308 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
TEMPTING GOOD 
[COPYRIGHT SECURED.] 
N A T U R E . — Drawn and Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
Boys and dogs are much alike in some respects. There 
are some boys whom yon know yon wiU like witliont 
ever having spoken to them, or knowing any thing about 
them. When a new boy comes into the neighborhood, 
he very soon gets his measure taken by the other boys. 
Tou at once say, "That is a good fellow; I am glad he 
has come; 1 ' or, "I don't like the looks of that chap, and I 
shouldn't be surprised if he would turn out a sneak." 
These boys carry their characters in their faces and 
whole genera] bearing. We think we could pick out a 
brave, generous, and trusty boy from his photograph. 
Among the dumb animals, we think that dogs show their 
characters in their looks more distinctly than any others, 
and it is about as easy to distinguish between a noble 
and a mean dog, as it is between a noble and a mean boy. 
Some dogs, by their look and manner, invite confidence, 
and others you know at sight to be suspicious and un- 
trustworthy. How admirably the artist has shown dog 
character in the above picture ! With what a quiet dig- 
nity the larger dog rests, and how cowardly the one looks 
that is stealing up to get the coveted oon" ! lie looks as 
if he were conscious of being engaged in doing some- 
thing mean and sneaking, and we feel that be deserves 
the pat of the heavy paw that he will get when he has im- 
posed too far upon good nature. It may be, after all, 
that dogs have their dispositions much influenced by 
those of their owners. It wonld not be at all surprising 
that the dog belonging to a passionate boy, who beat 
him without cause, and was unreasonable in all bis de- 
mands, should be quite different from an animal brought 
up by a gentle and affectionate boy. We can make dogs, 
by careful training, learn a great many tricks. It maybe 
that we teach them unconsciously, and that our example 
is not without its effect upon even our brute companions. 
BSoys' asid Garls'' Letters, 
It is an excellent thing for boys and girls to begin to 
write letters while they arc quite young. The mere 
writing of the words and sentences is easily learned ; but 
there are several other things about letter-writing than 
this, and are quite as important to be learned early in 
life. There are three or four letters from young folks 
now before ns, and in many respects they arc much like 
the letters of older people. Perhaps some hints may be 
gathered from these letters that will be of nse to those 
who are just practicing writing. The first letter that we 
take up has the town, but no State. This is a very com- 
mon mistake in our business letters from grown-up peo- 
ple, and often makes much trouble. Next, here is a boy 
who asks twelve questions, one right after another, mak- 
ing all sorts of inquiries about the prices of various 
things in New York. To answer this we should be 
obliged to employ a person for perhaps a whole day to 
go around and find out about the things, and then it would 
probably be of no oilier use than to gratify a boy's curi- 
osity. When older people write such letters, we do not 
answer them. The boy will be served the same, nere- 
is a boy who lives in Columbus, Ohio, who sends a letter 
witliont any name signed to it. Mnstwo infer that the 
poor fellow lias no name? Never write any thing that 
yon are ashamed fco"Bign, It is one of the rudest things 
any one, old or young, can do, to send another a letter 
without a name. Anonymous (nameless) letters are so 
much used by cowardly people as a means ui' saying that 
to a person which they WOllld not dare say to his face, 
that the custom is associated- with too much that is dis- 
reputable to allow any boy who expects to do only Hie 
fair Ibing to practice it. Of course, well-mcaiting people 
Sometimes thoughtlessly do it; but they would not if 
they considered bow impolite it is. Begin your letter- 
writing with the determination never to write any thing 
that yon will regret to see again, and sign your name 
openly and above board. One boy wishes ns to write 
out " what every thing costs on a farm of 100 acres." If 
he will tell us how many gray squirrels there are in his 
State, and what would be the length of their tails placed 
end to end, we will think of his question. "Answer this 
right oft"" appears at the bottom of one of these letters. 
That is not a polite way of making a useless request, as 
there was nothing in the letter requiring an answer. 
Tou must not judge from this that we are not glad to 
get letters from boys and girls, fqr we sometimes receive 
much pleasure from them. We only wish to point out 
some things to be avoided. 1st. Do not write unless yon 
have something to tell or something to ask. 2d. Welika 
to have you tell us of what you see that is curious, strange, 
or interesting. 3d. We like to have you ask questions 
that can not be readily answered in your own family, or 
by yonr neighbors. Don't ask questions merely for the 
sake of asking. We are always glad if we can instruct, 
but have no time to give to finding out prices, and such 
things. 4th. When you have determined to write, and 
decided what you will write, put down Town (or Post- 
ofticc). County, and Slate, before you write a word of the 
letter proper. 5th. Say what you have to say as plainly 
as you can, and when you have done so— stop ! Do not 
say " I must stop now, for it. is getting late," or make any 
other excuse for slopping, but stop simply because you 
have got through. 6th, and most important. Sign ymar 
name. 7th. If your 1 Iter is one requiring an answer by 
mail.it is always polite to send a stamp, whether to a 
private person or an editor, to pay fin- the return letter. 
