Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-16
Farmers Sons.

When farmers son leaves home to be
come clerk in some village or city store,
or to engage in some other business, in
three cases in four he takes the first step
towards his pecuniary ruin. Occasionally,
a young man thus gets into business, in
which he becomes partner, or owner, and
makes money but such cases are rare.
Let us suppose case. \ young man
hears Of the high salaries clerks get in
New York, 81, 800 year in some cases,
and he gets the New York fever" and
taking $50 in his pocket, he bids his pa
rents farewell, and leaves them in high
spirits.
When he gets to the city, he inquiries for
a boarding house he applies to several,
and finds the price Of board from Sc to SO
a week-the cheapest, with fare he would
not be satisfied with at home, being about
Sc. He takes board at this rate, and be-
gins to look for situation-sees adver-
tisements in the papers for clerks, but a
hundred got the start Of him, some Of whom
write splendid hands {; and, Of course, they
get the situation,
In few weeks his money is ali gone,
and he writes home fer more and the re-
suit generally is, that alter spending from
500 to 5000, and seeing the elephant he
comes home Disguised with city life, and is
willing to stick to the farm, or await a new
outfit for a second trial for success.
Such an aspirant for mOney-makmg has
his ardOr somewhat cooled when he learns
Of city merchants, that they pay green
hands only about enough to board them ;
say, from $500 to $500 for smart, active
clerks, from l8 to % years old. The rule
is to increase salaries from $50 to 500 a
year, till clerks become fully acquainted
with the business. when some tew-the
most efficient, perhaps one in a hundred,
gets salary that enables them to lay up q
little money, if they are economical.
If, however, we should turn to the his
tories of most young men, who leave good
homes to obtain situations in cities, we
should find that ninety-nne in a hundred
failed to realize their auticipations, and
have died poor, or are now living on less
means yearly than a good farm affords,
while their lives are a continued current of
cares that render life anything but happy.
In our younger days we had practical
experience in this matter, and left New
York with a shattered constitution, brought
on by close application to business, with
out a compensatory reward for the loss Of
health, and to escape premature grave
we fled to the country, there to get new
lease of life by tilling the soil
Here are a few remarks on the tOrego-
ing subject, which we clip from the Rural
World
The sons Of farmers commonly think their
lot is a hard one Unlike most city youths,
they are compelled to perform daily toll.
Their life is not one Of constant amusement
They cannot see and hear as much as their
city cousins They do not dress in as fine
clothes-canno treat and be treated at the
popular saloons, OF visit the costly gamb-
ling resorts which abound in every city.
They feel that their lot is indeed hard
one, and the highest ambition of many of
them is, to arrive at that age when they
can go to the city and see all the sights
But let us talk to our farmers boys. You
are in the right place. You are learning
habits of industry and frugality BY your
daily toll you are acquiring sound con-
stitution-a most important matter. And
this is one Of the reasons that our great
men have all come from farmers sons
They have grown up robust, with consttu-
tions that could endure a great amount Of
mental labor, which youths from the city,
with weak and feeble frames, could not
stand.
If you cannot see as much as city youths,
neither are you exposed to the vices and
temptations Of the city life, winch prove
the destruction of nearly all raised in the
city You are then on the right track-go
ahead Resolve to form no bad habits.
Indulge il no intoxicating drinks. If you
form love for them, it is almost impossi-
bic to subdue it. Do not acquire the habit
Of chewing or smoking tobacco, or taking
snuff. Read good books let no opportu-
nifty for Improvement pass away neglected,
and you will grow up useful, intelligent
men.