HOW FARMING PAYS. 39 



HOW FARMING PAYS. 



From an Address before the Housatonic Agricultural Society. 



BY RICHARD GOODMAN. 



Nothing is better for nations and individuals than occasion- 

 ally to take an account of stock and see how they stand finan- 

 cially and morally, for unless we can realize our deficiencies, 

 we shall not be apt to make any improvement. The great 

 benefit of our autumnal fairs is not alone to observe the prog- 

 ress our neighbors have made during the past year, but also 

 to become aware how much less we ourselves have accomplished 

 than we might have done, and to create a resolve for doing 

 better hereafter. True, we are apt to wind up with a glorifi- 

 cation of our calling by the orator of the occasion and return 

 to our homes a little too well satisfied with our work and our- 

 selves, and again fold our hands with an unconscious sluggish- 

 ness. A peddler was offering Yankee clocks with a looking- 

 glass in front to a very homely lady. "Why, it is beautiful," 

 said the vendor. "Beautiful, indeed ! a look at it almost 

 frightens me," said the lady. "Then, marm," replied Jona- 

 than, "I guess you had better buy one that has not got the 

 looking-glass in it ! " Now when we can bear to look at 

 ourselves just as we are, homely or not, — see ourselves as 

 others see us, — Ave shall be sure to go straighter than if too 

 much flattered. 



Farmers are only mortals, and labor under some dis- 

 advantages, as all children of Adam do, though, from the 

 rhetoric of political orators, one would be led to imagine we 

 lived altogether in Paradise, without any "sarpints." Yet 

 you know better than I can tell you that there are dis- 

 contents, hard work, envious grumbling, and a good deal of 

 sore-heartedness, much of it without reason, and a great many 



