The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-02-08
TALK WITH BOYS AND GIRLS ON
WORK.
BY THOMAS x. BERCHER.


| am always sorry for a man that knows
how to do bat one thing. 7 have seen
many such men, | gave ten dollars to one
who could speak and write five or six
languages and translate beautifully; but
in the middle Of hard winter, he could
not get living. | remember another
man who had preached twenty five years
till his throat failed him, and he used tc
go round looking very blue and sad
until people pltied him and made little
donation parties for him, because he wa
good for nothing, except to preach.
knew lady once that had taught school
for twenty years till she was poor, ner-
vous, broken-down woman, and really
didn't know how to make dress for her
self. I know a man that wants to keep
store, and he sits with his thumb in his
mouth waiting for a store to come to him
to be kept. l heard Of minister who
when his people gave him horse and
buggy, had to wait for the deacon's wife
to come over and show him how to har
ness, for he didn't know the bits from the
crupper. Now, boys and girls, every real
man should know how to do one thing
right we'll, and he ought to know how 10
do great many things tolerably
we'll. Every wise farmer has a
principal crop; but he always puts in a
little something else, so that if his main
crop fails, he will have something to live
on. Don't carry all your eggs in one bas,
ket. Don't put all your money in one
pocket. If you want to get along right
well, learn one sort Of work to get living
by, and all sorts of work to get along
with when your one sort gives out.
AT West Point, where Ghey take boys
and teach them to be perfect soldiers,
they have to learn, among other things, to
cook and make bread. and make their
own beds, and do their own sewing, and
sweep, and dust; because you know a
sailor or a soldier never knows where his
duty may call him, and the man that
knows how to do the most things is the
best sailor, the best soldier,-that is to
say tue most ola man.
s never saw woman do mans work
.handily but liked her sll the better for
it. And never saw man do wOman's
work neatly, but I thought the more of
hiu for you see hat work is something
that needs to be done and he who knows
how to do most VI i'll have the best chance
to make money. or, which is better still,
make himself feel like useful man. For
YOU see, if a man feels that he is of no use
ia the world, except to be n bug in a
crack, and if the crack widens, be scared
and drop, or if the crack closes, be pinch
ed, he is always anxious about that crack,
for fear that something is going to hap.
pen. and that he will be out in the cold,
or else jammed ; such man can never be
happy, because he can never feel that he
amounts to much. But If man feels
that, if he must quit brick laying, he can
90 to shoemaking, and if he cannot make
Shoes he can curry horses, lay sidewalk,
rake stones out OF the road, or spade in
the garden, or take care of sick folks, or
scour old coats, he is always sure he can
do sonsethSng-that man will never feel
scared People will be glad TO see him.
They will say, What q handy fellow he
is to be sure" All sorts of work, say.
By tho time you are fifteen you can " steal"
(they call it stealing but it is not steal
ing)-you can steal four or five trades by
Keeping your eyes open. You will learn
one trade perfectly, and work at it; but
YOU will learn four or five trades and work
at them little as you go along, and be
wonderfully helped by them wnen your
own trade fails. You will learn from your
mother how to help your wife when you
get one. And, girls, you can learn from
your father how to keep things moving
when your husband is sick, for weeks
weaker than any woman,
SO then, what do you say, boys? Sup
pose hereafter you do as the cadets do at
West Point-make your own beds every
morning till you can do it better than
your own mother can. Ard girls, do you
learn to harness a horse till you can do 1t
as quickly as your brother. And boys,
learn now to make bread and girls, learn
how to sharpen knife, and whittle, and
drive nails without splitting the board (;
and boys, learn how to hem towels, run
stocking heels, aud patch your trousers /;
and girls, learn how to grease boots and
wagon wheels, to lay shingles, and eaae
the doors when they stick. Keep your
eyes and ears wide opon. Learn to do all
sorts Of work. And my word for it, you
will grow hearty and plump, handsome