Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-12-25
gaoies' department.
For the VERMONT FARMER.
AWKWARD BROTHERS.

AWKWARD BROTHERS.
My dear awkward brother, have Just
seen your articles in the FARMER. Not hav-
ing been at home have not seen one since
September. think can't go away again
without taking it with me, for find its pa
ges cheerfully fill up many leisure moment
with good advantage to the reader. Howev-
er, as you understood my invitation Alright,
and you and "One of Them" have given
your views, or few of your scattering
thoughts in the hands of our good editor,
will add few of mine, deeming him man
Of great patience and forbearance to
listen to the discussions that have been
carried on SO earnestly with both parties,
think editors must be like the refners
and polishers Of marble, gold, and precious
stones. AS they are taken in their rough
state from their mother earth, they seem to
the eye to be jagged, with rough corners,
Their intrinsic value does not show itself
till they have passed into the hands of the
'polisher and refner, where all of the bril-
liancy of the precious gems is brought to
view, as he smocths the ragged edges and
rough spots. Then and only then, do our
eyes behold the beauties that God has plant
ed in the heart of the earth for man to put
forth his energy, his strength, his power of
perseverance, to reach them, and with still
greater amount of patience and care refine
and polish them ready to have them set in
brilliant setting of gold. Then we feast our
eyes on the brightness of those royal gems.
Their purity stands forth as bright to our
eyes as the brightness of the MONDAY sun,
and we can hardly realize they were once ina
rough state of nature, 50 pure are they now.
Is not God doing for our hearts what man is
doing to those gems We appear to the
world rough and awkward, the jagged spots
are seen in our characters, our speech, and
our faces, faces are an index of the hcart)
but by and by the love of God comes into
our hearts, the rough places wear off, he re-
fines them with his love. Then do we APP
pear to the world what we really are. Some
times he reines and polishes our hearts by
troubles and trials that seem to almost over
whelm us this think is to bring us near
er him, but when we are willing to let the
're6ning fire go through our hearts" the
troubles that seemed like mountains before
are now so small and insignificant we pass
lightly over them to the pure brightness Of
Gods love and look back with wondering
eyes that we did not always see silver lin
ing to the cloud. But here | am trespass-
ing. | only meant to say l thought editors
were like polisbers and reiners; we send our
thoughts to them rough and ragged, just as
they come to us, couchsd in language per-
haps not the best, little mixed in our
pauses, autographs not the plainest, but af.
ter passing through the editors expert. hands
the rough edges and corners disappear. l
think we ought to return vote Of thanks to
him for bearing with our "awkwardness." l
fnd by observation we (boys | meantl may
become awkward by not having the right
training and culture at home, by not min-
Cling enough in good society, by not being
dressed well, by not seeing how others ap-
pear, and lastly, by not caring to appear
WELL Now all these things may be so, and
the home that "a Farmers Daughter" has
held up to our astonished gaze may be SO,
but doubt it much in this state of Chris
tian community.
Now there are things much worse than
being awkward boys" for they can become
refined and polished by social intercourse
and by the love and respect we bear our
friends. l would rather people would say
l was awkward than liar, awkward rather
than a thief or gambler, awkward rather
than swearer, awkward rather than have
them say drank, rather have them say
was awkward than to have them say my
character did not stand good, awkward rath-
er than tobacco chewer or smoker Yes, |
should much rather they should say was
awkward than all or any of these things or
that my clothes were too short, my boots
coarse, my hands large, that | had to sleep
in the garret, rather than to have them say
| was not honest Now if there are any
awkward boys who have not any of these
vices have mentioned, go on; l will risk
your awkwardness. Make your parents
proud Of you, aad show those sisters that
"snubbed" you you can be as good as they,
and that you are. Some one will yet be
proud to call you by dearer name than
brother or son, and you will be worthy that
name, too. You will be looked up to as an
example. You will become honest, noble
citizens, worthy to make the laws that shall
govern the people, worthy of any office wor-
thy to be trusted with that office, and above
all you will enjoy the blessings OF pure
conscience which is far better than the
praise of people. All these gems you will
have and let them be set in casket of pu-
rity and goodness, and their luster will shine
with such brilliancy that it shall dazzle the
eyes of the beholders, and they will see in
you monument Of Gods own handiwork.
ADVANCE.