Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-01-05
A Word for BOYS.

The Concord Monitor has received the fol
lowing letter from boy, which we hope al
boys and especially boys fathers will read
have seen several pieces in difFeren
papers about boys and young men sticking
to farming. Now if fathers want their boyl
to stay at home and stick to farming the,
must give them chance and something T.
encourage them. And when they give
boy sheep or calf and tell him if he vii
feed it and raise it up he can have it they
needn't go and sell it when it is grown and
and fit for market, and pocket the money
but let the boy have the profits.
And they needn't keep the boys digging
from morning till night and give them nc
chance to 60 anywhere and sec things but
let them go to farmers meetings and othcr
places Of social entertainment, and then they
will not be SO anxious to leave the farm and
go off to the crowded city. WI.
The editor of the Monitor wondered if that
boy told the truth. Where was he brought
up, or was he born man as Adam was, and
so never knew what boyhood was? Pity
then, for though as LougfellOw says
"The boys will is the winds will"
we know not who would wish to be man
unless first he could be boy. ......
We know just how that boy felt when his
dollar was borrowed" by the good father
who meant no wrong, but committed a great
one against his son for all that. We remem-
Der just how that bright new dollar bill
looked which neighbor gave US in our boy
hood for helping him haul load of -four,
and keeping him company two nights and
one day on the road once in July. Yes, and
how carefully we folded it aud put it away
aud planned for its use, carefully estimating
its power to purchase long coveted book,
when 10, it was borrowed" ono day, aud
though We knew the borrower was "good for
it." we could not very we'll enforce it. Not
for one moment do we suppose the good man
thought of our disappointment, or what was
worse, Of the shock it gave to our confidence
in mankind generally. We had neghbor
who was fond Of asking favOrs of tho boys
as he called u.s. and was most generous in his
promises, and as careful never to fulfil them.
How long and often we looked for that bright
yellow orange he promised, the first time he
went to the "city." as the little seven by
nine village was styled, for riding his old
horse ono forenoon to "plow out the corn.
OF course the orange never came, and we
never forgot it, and what was worse, sinners
that we we're, we crept into his orchard and
helped ourselves to apples till we were sure
We were paid seven fold Undoubtedly we
ought to have been souudly whipped for taxi
ing the apples. But the worst OF it was, that
man by such things taught US to believe that
people were all liars, so when we read of
David's experience in the Psalms and found
him saying 10 his haste that "all men were
liars" VIC knew he was promised an or
ange in bis boyhood for riding an old horse
bareback in the sultry sun plOwing out corn,
and never got the orange. All, what a bond
OF sympathy there sprang up between that
good old singer in Israel and ourselves
Whether David ever went round into the
back side Of that old neighbor's orchard and
found that rusty coat" apple tree and helped
himself now aud then we don't know, but we
hope-no, that would not be right,-but
should not think much less of him if we
knew he did, though of course that would
not sound well put right into the Psalms.
Now, good parents, we charge you to read
this boys letter, aud when you promise, or
give any money or lamb, or colt, or
calf, or anything of that kind, be sure you
do not take it back or borrow it, for that
will be an injury to the child ten-iOld tho
value of the thing itself; above all do not
destroy your child's confidence in your own
integrity, and in the sacreduess of promise.
--s-e-s--