The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-02-16
Farmers department.
Farmers Sons.

When farmers son leaves home
to become a 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 pecun-
larry ruin. Occasionally, young man
thus gets into business in which he
becomes n partner or owner, and
makes money; but such cases are rare.
Let us suppose a case A young
man hears of the high salaries clerks
get in New York, fifteen hundred dol
the New York "fever," and taking fif
sy dollars in his pocket, he bids his
parents farewell, and leaves home in
high spirits.
When he gets to the city, he in
quires for boarding house; he APP
plies to several, and finds the price of
board from six to ten dollars week.
the cheapest, with fare he would not
be satisfied with at home, being about
six dollars He takes board at this
rate, and begins to look for situa-
tion--sees advertisements III the pa
pers for clerks, but hundred get the
start of him, some of whom write
splendid hands--and, CT course, they
get the situations.
In few weeks his money is all
gone. and he writes home for more.
and the result generally is, that after
spending from one to two hundred
dollars, and Seeing the elephant" he
comes home Disguised with city life,
and is willing to stick to the farm, or
awaits new outfit for second trial
for success.
Such an aspirant for money making
has his ardor somewhat cooled when
he learns of city merchants that they
pay green hands only about enough
to board them; say from three humid
red to five hundred dollars for smart
active clerks, from eighteen to twenty
five years old. The rule is TO increase
salaries from fifty to one hundred dol
lars year, till clerks become fully ac-
Quainted with the business, when
some feU-the most efficient perhaps
one in hundred--get a salary that
enables them to lay up a little money
II they are economical.
If, however, we should turn to the
histories of most young men who
leave good homes to obtain situations
in cities, we should find that ninety
nine in hundred failed to realize
their anticipations, and have died
poor, or are now living on less means
yearly than good farm affords, while
their lives are Il continued current of
cares that render life anything but
happy.
In our younger days we had practi-
cal experience i'll this matter, and left
New-York with shattered consttu-
ton, brought on by close application
to business, without compensatory
reward for the loss OF health; and tc
escape premature grave we fled to
the country, there to get a new lease
of life by tilling the soil.
Here are few remarks on the fore
going subject, which we clip from tn,
Rrat World:
THE sons of farmers commonl,
think their lot is a hard one. Unlil,
most city youths, they are compelled
to perform daily toll. Their life is no
one of constant amusement. The,
cannot see and hear as much as thei
city cousins They do not dress il
as fine clothes--cannot treat and b.
treated at the popular saloons, or visi
the costly gambling resorts whicl
abound i'll every city They feel tina
their lot is indeed hard one, and tn
highest ambition of them is, to arriv
at that age when they can go to tn
city and see all the sights
But let us talk to our farmer boy!
You are in the right place. You al
learning habits of industry and fruga
ity. BY your daily toll you are acquil
ing sound constitution most im
portant matter And this is one {
the reasons that our great men hay
all come from farmers sons. The
have grown up robust, with constitr
tons that could endure a grei
amount of mental labor, which youth
from the city, with weak and feebl
frames, could not stand
"lf you cannot see as much as cit
youths, neither are you exposed I
the vices and temptations of the eli
life, which prove the destruction
nearly all raised in the city. You al
then on then on the right track
aheal. Resolve to form no ba
habits. Indulge in no intoxica
ing drinks. If you form love f'
them, it is almost impossible to su
due it. Do not acquire the habit
chewing or smoking tobacco, or ia
ing snuff. Read good bookshelf l
opportunity for Improvement pa
away--and you will grow up usefl
intelligent men. "--Rural american.