The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-12-14
"COuufry Jakcs.-

The following very sensible com
munication, written by "Jo," and
dated Salem, o.. we find in the Ohio
Farmer. There Is not much poetry
about 1t, but vast deal OF truth IL
would not hurt some OF our young
bloods TO read 1t: 9.. ~
How often does farmer hear these
words from the lips of some boy as
ie enters the city or even village to
transact business---"There goes a
country Jake, ,".-"You wouldn't catch
me being Country jake" and many
other similar expressions, as though
he thought It disgrace to be a
"Country Jake, as he calls them.
Now let MS for moment consider,
what are the principal aims Of lifef
They might be divided into three
classes: lst. Health--2d. Cbarac-
ter-3d. Prosperity. Go ask your
family physician where he treats the
most patients. Go inquire of the di.
rectors of County Infirmaries, of State
Asylums and of Hospitals, where the
most applicants come from, and You
will invariably obtain the same reply
"irom the Cities" In looking over
the report of the Longview Asylum
of Ohio, wherein 1881 patients are
treated, but very little over 100
were farmers and til!ers oi the soil,
making about 8 per cent. from the
country. Why, common sense alone
would teach you that the country is
the healthiest, where a person has
pure air TO breath, pure water to
drink, and fresh vegetables, fruits,
and grain-the air filed with fra.
grant odors from the mignonette and
sweet elysium from the neighboring
garden, instead of the impure air Of
The City filled with the noxious odors
of the cigar and whisky bottle and
where you are penned up beneath the
reflection of the noon day Sun agains
the massive wall with scarcely u
breath of stirring air to carry the
heat anywhere you have to eat
such vegetables and fruit as the far
mer brings YOU alter be has selected
the best for his own use. ...i ...
Proceeding to our second division,
Character--What is character? Web
ster defines it as the properties or
qualities belonging to person which
are admired and esteemed. But this
leads 10 another question--What
qualities ought to he admired in Il
person. Is it the smoking of cigars,
drinking of stroug drinks, swearing,
pilfering, &c?? No indeed |! not by
any means? But where do you find
the most OF this carried on--in the
City or Country? You might ride
through the country Tor half day
and scarcely hear an oath, but you
can hardly be in city five minutes
till you hear q horrible string of oaths
which fairly make you shudder Do
you find ium shops in the country?
No--they can't afford it; nobody will
buy their whisky, and the poor fellows
would starve. Now for the third and
last--Prosperity consists not only in
making money, but it is the attaining
of high and honored positions. You
town folks can beat us in making
money. But let us see where the
greatest statesmen, authors, inven
tors, &c. were raised. Washington,
Lincoln, Chase, Wade, Clay, and
many others of the most noted states
men were at one time in their lives
Country Jakes," as they are term
ed. So were Burns, Milton, Long
fellow, Greely. and most OF youl
best authors. Take it any way and
on any ground you please except
vice, and the Country Jakes" beaI
every time. ] am a Country JAKE
and am proud of il, too. ..