The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-07-18
Two Characters.

A man who has lived as long rs the
agricultural editor, and has had his eyes
open, has seen many good lessons fully
demonstrated. Let us take two actual
characters, young men who married aud
started in life about forty-iive years ago.
One was the son Of n rich farmer who
had been able to raise his children TO
industrious habits, and finally finish
their education by sending them to col
lcgc. About the time Of the end Of
schooling the father died and left his
son with four.hundred acre farm close
to town Unfortunately with good
buildings and the farm well stocked
Soon after he married Il worthy woman
whom he became acquainted with ut
school. lie took charge Of the house
and farm, hired large number oi
hands, aud was apparently prospcrlng'
lie had enough to do to superlniend his
farm and visit town. Tie product Of
the farm probably paid the hands,
though doubtful. His credit was good
and he used it. He had no bad habits,
and was recognized rs an acceptable
member Of an orthodox church. Debts,
as the sequel showed, were constantly
accumulatiug, but his ncighbors had no
intimation Of it, as his credit vas so
good he could carry large debt with.
out their aid. 1T the end Of twenty
years he was sold out by the sheriff, and
he had to resort to the occupation Of a
hired hand to support his dependent
family.
During the lifetime of his father,
there was on one corner Of his farm a
faithful old tenant. lie had some
worthy, Woodworking boys, who went
to the common school in winter and
worked on the farm in the summer.
John, one of the tenants sons, year
after he was ofagc, married Il wife, his
equal-iudustrious, economical, yet q
model housokeepcr. She was tho
daughter Off tenant on II neighborlne
farm He rented farm Of eighty
acres in the ncighborhood. Bctwccl
the time Of coming Of aye and marryin,
john had saved lis earnings and pur
chased span Of horses. With the ri,
of his wife John cultivated the cntir,
farm and had good crops. No hireC
hands to pay. When his crops were
sold he had Il considerable sum 0
money. lie invested it carefully, will
the ardent hope that that in Il few year
he and his tue wife would own al
cighty-acrc iaru Of their own, the high
of their ambition. At the end Of tire
years Of hard toll, but happy life, Ii
had enough to pay two-thirds Of til
$ price Of the desired farm. At the en-,
=. Of five years it was all paid for and
!, good comfortable house erected on il
! They we're then rich, they were happ!
But John and his wife did not rcla
their industry, and though more libcri
in their family supplies, yet at the en-
J Of cach year there was II large balanc
in their favor. Soon they added anotl
cr eighty acres. Now he had to hin
help, but he stayed home and workc
q with them. After tins he added year,
at least eighty acres more, to his farm
. At the end of twenty years, the pcrio
;, at which his ncghbor, who started wit
his hands full, was sold out, John Owl
!, ed farm of fifteen hundred acres, an
had considerable railroad and ban
It stock, and was Il kind-hcarled MAJ
aiding literally in subscriptions to buiI
i churches, and ready with open hand
help the poor. And he and his vii
n are now living n comfortable and happ
old age, well knowa to the writer.
, Are these two cases the result ,
luck, or of honest industry and wi!
9 management Any young man star
ing now can travel in the track {
:, either of these characters, whichevC
they choosc,-[ Elk.