The Rustic : a Protest. 



BY mere accident my eye caught the definition 

 of "Rustic" in Stormonth's Dictionary, and I, 

 being a countryman, at once rebelled. " Rude, 

 untaught, awkward, unadorned." Perhaps it 

 was unwise, but at the time, and still, I feel 

 warranted in talking back, and am moved to de- 

 clare the definition, as it stands without any 

 mollifying comment, undeserved. But my pro- 

 test must have a beginning that is respectful, if 

 emphatic, and to maintain with proper dignity 

 the rustic's point of view I will start with the 

 assertion that the dictionary's statement, stand- 

 ing without qualification, is not true. If the 

 rustic is all that is here said of him, it means, as 

 compared with city folk, and what a difference 

 that makes ! Why cannot I, a rustic, look de- 

 preciatingly at the folks in town ? As a matter 

 of fact, I have never done anything else. 



The rustic is not necessarily rude. He may 



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