National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-12-06
Choosing an Occupation for a Young
Man.

Man.
II a boy is constantly whiting sticks,
fond parents say that lie has marked cen.
stiucti,e ability or il he can whistle
one or two notes OF an air correctly, she
viii he a great muslcian'' or i; be can
draw with reasonable accuracy, "tiat
child is born artist If these presumed
or assumed evidences Of genus are acted
upon, and those in authority seize arbl-
tarly upon the young man and force him
into n trade or art, on the ground OF Their
being better able TO Judge than he is for
himself, the FEASIBILITY, nay, the prohabi-
hty is that he will turn. out Harold
Skimpolc, Of whose class the world has
far too many cady. He sketches
little; tinkcrs a little with tools; drums a
little on piano; aud in time falls into
line with the rank and file OF the noble
army Of incvmpetcnts and revilers OF late.
He nav protest with all bis strength In
his earlier years that he is not fitted "a
the occupation chosen for him; he may &C.
mand TO be transferred into some other
ealing that his soul hungcIs after; 1t Is all
in vain If some one in authority, be the
same parent CT guardian, says: Your
profession has bcci chosen for you and
YOU must follow il; your elders have had
more experience thtn you and can tell
better, by reason Of 1t, what you need;
and so the young MIN Is condemned iof
lie. He goes noping all his days and re-
fuses 70 be comtorted, simply because hl'
heart Is not in what he is doing. lie ID
out Of his element; he dlsturbs the ma
caiacrv OF the world, he is as bad as
broken wheel on n train; everything With
which lie 8 connected goes halting ana
humping and jumping because at him. il
he does not reach the highest place in his
profession, his elders, with astonishing m
consistency, upbrai1 him and say that ne
has 10 ambition, no energy, no desire To
succeed. when the simple fact is that he
has no qualification TO command success.
"How can | know about thing
dunno not ing about ~ exclaimed an ex-
asperated aud badgered witness in tbs
box. "How can l have inspiration tv
preach when | am always thinking OF
machinery or paint, when ! am always
wishing to preach, when divine truths
fire my Heart to go forth and turn men
from the error of their ways ?' man
out of his place says these things at
heart if not in actual words, and his
whole life is emhittered by the blindness
of us elders who would not see, put
claimed the right, because they had the
power, to squeeze human heart INTO
the corner they thought it should MI.
For it is crushing the heart ont OF the
man to make the boy travel in a circuit
he it untitled for. All his energies and
ami ion reach forward to one goal; all
hot
aud because yOu cannot see as he sees,
oh parents or guardian because youa
not him and do not love rs he loves 1t,
Won will destroy his future power. 1t Is
n serious responsibility to assume; to
direct the calling in life young man
shall follow, an action 10 be taken upon
great deliberati0n. Whatever he under
takes he must stick to it. In the early
years Of his life, when the world expects
but little of him. he must study or work
hard to be qualified for the later ones,
when it exerls a great deal. He cannot
always be vouuo he cannot have two
vouths; he must Give his young life,
hi, bright hopes, his asperat o1s to the
work IN hand. What if his heart is far
from it and he is longing with all his
strength for that other calling VIII CT yol
have put out of his reach ? You might
as well go out into the world when he Is
OF ace, as some foreign parents do, and
select wife for him. With equal con
s,tency You might say II have and
more experience in the world than you
you can live happier with this woman
than one OF your own choice, yet TINS
j. an action you would shrink lrom COM
hitting. Is not mans profession the
same in degree as his wife? Does he
not live hy it rs with her? Are not all
hopes on it ceniered, his happiness
bonnd up in it ? Is not the contentment
which springs from a congenial occupa-
ton in some respect the same as connu-
bial affection 1t certainly is for I'M
less man love the work to which he
applies himself his labor is of no force,
of little worth. he Is half hearted
simply because he lacks the inspiration
which enthusiasm lends to every occupa
ton, even the humblest. The shoe
maker who likes to make shoes makes
better ones than the convict enforced TO
do so, and the same is true OF every
work under the sun.
Let every young man choose his rwn
occupation in life. In any event lei h'"'
choose it. If he has no particular bias
or bent, let him find something to do all
the same. A parent or guardian may
say: "My son, it appears to me tnst
your walk in life lies this way," and
point out the advantages likely to accrue
or that can he alb solutely given him, If
he adopts the suggestions, but this is all
thar should be done. If be revolts or
objects and SAYS II cannot" do not re-
tor, with "you shall, or you are 30 son
of nine" You will live to repent 1t.
You Will wear .ackcloth and ashes for 1t.
Rumble yourself little before you over.
thro~ him. A boy has right to bis