The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-03-29


A LiTrIE Coon ADVISE TO YouNG
MEx--A COMPLIMENT 10 THE NEW
DOMINION" BY AN EpiToR.-The fol-
lowing is an extract from private
letter written to the Editor Of the
NEw DOMINION by Mr.. +. +. Beall. Of
Liberty, Va. II was not intended for
publication but is so good and OF a
somewhat general character that we
take the liberty of using it that way.
We hope it may reach some of our
young men,:
Permit me to say that In addition
to the pleasure your journal gives me,
my late partner, w. p. Holman, pub.
Usher and proprietor of the Sentinel,
who is an old hand at the press, re-
marked to me several times that your
paper came nearer being what he
thought local paper should be, than
any other he had ever seen.
With this ! will stop my compli-
ments, for l am well aware they add
nothing to your resources, nor do
they settle bills. Yet most editors,
/ imagine Imagination based on ex-
perlence) can easily put up with all
the compliments they receive, and
especially from subscribers. Blythe
way,I think the best compliment from
a subscriber is to keep his, or her,
subscription paid in advance.
! see that the usual number of
Young men are preparing to leave
West Virginia, as we'll as the "Old
Dominion for the great west. What
pity they can't have the experience
without going so far for it. And
they imagine, too, that work in that
Eldorado consists in picking silver
dollars off the trees or what is equiv
client, lying around on the ground in
shady places and having good time
generally.
These same Young men think farm
work too laborious, not digniticd and
all that. Well, would like to ask
them which is most profitable and
honorable-health and all things else
considered--to measure corn, wheat,
potatoes &c., or to measure calico and
tapep To weigh cattle, sheep and
hogs, or sugar, coffee and the like.
Some succeed in merchandising,pr prob
ably one out Of fifty, while farmers
who industriolsly pursue their avo-
cation are probably successful in the
same proportion reversed. But this
is DEPRESSING, not much, however, ms
/ would have those, intending to go
west, think for few moments of the
surroundings they leave; the pleas
ant neighbors; the convenience of
churches, schools, markets, &c. Then
of the comfortable homestead; the
farm In good state of cultivation,
good orchard, plenty Of running wa
ter, the spring, or the well with it's
cold oaken buckets" the hills, which
though steep and rough, are produc
tive aud good shelter, or protection
from storms, and then paint to them.
selves country, level as far as the
eye can reach, no rest for the eye; no
streams except Of sluggish, ugly
nature; nothing except that skirting
the streams, no water fit to drink,
and what is to be had generally very
expensive to get; intolcrable dust
when the weather is dry; mud the
same when wet, and then good
chance Of being in the track of cy-
clone, which like the average Con-
gresham, scoops up everything in its
way. True, If a man has money to
start with, he can get some stock and
after few years generally live pretty
easily. But can't he do that right
here on the old home place?
have been in several western and
southern states, but West Virginia
hills are the prettiest Of all to me, as
l now recall them after an absence Of
many years. Even our beautiful
county OF Bedford does not quite
come up to the Monongalia and
Marion hills. But those hills were
my boyhood's home, and my heart
has been gladdened at the sight Of
them, after the monotony land ma
laria) Of the prairies Of the west md
the swamps of the south.
Use all your influence to keep the.
boys at home, where it is healthier,
and ia every way better for them.
Very truly yours,
e. L. BEALL.