boys'' department. 
195 
or tumbled dresses ; no matter how coarse or plain 
the cotton gown ; with a clean white kerchief, and 
the hair accurately brushed, it is all that is neces¬ 
sary to a proper appearance. I cheerfully exone¬ 
rate country ladies generally, from the charge of a 
want of due attention to cleanliness, but I must 
confess in sorrow, that, in a few instances, I have 
been shocked to see fine stockings and embroidered 
collars worn in the morning, because they were not 
dean enough to appear in during the latter part of 
the day ; and 1 have seen, may I never witness it 
again, a dress of expensive material and delicate 
texture, dragged out and soiled, put on at break¬ 
fast, and worn to the dairy, because none but the 
family were present! A poor compliment to one’s 
father or brothers to tell them virtually, if not lite¬ 
rally, that their good opinion is of less consequence 
than that of a casual visitor, whom, perhaps, one 
may never see again ! E. S. 
Eutawah. 
Bogs’ JDtpartment. 
GOOD TOOLS FOR BOYS.—No. 1. 
Large as the whole body of farmers in our 
country plainly appears, when compared statisti¬ 
cally with the rest of the community, consider but 
for a moment, and you will gain sight of this most 
interesting idea, that the whole body of farmer- 
boys cannot certainly number less than many thou¬ 
sands, and further, that these, growing older with 
each passing season, are gradually initiated into the 
various branches of farm work, till, sooner or later, 
they master the whole. 
Edward, for instance, will learn to mow this 
year, though, last year, he was not ripe for it; and 
George prides himself that he is now able to hold 
plow, whereas, last year, he could only drive the 
team. Very likely, then, in fact it may be said, 
necessarily, among these thousands, there will be 
some unfortunates who begin work too soon, some 
driven to it by boyish ambition, some by hard 
masters. It is a hundred-fold better that they 
should, one and all, begin late than too early, since 
learning late with health unbroken, and strength 
whole, far outweighs learning too soon, which 
most frequently crushes at once the spirit to work, 
and always the strength. 
Working, begin when you will, implies tools 
now-a-days. Some farmers, apparently in the 
belief that, give whatever kind of tool you choose 
to a learner, he must use it,—that a good tool, 
therefore, in the unpractised hand of the boy is no 
less misplaced than an elegant copy-book to hold 
the first rude scrawl, and therefore equally foolish, 
—conclude readily, too readily, that the boys must 
not have tools good as the best. Fancying it must 
be true in everything, that the first attempts should 
be made with the coarser means, partly led into this 
oy a stinting of cost, money being so precious, and 
the ways to spend it so many, their habit is harshly 
to turn off the boy with an old scythe, clumsy, or 
ill hung, with the rough-handled hoe of rusty 
blade; but let their own benevolence have full 
scope in that tool, which is newest and best—any¬ 
thing, in the view of such economists, anything 
for boys, but for men the best. i 
Entirely willing to trust the candor and common 
sense of farmers once roused, let me ask you (for I 
cannot conceive) behind what shelter this wretched 
limping habit of not giving boys good tools, can 
hide itself to be safe. " Because they have not 
skill to use such; because the poorer serve as 
well to break, and spoil.” Shame on such a 
reason ; a mere spider-web. Long years of teach¬ 
ing from the treasured knowledge of books, long 
years from the voice of a living teacher your boy is 
to waste, is he ? and spend, and learn the secrets 
and motions which are to govern plowing ? It is 
not long time alone which teaches this ; for some 
old farmers, it is a pity, but a fact, are “ old fools.” 
It is not practice alone, for some hard-working far¬ 
mers are slaving fools; but it is time, with practice 
and with sharp attention , which beget skill in 
farming. 
Lately, if not long ago, it has been found that, 
comparing five men, whose strength is the same, 
whose skill the same, never mind the ages, but 
who handle tools of different quality, that hand fur¬ 
nished with the best tools can do the most work; 
that is, other things equal, the quantity of work is 
as the varying quality of the tool, and therefore ex¬ 
cellence of tools never fails to confer on the user a 
certain fragment of advantage. Such advantage, 
great o-r small, naturally and properly true kind¬ 
ness and love would lead us to give cheerfully into 
the hand of whoever has most need of it. 
Now, boys are, as an obvious fact, least skilful, 
having but slight acquaintance of the new business 
which they could learn, and whose door of entrance 
had, till then, been locked with grumbling caution. 
Boys are, beside the other workmen, surely the 
least strong, or mature, their young gristle not 
hardened into bone; they are most sensitive, not 
nerved to bear disappointing and failing with the 
courage of men, however manly the youngster may 
be for his years; there is no pleasure to them 
lagging far behind, that those in advance are laugh¬ 
ing in the outflow of sociality; there is an ambition 
to do well, by a thorough use of his power, which 
should be fanned, a proper love of praise worthy to 
be nourished ; their habits of work, which will b& 
apt to last life-long, are now just cooling in the 
mould where they were run; the whole charac¬ 
ter of the lad is like a fused metal, so that you give 
it what cast you like—these are the boy himself. 
Who will doubt, then, that the boy most needs the 
good tools, the good ? aye, even the best, so that, 
indulgently hearing us so moderate, the only claim 
is for good tools, ye who heartily love your sons, 
give them that help. Not fit to use such ! How 
foolish to say this, and fancy it! overlook the 
plain truth, that whoever has the skill, the wit, the 
tact, so far to conquer the evils and troubles of a 
bad tool, as to use it well, can use any other. 
Ability to compass the former must, practically 
speaking, measure a quart, if that for the latter be 
a pint. Does not the quart include a pint ? 
Candidly confess, then, if the above be so, that 
the proper conclusion is either that your son is fit to 
learn the use of good tools, or of none. Thus, far, 
I have battled in behalf of good tools, for the boys’ 
sake—next for the sake of the master, or the affec¬ 
tionate parent. Lert 
