The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-11-17
@rlalnaI &ssan.
What Shall / do for subsistence7
Written for he Democratic AdrOeate
BY LAUREL.

This is n question which some persons
are never called to consider. They in
herit the fruits Of other mems labor, and
can lie idle all their life long, if they
please. 1t is worse than folly for them to
do so, just because they are not obliged to
work for a subsistence. There are few
things more pitiable than to see an cduca-
ted, able-bodied man pampering himself
with luxuries that other people have
earned, and frittering away the only exisi
tenee he can ever have, this side of eter-
nifty. He owes il to the world TO use his
faculties for somebody's benefit, and he
will always find enough to do, if be has
the sense to see il. Another class Of per-
sons mover have the chance to choose their
vocation, and all that they ever expect to
gain by their toll is food enough to keep
them from starving, and clothing enough
to keep them from freezing. The rut has
been worn FOR them, and there they must
run to the end. In many countries they
constitute the large majority of the popu-
lation, and the thought of rising in the
world never enters their minds. In some
cases the choice Of ones profession is de-
termined by others. He is trained TO it;
made to feel that it is inevitable. The
parents heart is set on seeing his son be-
come merchant, clergyman, or law
yer, or something else that he considers
respectable; and so destiny is marked out |
for him, for which he may not have the
slightest fitness. But there are among us
numbers Of persons who are daily asking, |
with much solicitude and anxiety, ''What
shallI do fora subsistence ?" We 10 not |
think that there has ever been a timswhen
il was more difficult to answer this ques-
ton. Society is divided into two classes
the workers and the non-workers The
workers are, again, divided into twoe classes
those who work with their hams, and |
those who work with their brains The
after distinction is not as clearly marked
as the former, for manual toll is generally
supplemented by some activity Of the
mind, and mental labor by certainamount
Of bodily exercise. The man wio ham
mers stone must use his judgmenlin order
to strike in the right place; and the man |
who hammers with his brains dust use
his hands in order to record his thoughts.
In the choice Of vocation then are FIVE |
great errors 70 be avoided. Tie first is
crowding into what are called the apro-
fessions, OF mercantile life, or smsoiher
employment whore there is but title man
ual labor, on the superstition that this
promises 70 the young man a comparatively
easy life. There are none who work
harder than some who are supp&ed not to
work q all An aching brah may be
more trying than a weary arm. The man
who handles tools often sings 4 his work;
but there is not much music ofthis sort in
the counting house, where the capitalist
weayes the web and unravels the tough
knots Of great and complicated business.
Some seem to imagine that thoughts come
spontaneously, and that whenh clergyman
has preached bis two sermonsupon Sun
day be may rest until another Sabbath
occasiOn-that the lawyer, when he is not
Engaged in consultation, or pleading il |
court, Is doing nothing---that the teacher,
whennotcccnpied in the school room among |
the children, "a reclining at his ease and
drawing pay for it; aud that the only work
Of aphysician consists in driving about
and wfiiing cabalistic prescriptions. The
experiment. Of few weeks in some such
Inc Of life would eIiectualIy cure all such
eelusiehs- Here is mechanic who has
earosash his trade thoroughly and well, and
Itasting 10 life a. a skilled, accomplished
Workman, he brings his mind to thewatch-
EulPtudy Of every progress Of his work
TT Fislng, experimenting, inyenting, aud
III ually rising from Bis inferior position,
|til DO hccomesAa master workman. con.
III sor, the hesd Of vast establishment