The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-09-05
What Shall / do for a Living ?

There are among our readers multi
tudes of young men who are asking to-
day. with much solicitude and anxiety,
w hat shall do for living We do
not think there has ever been a time
when it was more difficult to answer
this question.
Society Is divided into two classes
the workers and the non workers. The
workers are. again, divided into two
classes-thosc who work with their
brains. The latter distinction is not rs
clearly marked as the former, for man:
ual tell is generally supplemented by
some activity of the mind, ard mental
lObor by certain amount of bodily eX-
ercise. The man who hammers stones
must use his Judgment in order TO
strike tue right place ; and the man
who hammers his brains must use his
hands in order to record his thoughts
In the choice of II vocation, there are
five great mistakes to be avoided. The
first is crowdiDg into what are called
the professions or mercantile life. or
some other employment where there is
but little manual labor. on the sup
position that this must be compar-
atively easy life. There are none
who work harder than some who are
not supposed to work ut all An ach-
ing brain may be more trying than a
weary arm The man who handles
tools often sings at his work; but there
is not much music of this sort In the
counting-house where the capitalist
weaves the web and unravels the knots
Of great and complicated business
Some seem to imagine that thoughts
come spontaneously, and that when a
Clergyman has preached his two serm-
ons on Sunday, he may rest until an
other Sunday recurs that the lawyer,
kwhen lie is not engaged in consultation
or pleading in court, is doing nothing
and that the only work of physi-
clan consists in driving about and
writing cabalistic prescriptions. The
experience of a few weeks in some such
line of life would effectually cure all
such delusions
Tho second mistake into which young
men are liable to fall-and this is worse
than the first is that of trying for a
place in some of those branches of
business, where there is a possibility of
achieving great fortune at a stroke.
with the strong probability of not
making farthing This is simply
running for luck. with the prospects
of breaking your neck in the race. The
few who succeed, every one hears of
the multitude who fail pass out from
sight and are forgotten.
The third mistake is that of rushing
from the country to the metropolis
without auy reasonable prospect of
finding remuncrative occupation. If
all the groans and sighs which come
from the shops and offices, where our
clerks, shopmen and book keepers con-
gregate. could be heard through our
country towns and villages. there
would not he the same eagerness to
join the crowd who haunt the city's
streets. If there be fair chance of
your attaining comfortable living in
any honest way, stay near home, and
build up sure foundation. even
though the structure rise out slowly.
Wherever and however they may be-
gin life, as a general rule. men will
gravitate 10 their true level. If il be
In you TO burst the narrow bounds
which at first restricts your steps, you
will be quite certain Ia do it, sooner or
later.
The fourth mistake to be noticed is
the prevalen. notion that To work with
the hands cannot be as honorable as to
work with the brain. Ii indeed man
is nothing but tool or part OF a
machine. he cannot expect 10 take al
elevated position in society. Bat sup
pose the hand and the head work to-
gether--as they always will, TO some
extent, Just as soon as you rise out Of
the region of mere servile toil-how
does the matter stand then! Here is 4
practical farmer. who is also student
of scientific agriculture, and brings his
knowledge to bear on the Improvement
of land, the increase of crops. the per-
lection OF seeds, economy In labor-un-
der his ski!lful hand barren waists are
redeemed, So that the earth Will always
be more fruitful because he has lived
aud lab0red, and his culture makes the
human race rich as we'll as his own
household-eoulda anyone ask for more
honorable employment Here Is -
Young machanic, who has learned his
trade thoroughly and well, and starting
in life as a skilled, accomplished work
man, he brings his mind 10 the watch
full study of every progress in his work
-contriying, experimenting. inventing,
and gradually rising from his inferior
position until be becomes master
workman, contractor. the bead OF q
grand estabsishrnent-'s to this
man. %, and lie goe,h; not this
ha,,er and more honorable than 10 be =