"Jotham was just what he was, hasty, willful and a poor head for management.

No, the real fault was in the mistake in giving up the farm and all the rest of the property to Jotham when he came home to live.

Jonathan should have kept his farm in his own hands and managed it himself as long as he was well and retained his faculties.

True, Jotham was an only child and very likely would have left home if he couldn't have had his own way; but that would have been better, a thousand times better, than all the unhappiness that followed.
"No," the old Squire said again with conviction, "I don't much believe in elderly people's deeding away their farms or other businesses to their sons as long as they are able to manage them for themselves.

It is a very bad method and has led to a world of trouble." The old gentleman stopped suddenly and glanced at me.
"My boy, I quite forgot that you are still living at home with me and perhaps are beginning to think that it is time you had a deed of the old farm," he said in an apologetic voice.
"No, sir!" I exclaimed vehemently, for I had learned my lesson from what I had seen up in Canada.