The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-04-25
THE IDEAL FARM BOY.


one learns how very scarce they are.
on the farms, but their heads are set
towards positions they think easier
and more lucrative than the plodding
life they deem that of their parents to
be. Nine-tenths of them, like nine
tenths of the boys born of other
places, have their own livings to earn
somewhere. If boys could realize
how very few men there are who have
been successful in business, or had
any estates to leave behind when they
are gone, it might wake them up to
the importance of running no risks in
laying the foundation of their life
work. They would be more willing
to go slow and sure that they may
have enough of this worlds goods to
carry them through to the end and a
trife over.
People who come to be dependent
on their children, or on anybody, no
matter who, are seldom held in kind
ly remembrance after they are gone.
Good riddance to rubbish" is about
the feeling their death excites. Every
body has an innate longing. to be
missed and lamented when the time
comes for them to go the road that all
flesh must go. 1t is so unspeakably
sad to think there is no one to drop a
tear when the lid of your coffin closes
forever. To live in the hearts of
those we leave behind we must do
something worthy something they
cannot forget. Simply living for self
will not win loving place for us
anywhere.
The young man in choosing his oc-
cupation should not think only of
where he can earn the most money,
but where he can do the most good as
we'll. Money is not all of life and
success. The ideal farm boy remem-
bers his parents first of all, and if
they need him he will not desert
them. They stood by him in his
helpless years, often depriving them
selves Of many recreations and COM
forts for ii his sake, , and D noy s8uR be uBjH EjlHl
the land" if he honors his father and
his mother. He has chosen farming
for his occupation-of course, he has,
or he wouldn't be an ideal farm boy
and now he is going to learn all he
can about it. He has made up his
mind to be a good farmer and make
comfortable living or die in the at
tempt. He will try to make the
most of things, study the best way to
plant, how to fertilize, how to culti-
vate, how to care for stock, when to
plow and how to harvest and to sell
to the best advantage.
He will not spend his strength in
Latin and Greek, in philology and
belles-letters and such things as he
can do without. He has gumption
enough to know that one small head
can not contain all there is to know.
He will seek first that which he most
needs. Maybe his father is old-fash-
ioned and can not make both ends
meet in these fast-rushing days. He
will try to help him out. He will
try to introduce more productive
methods, will raise more fruit, vege-
tables, poultry, hogs and stock, and
keep something moving along to-
wards the market wagon to bring in
money. He will begin very early to
earn a little money for himself, and
at the same time to save it. He will
deliberate ere he makes purchases as
to their real value, and as to his real
need for the articles.
The average boy spends his money
as fast as he earns it in the fashions
and follies of the day but the ideal
boy lays up something in bank to
be ready for the time to come when
he will want a farm of his own.
One doesn't have to be very old
to begin to plan for the future.
A little four year-old grand-foot of
the Sidneys said, when / get
big I am going to have whole lot OF
hogs and little boys" Not bad as
sortment to have, but he must first
be prepared for the duties and re-
sponsibilities such farm furnishings
would bring. Possessions of any sort
are worthless and hindrance unless
one knows how to use them.
Many a man has heired fine for
tune before he knew the value OF
money, and lost all by his ignorance
and thriftlessness.
Parents are often indulgent and dc
not train their children in the fine art
of taking care of themselves. Hav-
ing rich parents is about the greatest
misfortune that can befall the young
They are mostly allowed all the time
and spending money and gay, reck
less society they want, and luxuriou:
habits are formed that sooner or latel
develop broken health, dissolute lives
or weakened energies that tell a true
tale of the curse of riches.
The ideal farm boy will make thrift
his watchword rather than wealth
and it he sticks to his text he will b.
crowned with abundance-unless h'
marries a spendthrift. Ay, there il
the rub The hardest problem {
thrifty young farmer has to face i
who to marry. That's So" sai'
the Head of the house, "I've beef
there mysef-hearts are not Away
trumps."
A man needs helpmate, and b
sometimes needs a checkmate, too
It is subject, however, on which on
need not advise man, unless it /
given the way he is doing.
He THINKS all women tender an,