saw abou
neighbor Buffers to day? No sir.
my boy Dick were to leave such a mus.
in plowed field of mine would disowr
him. Remember, if you want to plov
close to the fence at the ends of your fur
rows, to leave q good land to turn on, ,anC
then, where the balance Of the field is 6n
ished, back furrow at right angles to tn,
rest of the plOwing. Then clean out th,
dead furrows at the point when they ysin
tersect the last furrOw-which should b.
trenched, if necessary, and if the land in
clines any, you have u system of surfac
drainage. But do have the furrow
straight ------------------,----. -.-----.-----
Well, WE'LL I've talked ort into tn
field-haven't = But finish is Is mucI
needed in the work of the field as in tn
shop. Somebody has said that there
no greater sign of the imperfection of gen
eral taste than contentment with form
and things, which, protesting completion
! are not exact, nor complete. And he sal