The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-01-24

the young people interested IN The homs
and how to lead them away from the
constant tendency 10 a frivolous, &
ihoughtless, and and simles life.
You say you can't afford it. Oh yes
You can better afford that than to buy
the next farm, enlarge your barn, or by 8
false economy to save the few dollars
such things would cost-
And now, shall we add to all this rich
legacy. a farm, CT the price Of one, foE
the young farmer? If you bequeath to
him all the other items have enumers-
ted, the farm viii be substantial help
but IL it is to be given At the sacrifice Of
any or all Of his rightful and natural leg
acies, then it will be bur a heritage Of
disappointment and failure II We lay
up for our boys and girls only money or
lands, while We withhold the training
and the privileges OF culture which they
must have if they would make life truly
successful, thea We are simply bartering
their birth right for a mess Of pottage,
and bad mess it will be. Health and
knowledge and tact are worth infinitely
more than dollars and cents in any and
every sphere Of living.
Do not worry, then, young farmers,
about getting the farm 50 much as the
ability TO manage one. You may not al
ways want the farm, but you will always
need your intelligence, your manhood
and your independence. Doa't ask your
father for dollar until YOU have earned
one for yourself, nor to give you a thous-
and until you have proven your ability to
earn another thousand with it. The shores
oftime are full Of the wrecks ofyoung peo-
pie who started on life's voyage with too
much sail and too little ballast They
wanted to begin where their parents lslt
of, but they usuIlly even up by stopping
where their parents began Take the
record of business failures, and nine out
Of every ten were by persons who were
frsS set up and Afterwards upset in busi-
ness.
would not be misunderstood. II is
right anl good to lag by for the future
and TO provide for ones own household !;
but As We build our bright hopes in the
future Of cur boys and girls, let Us lay up
for them their rightful and natural her
itAge, vigorous health, self conf lenee
and power, staying habits Of industry
and economy, q cultured and cultivated
mind, a conscientious regard for right
and truth and duty, love for hone and
country and God. and then let The farm
or its equivalent bring what it may.
Their heritage will be secure, and our
hopes will bear rich fruitage.
One more thought in conclusion. We
have already heard two excellent essays
upon how 10 keep the boys and the girls
on the firm. The question, however,
which has come to me is, to be a pro-
gressive and successful farmer is a worthy
ambition, and the farm affords ample
room for the intelligent and the cultur q.
To be true knight Of husbsndry is to
stand with the nOblest Of earth's toilers
and in the front rank of honorable citi-
zenship. While the boys and girls ac-
quire the knowledge and the skill and
the power to manage a farm, and with it
learn all the privileges Of farm life, yet
with all that, DO yOu want them to stay
there Surely not all Of them, for there
are not enough farms TO 90 round, and
besides the places are al filed now, and
wheat is only sixty cents a bushel. !
sincerely believe in keeping the boys
and girls on the farm until they have
reached the stature and the discretion Of
manhood and womanhoOd, but not nee
essariiy to make of them farmers Il is
the peculiar province of farm life to
make all its environments and its lessons
a potent factor N the success Of almost
any department of labor. Let the young
people get the bes. of it, then let them
choose for themselves. No parent has
the moTAl righ. 70 sep within the stcrsd
circle OF iniiviiuil eh lica, AMI say to
the c>ild this or that shall be your miss
ion in life. The attempt to do just that
thing has made many life a miserable
failure. You have heard doubtless of
the Batter county oil man, who as poor
farmer found himselfsuddenly very rich,
and decided to have at once all the lux
uries that wealth eOull buy. lie got the
best house IN town, the finest piano the
city could afford, and with il a special
teacher in music for his daughter, an un-
cultured country girl. After years pa
tient effort at a good salary. the teacher
came to the father, saying, "Pve done
the best / could, bat the fact is, your
daughter has absolutely no capacity for
music" Capacity" said the old man,
IS It capacity she needs, why send of
to the city and get one, and if it costs ten
thousand dollars, I'll pay it." But you
can't bug capacity. So there are yOung =
men pushei into the professions who
might make capital mechanics, business
men or farmers; but where they are,
they are miserable failures. Many a
young man trying to practice law
would have more power to split rails than
to sway jury, or more tact in building
house than in managing a case. There
are ministers OF the Gospel, and say il
reveren;ly, whO would serve the Master
better b. plOEing corn. or in buiiding
machinery. Ga the other hand, many =
bright intellect with noble aspirations
and far reaching talents, has been eranp-
ed on tn farm or chained to the WORK
shop, who's th0lyht aal skill AL 20 =
er might have moved the world and
blest mankind. Every man and woman
IS called Of Heaven to Gil place some
where. and success will come only to
those who hear and obey the call.
Fathers and mothers. you may not
know what talents, what aspirations,
what possibilities nov lie sleeping in the
little heads ard hearts of yO1r own
household. Coming years alone shall
unfold the growing buds into the perfect
flowers and the ripe fruit. Bat this We
do know: it Is or privilege, nay or duty,
as parents md as teachers, to bring cut
the noblest, the truess, the best in those
boys and girls. 70 train and guide and en-
courage until in the fi!l possession Of
their riRhtf,fi herit4ga they shall