The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-06-13
Hobbies and Happiness.
american Farmer.)

If you want to be happy. get q
Hobby. 1t makes little difference
what it is, poultry fancying, fine
cattle of any breed, horses of any
style, a particular kind of flower, or
even eat-raising. SO only that you
love your occupation and find pleas
ure in it's pursuit. The one-idea
man, the specialist, is he who obtains
from life the most enjoyment.
Audubon following. the. wild turkey
in Kentucky, sleeping in the woods
so as to observe the habits of the
birds, watching their nest-building
from day to day, was a happier man
than Rockefeller with his millions.
John Hurfeuehs. In his cabin On the
Hudson, listening to the woodpeck-
er's tap and the squirrels bark, finds
an enjoyment more exquisite than
falls to the lot of any king. Bur-
bank. with his floral experimental
ttcns, his endless effofts to produce
or train new fruits and vegetables,
is always busy in a pleasurable occu-
patton, and that is the nearest ap-
proach to happiness that is to be
found on earth
The happiest farmers are those
VINO devote themselves to special
ties. Perhaps it is a herd of Here
fords, perhaps particular breed of
sheep, or goats, or ponies, or mules.
If his heart is set on his work, if he
takes delight in production and
watches the development of his ami
mails as the result Of selection and
breeding, he will find joy not to be
measured in money. 1t is the same
with the gardener in search of a new
or improved vegetable. The old
alchemists, who spent their lives in
a vain search for the philosophers
stone," though what we call cranks,
were not unhappy men. They at
least had hobby, and this they
rode at all seasons, blissfully uf1=
of the worries of the world.
The great inventions and discoveries
have all come from hobby-riders.
Only they have the concentration of
mind, the intense self-conviction, the
that produces big results.
And they get intense enjoyment
from their work, the enjoyment Of
pursuit, the enjoyment of anticipa-
ton as we'll as the enjoyment that
comes from self-centered occupa-
5ion.
Women, especially unmarried
Women, should by all means have a
hobby. If it is love of flowers, how
delightful the results. Better of
course if the hobby leads to profit !
IS we'll as pleasure, but profit or no
profit, have hobby. Miss Helen
Iould's hobby is the establishment
# institutions for orphans, and
While this gives her unalloyed pleas
IRE, it confers happiness upon thous-
Inds of others and these of the most
helpless class. The old maid who |
.ultivates cats forgets the disap-
of youth, the proposals
he missed, and forgets to dwell on
Ter sorrows and disappointments be-
'ause too busy looking after her
,abbies and tommies. Hobby-riding
8 especially valuable on the farm
because there it is apt to do good
lot only to the lobbyist, but to the
country at large We are inclined
o believe that no great su ccesss will
'ome of poultry raising or any branch
# the live stock industry unless the
me in charge makes a veritable
lobby of it. One must be enamored
# his pursuit, must find genuine
pleasure in his occupation or he will
lot succeed and certainly will obtain
rom it no happiness.