Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-09-01

OOuc ueduS are ueteoI euou oCnei -ui-
ferent from others at least. Now if had
had all the advantages-I did have good
many-I went to school, but if had gone
to school till Twas as old as Noah never
should have been Rufus Choate, or a
Daniel Webster. You see the mind acts
in that line, and ambition goes along with
/ it."
"Yet, in hard labor one needs brains. :"
That's so. You want brains in farm :
i 1ing-need to use great deal Of judgment.
If its only going into the woods to cut a
cord Of wood, there's an advantage to be
taken. One will do more work in less
time than another, just from the way he
takes hold. One comes in, all of breeze,
and goes right into it,. aud don't do so
much as man who looks round and gets
the advantage
am sure l havesheard that said before
in more pompous phrase.
Here is book. printed in London just
a hundred years ago. called 1.-The Rural
Socrates; being Memories Of Country
Philosopher, Translated from the French.
The French. fancy. had very little to do
with it. My copy says it was written by
Hon. Benjamin Vaughan, Of Hallowell,
Maine, follower Of Priestly to this coun-
try, once Member Of Parliament, and a
practical farmer of skill and good sense.
The traditions Of his adopted home report
him as a white haired, fine looking gen.
Itleman of the old scnool, without fear and
without reproach. Thus statelily dis
courseth my gentleman Of tie old school :
Il have studied with uncommon assid-
uity the characters Of men q every pro-
|fession. who have been distinguished for
prudence and understanding Iobserved
with astonishment that amongst those en-
gagged in the same occupations, some were
riveted in penury and want. whilst others
enjoyed afiuence and ease. The cause Of
/ this inequality seemed worthy Of the ex-
actest and most accurate EXAMINATION
and The pains ] took y ip l1igste i .!
length succeeded: perceived that those
persons who formed nosyegular plan q
life. strangers to reflection and foresight,
thoughtless Of tomorrow, were, by the
negligence Of their conduct. the sole au-
thors of their own distresses and disap-
pointments. Those, on the contrary,
whose steady and enlarged principles gov
|ern and guide their sagacious and deter
mined views; who unite in their several
professions. diligence and attention. order
and punctuality. qualities which smooth
the rugged paths Of life, will find the
journey more easy. more speedy. and in
fnitely more lucrative. These are max
inns, which whoever attends to must gain
his point. in defiance of opposition, and
amass wealth; should the malignity ol
men or demons endeavor to wrest it from
him"
This Rural Socrates speaks from the
gathered wisdom of the centuries and the
amenities of a scholarly and courtly life.
My Rural Socrates has behind him only
the courtesies of the corn-feld and the
wisdom of the wood-lot; yet it seems to
me be goes by shorter cut to the same
core of truth around which our majestic
philosopher circumambulates with so.much
dignity.
That's so.". says my Socrates. who lis
tens to my reading Of the extract with
grave and critical attention. "It's all
carlation. You may work, but its carla-
ton that makes you rich. Jest SO in the
house''-Oh, true man! always taking re-
fuge from his own sins in '.the woman
whom thou gavest to be with me r.
'.One woman will make good meal out
of nothin'. you may say; it's.wholesome,
and palatable. and-good. And another
woman will take the same, and you-jest
pass it out DOORS The difference is-now
you won't write book about me 2"
Eyes, | will-report every word. Go
on"
at all depends on the woman. A wo-
man can throw out of the window with a
teaspoon more than man can bring in at
the front door with a shovel"
"Of course she can, my Socrates, wo-
man being the superior person; and never
is her superiority more brilliantly proven
than in this very fact: that with her deli
cate. dainty. silver teaspoon she not only
purifes her house of all the dirt and rub
bish which her husband brings in with bis
huge, unsightly shovel where shovels dc
not belong. but she leaves a margin Of
cleanliness, as your own self admits Be.
sides divesting the house of his impurity,
she invests 1t with her own beauty. eh p
Probably my rural Socrates did not
mean precisely this. but he shoulders his
shovel and walks off with an indescribable.
itwinkling. appreciative. yet sober smile,