Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-06-28
Uncle JOe's Talk with the Bows.
New York Weekly Tribune.

| would speak an earnest word to
those boys who are thinking of leaving
home. You are anxious to push out for
yourself. In many instances there are
younger brothers in the family, and you
think the farm hardly large enough for
all, Those who live in the East are anx-
iOus to 60 West, and those who live in
what is termed the West desire to 20
still further toward the setting sun. At
any rate, as you look at it, it seems de-
sirable in order to succeed that you get
as TAR as possible away from home No
doubt many young men have done as
well, it not better, by casting themselves
among strangers; they have worked
harder, and denied themselves more
than they would have done at home.
But it is very important step, and one
which will pay you to look all over be-
fore you take it. II you intend to 90
among friends of your family or with
company OF your townspeople, it will
make it much better, but to start out
all alone, and throw yourself among
strangers in a distant State is hard
row to hoe 1t is true you may be sue
cessful, but the chances are all against
you, and it is quite likely that you will
hear the cry of "hard times" ratter
which way you travel. Taking it all in
all, as things stand now, there is little
difference in favor Of one part of the
country or another.
The man who works an Eastern farm
will have many days of hard labor in
the course Of the year on land that
don't yield much, but on the other hand
he has good market, and can sell all
from the farm he wishes to sell; he will
live as we'll and his home will be as
pleasant and we'll furnished as that of
the Western farmer; the chances of his
children getting a good education are as
fair, if not better, than in many parts of
the West. The only advantage there
seems to be is that if you have little
money left when you are at your jour
ney's end, and know how to take care of
it, you can do more with it than at the
East. But if you have no money, and
must go to work for any one who will
hire your time, you will find that in Or
der to get into the condition you wish
to be, will require much hard work and
self-denial. And when, in future years,
you visit your old home, you may be
likely to find that those of your early
companions who remained there have
done about as we'll, and somehow. you
will be apt to think, have Jared little
better. Doubtless much of this chang
ing about" in our country is owing in
great measure to our restless disposi-
ton. Mr.. Greeley remarked, while ma
king his overland journey to California.
as he passed many emigrants to that
Eldorado, and about as many coming
back, that he didn't think there was an
other such restless, uneasy people on
the face of the globe
To the boy who has become dissatis-
fed with his home and it's wholesome
restraints; who thinks he is hindered
from being all he could be; who thinks
the family are no help to him; who
speaks of his father and mother as 'old
man" and ''old woman" who is deter
mined to leave home whether they are
willing or not-allow me to say, in all
earnestness, you are getting yourself in
to bad shape. Such thoughts are poi
son; if you continue to cherish them no
one will suffer more than yourself.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can be done
to better your condition while you are
in such frame of mind AS has been
said before, in order to be successful
you will have to move with much eau
ton; all the good counsel your family
can give you will be so much clear gain.
So let me entreat you to get rid of the
thought that they are not willing to
help you to be all that you can be.
When you go among strangers you will
find, for a long time, that the COM
munity have only taken you on trust.
There may be nothing wrong about you;
we will allow that you are all right, but
some one has said that confidence is a
plant of slow growth, so you see if you
go among strangers you must for awhile
stand before the people "on trial" If
the time ever comes when good men are
obliged to ''let go of you" it will be
sad day for you.