Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1886-12-10
To a Young Man ssBack East.v

WILLIAMSBURG, Dak., Dec. z, 1885,
MY YoUNG FRIEND; Your last kind
letter received a few days ago. 1t glad
dens my western life to receive letters
from my old home neighborhood and
especially does 1t please me to be remem-
bered by the friends and schoolfellows of
my childhood and youth. Your infor-
nation concerning large number of
those with whom I once associated makes
me happy indeed; but, when you go on
and tell me how the "boys' are getting
married and settling down in life on
rented farms where mere livelihood is
the most that they can reasonably expect
to gain, that part of your letter received
with mingled feeling of gladness and
sorrow. Twas glad to hear of their max
ing choice of life companions, and I
trust that their selections have been, in
each case, happy. believe, with you,
that there is or should be, more true and
genuine happiness IN married life than
in single blessedness; but much, very
much, depends upon the choice made.
And this is as true on one side as on the
OGllCI. I1O1u luC UOuC VI yOuE lCCCCr L
take it that you ascribe to women more
responsibility for the failure in life of
their husbands than am willing to con.
cede. When you have seen more of the
world as it really is, I think you will
gladly conclude with me that the life the
novelist pictures is not the life that we
mortals live. Doubtless cases eXist-and their
number not small-in which the failure of the
husband can be traced directly to his chosen
companion. She may be eXtravagant In every
department of her sphere. She may be too
proud to accept the station in life-fashionabIe
ify. She may think more of the gay world than
she does of the little kingdom where the true
woman feels proud to preside queen--home
This may be true. and agree with you that
there are many cases in which it is true; but
that it is the rule will not admit While one
man is SO unfortuHate rs to make selection of
Il life companion answering to the description
given, think there are ten men who arc more
fortunate than they whom they choose. The
If am to be- e Judge they are ready w;Gy, irGy,
and anxious to do their parts in earning liveli-
hood and providing competence for the even
toward the east, and ifes sun is setting, ' It may
not set behind cloud Of poverty or cast it's fad
ing beams through the windows of the aims
more in detail of what my observations have
taught me touching the relative responsibility
of husband and wife in running successfully the
race of life.
married. This can say with emphasis But as
to their settling down en- vented falms-some of
them not more than forty acres-this to me is
not glad titings. feel a deep interest in the
welfare of my early friends but for young
couple with no sufficient capital to purchase
farm of five acres in that land of high prces-to
settle there and by hard work and dint of econ
omy make both ends meet at the end of the year
to me, l confess, is no pleasing. thought. And
the feature that most deplorc is the fact--for
fact it ls--tbat each succeeding year will be a
counterpart of the one that preceded 1t. The
years roll on. The finger on the dial-platc of
time shows them that they have accumulated
one more year of age; but what does the inven-
tory of their worldly possessions disclose? Does
it show that they like the years Of their lives, are
accumulating? 1 fear-I sadly fcar-that it does
not Most naturally, the years Of their effective.
Toll will not be co-extensive with the years of
their natural lives. What security have they
that they may not end their days in the common
poor-house? You say that their children will
provide for them when they longer can pro-
cure the fruits of their toll the necessaries of
life. You may be correct. But my observation
leads me to lean lightly upon the probable sup
port of children when aye has rasied the hands
and cnfccbled the limbs of parents. 1t is, con-
tess you, u sad reflection; but examples are not