258 
boys’ department. 
than that of a family of great boys, lounging around 
the fire, excusing their laziness upon the plea that 
they “ cannot do anything while everybody is 
talking ?” 
If any of my country friends think w r ith me 
upon this subject, I hope they will countenance the 
expression of such outre opinions, by an approv¬ 
ing word; and, above all, I pray them to teach 
their little boys to knit and sew. 
Good Mr. Editor, pray, forgive me—I intended 
to write only a few lines, and I have spun a yarn 
long enough to knit a pair of stockings for the 
Irish giant. E. L. 
Eutawah. 
Sows’ ^Department 
GOOD TOOLS FOR BOYS AGAIN. 
It is plain injustice, I think, that men alone 
should use good tools. For the reasons that boys are 
not so strong, are not so patient, not of that skill 
and knack found among older hands, nor of cou¬ 
rage equal to them, boys should share the advantage, 
—should have access to the same arsenal of money, 
and equip themselves with equally good arms. 
If you wish, my young friends, for your own 
best good to get the key to unlock this, plead 
silence to me, I will tell the secret; if you un¬ 
dervalue it when once told, I shall be apt to sus¬ 
pect you are not so very wise. To carry your 
point as to getting good tools, persuade the man 
who makes purchases of this sort, that such ones, 
though more costly, are the best he can buy. Once 
convinced of this, once led to believe it heartily, to 
give it the place and rank of a principle, then, 
whatever his relation to you, he will find means, if 
he, is a man of nerve and judgment, to collect the 
money, or if he feels too poor at present, will con¬ 
trive and scheme till his purse swells to the requi¬ 
site fulness—the sure fruit of persuasion. 
Now for the persuading. It must be done, if at 
all, seasonably and kindly. But how to persuade, 
how to convince, how to win him over—this is the 
secret. Deepest and strongest in the natural heart 
is the principle of self-love—the very mainspring of 
motion and action—which a skilful hand will touch 
and sway at pleasure, to which in everything meant 
to help procure the good tools, no less than in mat¬ 
ters of greater weight, you must refer all the while. 
Some fine morning, while the dew-pearls shine 
among the grass, touched with early sunlight, 
when the mowers with good sharp scythes are in 
full swing, levelling before them the broad swaths, 
cut from a smooth sod, when they glide along fast 
and easy, but when you, just learning to mow, 
hindered with the old scythe-blade, narrow as a 
case-knife, hung on an awkward snath, lag behind 
the hindmost, to hack and mangle the grass as you 
can best, then is the time to plead for relief. In 
earnest tone of voice, mention how much you envy 
their swufter speed, their greater facility to work ; 
you can insinuate, that, with as good a scythe, you 
could do much more than now, could with equal 
readiness turn off, for your own share, a larger 
“ stent”—a little bantering and taunting, as if you 
would, then, drive them to clip faster, and step 
quicker, for the sake of safety, from your pursuing 
steel, might as well season the dish. Heart-whole, 
with a good conscience, you could promise more 
work. This being money in their pockets, be¬ 
cause it would save the -wages paid out to hired 
men, would at once appeal to their self-interest. 
“ A penny saved,” says Poor Richard, “ is as good 
as a penny earned.” Assured of the certainty that 
for a larger outlay of money in tools, there will 
flow in a larger income of valuable work, will not 
the judicious farmer resolve at once to adopt the 
habit of buying good tools, in preference to every 
other ? Those who would not, it is safe to say, 
are “ few, and far between,” like the visits of 
angels, though not otherwise like angels. Self- 
interest fairly in view, and proved to point in this 
course, leads the disposition many steps on the way. 
To lead still farther, suggest, that good tools 
save time,—requiring rarely to be mended, solid, 
well made, fitted for hard usage. This is proved 
by the very quality of the tools—proved by the 
opinion of farmers in general—proved by a small 
glance of consideration—so that I need not explain 
more at length. Can any farmer have more time 
than may be well used ? Too much time for im¬ 
proving the natural quality of his soil; too much 
for getting it into good heart; too much for improv¬ 
ing his stock, their form, their growth, and their 
general thrift; too much for improving himself 
every way ? It cannot be. 
The time saved from good tools facilitating work, 
if it is spent in labor either directly on, or else for, 
the farm, select what part you will, results the 
next year in a greater value of crops, or stock, so 
much greater as often to pay heavy interest for the 
surplus expended in tools—more than this, some¬ 
times so much greater, as within the year to pay 
itself all completely, so that the after use of the 
tools, however long they last, however useful they 
are, is well-nigh net gain; besides, with a liberal 
allowance of time to improve, the farmer will get a 
circle of willing, industrious, intelligent, steady, 
smart boys—the best of all produce. So your suc¬ 
cess in pleading for good tools, my boys, may be 
helped on if you remember to state the saving of 
time. Still further, it may help your plan, if you 
signify what credit and regard would be paid, and 
paid willingly. W e all love praise—love a good 
reputation. Towards the parent, if you happen to 
know him, who supplies his boys with good work¬ 
ing tools, show that you feel a sincere respect—let 
it be seen at home that you look on him as ready 
to benefit and to please, generous, praiseworthy, 
and kind. To express these feelings, though, in a 
tone to provoke, to insult, to hurt friendly feelings, 
which cannot do so well as they would, is both 
wicked and needless.Readers of mine, help 
on the reform, one and all, each in his own sphere. 
Till I see you again, let me wish you good weather, 
and good-bye. Lert. 
F ive Maxims to be observed through Life. 
1. Never regret what is irretrievably lost. 
2. Never believe that which seems improbable. 
3. Never expose your disappointment to the 
world. 
4. Never complain of being ill-used. 
5. Always speak well of your friends, but of 
your enemies, speak neither good nor evil. 
