The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-10-18
The Country Jake.

There comes country jake up
the street. Let's initiate him." said
couple of "dudes" the other day. We
looked up and sure enough there came
the very identical chap whose presence
suggested the above remarks. The
young man had on chip hat, cow
hide boots, and pair of new overalls.
His hands and face were somewhat
tan aed-the result of honest toll. AS
he advanced we recognized him as one
of the intelligent, progressive young
farmers of q near township. His name
Oh note would transform it from a
worthle piece of paper bearing the
signature of one of the dudes" to q
negotiable document worth $5, 600 if
that amount was called for. He is
polite aud well educated. knows more
about the government than he does
about the career of the James and
Younger brothers. He believes that
labor is honorable and thinks more of
raising q good crop than he does of
cultivating soft, white hands and fem
inine features. He esteems character
and has never spent the earning of q
frugal father in riotous living. On
Sunday he takes his aged parents to
church and is not afraid to say father
and mother, instead of ''Old man"
and old lady" He loves home and
reveres its sanctity. His word is as
good as his bond, his very presence
carries with it the exemplitication of
true nobility and sterling worth. Such
is the country Jake" that was to be
initiated" What that meant in this
case we do not know. 1t is evident
that some of the d" tony" young men
that have been brought up in town
L nF,tf fol yo6 a of a
erage country Jaken very closely. IF
they will take the pains to investigate
matters they will find that nine-tenths
of the business and professional men
of the State of Iowa were once what
| they see tit to dub as" country Jakes.n
| Go to the minister, the lawyer, the
banker, or the merchant ana ask him
where he spent his boyhood and the
/ answer In nine cases out of ten will be
ION the farm.n The business and
professional world isn't made up of
men who have spent thier substance in
riotous living and sacrificed every no.
BILE impulse for the sake of being called
"jolly fellow" And you, young
man, may glide along robed in purple
and fine linen at the expense of fru-
gal father, making light of the honest
efforts of the poor laboring young
| man, but a1tof WQll0, Wueu gOOus
trustworthy clerk is wanted, or an in
telligent legislator is desired, the mer-
chant, the banker. or the people know
who can be trusted-but it won't be
you. If you have any aspirations for
the future you must shape your char
acter for its contamination. The time
is past when positions will be thrust at
YOU because of the well known integ-
rity of your father. You may wear
good clothes and be regular "masher"
among the girls, but when the stern
realities of life begin to stare You in
the face and when you begin to look
around you for succor, you will find
that you are lett. Those country
Jakes" and the boys that were brought
up in town and taught to work and
respect the good and true men, have
:" gobbled up" all the places of honor
and trust, and you will look around
for that " country Jake" that you were
going to initiate but the banker,
merchant, Congressman or Governor
won't know you.-[Electric Light.