Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-12-03
The Boy and the Chance.

ouOu&u ENCOURAGEMENT d tn0 um0 Wuel
1t counts most-during early youth.
And I'm inclined to agree with tha
statement. ] have seen it work ont
Over on Hilton Road there ID Q prosper
ous dairy farm. The dsiryman ha
three sons. From the very first, thes'
boys were consumed with the idea o
streaking 1t for town. They frankl!
admitted that the dairy business boret
them. "a
/ Along came the war and took the twt
eldest. heard last week that Q mes
sage came in an official envelope abou
one OF these lads. His father sort o.
grew very old In an hour and I haven
seem the mother In tho village at all
However that may be, do know that ,
great miracle has been suddenly per
formed on that dairy farm. The young
est Of the boys has become another
chap-there is new light In his eye,
and new song In his heart. He VA
at Millar's Feed Store last evening and
scarcely knew him. His shoulders wore
back, his head high, and he looked ai
II he could step into hts fathers shoes
at . moments notice. Remember-he'i
just youngster.
And then I found ont. His father hai
changed from the old days. He had
allowed the boy to have more than blood
relation interest In the farm. His sor
had been given the sole responsibility
and management Of Q slzable herd. He
wss keeping bis own books and testing
bis own milk and cream and keeping biz
own private records Of each months
showing. He even marketed the dairy
products himself-and the profits were
to be put In tho bank In his name.
There isn't much mystery In keeping
boys on the farm. Leastwise, that's the
way feel about It. My father, I re.
member, never thought I could assume
such responsibilities. Perhaps 1t was
because was too near-too intimate
with hint never occurred to my father
that I might have inherited some OF
bis talents. And I never got . chance.
As consequence, the big farm did not
interest me. I had the feeling that II
was very, very far away. Twas no fac
tor in Its growth or success. True, !
worked there and slept there and at.
tended to chores, but It was never i'm.
pressed upon me that WAS indispensa.
ble-that Dad couldn't get along with.
out me. What I needed was to have
some one who really cared-and that
meant my father, of course-sit right
down with me and pet me and talk
business with me and make out as If be
just had to have my personal collabora-
tion-whether he meant 1t or not. As
I think 1t all over, I am sure that ]
would have worked my hands to the
bone for him, had he put 1t up to mo In
that way.
: But boys, nowadays-even very young
boys-sre surprisingly receptive to busi-
ness influences. At eight they have q
great deal Of horse sense. At twelve
they know more than you can readily
see on the surface. II there IL one way
better than another to bring out the
best there is In lad, It is to stand
squsrely back of him, believing In him,
encouraging him-convincing him that
he 10 son after bis fathers heart.
That's the material of which success is
made.
Is there enough of this very compan-
ionship on great many farms? e.
Is the other mans son always brighter
than your own-at least, do you think
Of 1t in that wayp -r.-,,.s-.-e.j,, IA
1t interested me to talk with this boy
from Hilton Road. .....-...->- =
"I'm going to surprise some folks
around here" said he, "wait . little
while. You folks are feeding good but
terfat to hogs. That's too expensive" {"
"Have you . cow" I inquired.
81 have whole lot of them," he an
swered proudly, ''my father has gone
into partnership with me-or, or rather,
should say,"-and he blushed-ss'I
have gone into partnership with him.
I have herd Of my own"
did not smile-in fact, there WAS no
smile In mind or heart. I could not
laugh at this youngster, since saw, IN.
folding, Q very fine human drama. It
was too great thing to bring humor.
II thought you wanted to 60 to town," "
continued.
"No-I guess not" said the lad slow.
", Weighing bis words. "Father needs
me. And, besides, like what I'm do
ing. In three months I'll be able to buy
. cream separator Of my own, and next
spripg-then I'm going to clear ten
acres Of land that's full Of stumps."
Every ounce of that boy radiated
supreme happiness. Nor was there the
slightest suggestion of doubt-of nm
certainty-uo lack Of confidence In bis
own ability to put the thing over.
What wonderful creatures boys arel
And how necessary 1t 10 for us to mix
loving them with studying them, to see
how best to bring out all that is worthy,
progressive, inspirational.-W. Livings-
ton Larned.