Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-22
Some Hints to Young Pe0ple.

ONE of the first questions which a
young person, just starting out in life
should ask, is, How can learn to be use
ful in society, so that when | leave the
world | may feel that | have not lived in
vain?' There is an unreasonable dis
lance between the man who is always an
idler or drone, who never does any good to
others, and who is so helpless that he has to
have some one else constantly to wait upon
him; and the man who is constantly use
full, is ready to help everybody, and who
carries comfort and sunshine wherever he
goes. We see the difference between these
two classes Of persons in their very count
enances. | have seen this difference more
particularly in young women. While one
was all animation and sunshine in pleas
ant society, or all kindness and sympathy
in times of sickness and trouble, the other
had dull, sour and fOrbidding express
sion OF coustenancc, with little to please,
or to add to the happiness Of others. In
the one, we could see soul of kindness
beaming from the eye; in the other mere
ly trivolity when good-natured, or sour
ness when displeased.
There is a reason for all this. One of
the truest sources Of happiness is to help
others. When one feels low spirited or
Respondent, it is an excellent thing to go
and assist some one in distress. The most
truly benevolent are always more happy
than the utterly selfish. This is proved
by infalible authority, for sit is more
blessed to give than to receive" Now,
the means of being useful are not learned
in a single day. Usefulness is an art that
must be acquired by study and perfected
by practice. The young man who has
studied mathematics and the languages,
English literature and elocution, has
learned but small portion of what he
should know, SO as to be useful to himself
and those about him. lie should not only
be able to put into practice in the best
manner all that he has thus learned, but
he must acquire many things not wholly
learned from books or in schools One of
the first things to acquire is personal neat
ness, SO that he may not be an annoyance
to his friends. lie should be able to dress
himself, black his own boots, sew on a
button, and keep all his clothes in perfect
order and neatly in place, and when he
comes in from outdoors, he should see
that he is not defiling the floor or carpet
by muddy boots, which he should either
clean or exchange for slippers. Besides
these accomplishments, ne should know
how to make bed, wind a watch, cut his
brothers, hair, build fire, whitewash q
wall, regulate clock, and put up pack
age neatly to send by express. He should
know how to mend broken tools and
sharpen table-knives. He should be able
to carve deXterously, and to wait on table
lie should harness horse readily, grease
a wagon, and drive a team. If he lives in
the country, he should be able to milk
the cows, shear the sheep, and when nee
essary dress a veal or mutton. He should
pillow handsomely, sow grain and grass
seed, manage mower and reaper, swing
a scythe skillfully, build load Of hay
and a neat stack, and use deXteriously the
horse-rake and tedder He should like
wise be able to reckon money and keep
accounts accurately; write Il neat, apprO-
pirate, and briefly expressed business let
ter, in a good hand, and fold and super
scribe it properly; and TO write contracts.
The young man who is ready to do all
these can make himself useful not only to
himself, but to every one about him, and
he will be welcomed wherever he goes.
| have heard some boys say they did not
want to milk, and that it was girls or
women's business. | knew a family where
this opinion ruled. The woman of the
house did the milking; but one day she
was Frustrated by sickness. The country
was new and there were no neigh bOrS at
hand. Here was a dilemma-not boy or
man could milk. 1t was finally settled,
and the COW was driven into the sick
woman's room and by her bed, and she
was propped up and did the milking
Every man who lives on farm, even if lie
expects to employ laborers for all his
work, should be skilltul plOwman, and
Hn nd IoI, =
Some years ago there was a great national
trial Of plows in England. The Duke of
Richmond was chairman Of the judges,
and it was remarked that he held the
plOws with his own hand with consum-
mate skill.
How much happiness the young man
might confer on others who should pos
sess the accomplishments already de
scribed-and this happiness would gener-
ally react upon him with interest; and
how incomparably better would these all
be, and more worthy of the love and re
spect of his friends, than the empty-hcad-
ed, selfish hearted boys accomplishments,
who know only how to drive fast horses,
smoke offensive cigars, play games of
cards, and talk nonsense TO foolish young
ladies" at parties!
And what should every girl, or young
lady Gf she prefers the name, be able to
do? She should not only have good lit
erary and scientific education, to expand
her mind, improve her capacity, and be
useful to others by her intelligence, but
she should be familiar with more common
accomplishments. She should be dexter
Gus in sewing and knitting, in mending
clothes neatly, in making beds, in wash
ing dishes, in sweeping carpets, trimming
lamps, and in plain cooking and making
bread; and she should keep her room,
closets and drawers neatly in order. She
should know how to run a sewing machine,
10 make and mend a dress and children's
clothes. She should be ready to keep &C
counts and calculate interest," to write
fold and superscribc letters properly; to
nurse the sick, and not faint at the sight of
blood; and to be comforter in an llnos-
tentatiOns way 10 those who are in trouble,
and be ready to render aid to the distressed
or destitute. She should be ready to re-
ceive and entertain visitors when her
mother is sick or absent
The young lady who can do all these
things well, and who is ever ready to use
her skill for the benefit of those about her,
TO aid the afflicted, and to advise and help
the perpleXed is immeasurably more truly
accomplished than those who know only
how to dance, shipper, and engage grace
fully in frivolous cOnversation.-Rur0
Nelo Yorker.
Plant Flowers.