HOW FARMING PAYS, 



ADDRESS BY RICHARD GOODMAN, OF LENOX. 



Fellow Members of the Hous atonic Society : — 



Following the interesting and instructive addresses of those preceding me, 

 mine must be looked at as a natural ''tail piece," and if you will graciously 

 consider all of them as my sentiments though uttered by others in part, the con- 

 nected whole will more naturally dovetail together and present a discussion of 

 a great topic, with variations from the severe to lively and give more credit to 

 my conclusion of the discourse on this occasion. 



Nothing is better for peoples and individuals than occasionally to take an 

 account of stock and see how they stand financially and morally, for unless we 

 can realize our deficiences we shall not be apt to make any improvement. The 

 great benefit of our autumnal fairs is not alone to observe the progress 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 ourselves and again fold our hands 

 with an unconscious sluggishness. A peddler was offering Yankee clocks with 

 a looking-glass in front to a very homely lady. "Why, it's beautiful," said 

 Uu> vender. "Beautiful, indeed! a look at it almost frightens me," said the 

 lady. "Then, marm," replied Jonathan, "I guess you'd better buy one that 

 hasn't got the looking-glass in it ! " Now when we can bear to look at our- 

 selves just as we are, homely or not — see ourselves as others see us — we shall 

 be sure to go straighter than if too much flattered. 



Farmers are only mortals and labor under some disadvantages as all chil- 

 dren 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 discontents, hard work, en- 

 vious grumbling and a good deal of sore-heartedness, much of it without reason 

 and a great many among us would like to exchange their calling for some other 

 if they could. They remain reluctantly for the same reason that the painter 

 gave for turning physician. "Because," said he, "my former business exhib- 

 ited »y mistakes ia tee glaring a Miaaner, tberefare I have now chosen one m 



