Mansfield mirror., 1916-08-10
.sHsathen" in the Osarks

''Heathen" in the Ozarks
In q recent article the Kansas
City Star dsplored the heathen'
ish conditions existing in the
wild and beniehted regions of
theOsark mountains and strongly
urged the. sending OF missiouar.
les to ,our ignorant and savage
people. in order that we might
see the light and become at least
partly civilized. How sad! Here
we dwell in ignorance and savage
ry, roaming the hills in our half
clad and demoralizsd condition,
leaping from crsg to crag Of the
Jagged peaks and pinnacles, and
subsisting on roots, herbs and
berries, ane fleeing to cover when
by chance some DER bold traveller
some courageous or perchance
misguided stranger, who has in
some manner penetrated into our
mountain businesses and is look
ing with awe and, wonder upon
the strange sights and sounds Of
this little known and well.nigh
undiscovered wilderness - this
Ieopglomeration Of mountain and
valley where but few human feet
have trods this mountain country
tinhahited only by the remnants
of untaught and .unkempt Cliff
jewellers and =csvemen, augment
ed By the fewstrangers whe have
become lost in the hills. and, be
ling unable. to. find their way out
have settled here and adopted
the ways Of the half-savage tribes
whom they found here, that is
those who. have not been eaten BY
caanibals or. destroyed by. the
ferocious wild beasts who roam
at will among the hills.
Such rot! o, beloved Ozarks
what crimes have been commit
ted in thy name! When all Other
subjects fail. there is always the
Ozark region to be written about
When the writer wishes to fnc
q location for the wild man, the
caveman, the cliff man, or any
other man, he at once says: "Ah
I huve it; we'll locate him in the
lOzarks." And there he is locat
ed. No place on earth has beer
more msligned and ridiculed thar
EtheQ Qgarks. AND whya We mus
(eopfess that We cannot tell. W.
ksappose. some. one started it anc
the others just fell in line.
The facts are just the opposite
Vhers.are. rsregions as eoos
Las the Ozarks, hut none. better
ESomasof the most famous men IL
the United States are from tht
Dzarkss and some of the best mer
Ein-the ynited.States live in tht
Ozarks now. =. To attempt to emu
merate them would be an end
less job. We have churches ant
schools galore-not just any kind
but good CHURCHES aud approved
schools. Wehave factories, powel
plants, stores. and business ant
professional men that would bt
a credit to any community. Oul
normal. schools and our stat.
university are we'll patronized b!
the Ozark mountain boys ane
girls. Some Of the leading pul
pits Of >. the -oation are filed b.
!mountain boys Some of th'
| meat responsible positions in gov
Esernment, in business. and in th'
larmy and navy have been and ar!
being filled. by people from tn,
4 IQzarks. .s-.-..
Just one instance :. the. .brav'
Capt. Boyd, who gave. his life TO
This country in the Mexican battl'
.+xecently in. what4 is considers
lone Of the. most heroic instance
] Ereeorded in.modern history, wa
a former resident of the Ozarks
"God give US men," men VIII
are not afraid to tell the trutl
and will tell the truth. Let's stol
this Aaligning of our beautiful
country and tell the truth abou
the Ozarks.