Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-06-05
miscellaneous.
EDWARD WILSON:
Or, who was the Coward?
BY t. S. ARTHUR.
" VIII you bear that ?"

BY 7. S. ARTHUR.
"Will you bear that
The young man to whom this was ad.
dressed stood facing another person about
his own age, on whose flushed counte.
nance was an expression of angry def.
ance. The name of this person was
Logan. A third party, also a young
man, had asked the question in tone oil
surprise and regret Before there was
time for response, Logan said sharply,
and in tone of singing contempt:
"You are poor, mean coward, Ed
ward Wilson! | repeat the words, and
if there is particle of manhood about
you"
Logan paused for an instant, but
quickly added, you will resent the in.
suit"
Why did he pause? His words haC
aroused feeling in the breast of Wilson
that betrayed itself in his eyes. Tho
word coward" in that instant of time
would have more fttingly applied tC
James Logan. But, as quick as the
cash leaves the cloud, so quickly faded
the indignant light from the eyes of Ed
ward Wilson What fierce struggle
agitated him for the moment.
1--WE have been fast friends, James,
said Wilson calmly. "But. even if that
were not so, | will not strike you"
"You're afraid"
81 will not deny it. I have always
been afraid to do wrong"
-" Bah Cant and hypocrisy" said thu
other, contemptuously.
"You know me better than that james
Logan; and l am sorry that in your re
sentiment of an imagined wrong, 20,
should so far forget what is just to M
character as 10 charge upon me sucl
mean views reject the implied ale
cation as false" -
There was an honest Indignation il
the manner of Wilson that he did no
attempt to suppress.
do you call me liar?" cxclaime,
Logan, in uncomfortable passion. draw
ing back his hand, and making a motion
as if he were about to strike the other il
the face.
The eye of Wilson quailed not, no
was the smallest culver of a muscle per
ceptible. From some cause the purpos'
Of Logan was not executed. Instead o
giving blow ne assailed his antagonis
with words of deeper insult. But vii
son was not thus to be driven from the
citadel in which he had entrenched him
self.
"If ] am coward" he said, 81
would rather be coward than lay a hant
in violence on him / have called my
friend"
AT this moment light girlish laugh
ter and the ringing of merry voices
reached the ears Of our excited young
men, and their relations of antagonist
at once changed. Logan walked away
in the direction from which the voices
came; while the other two remained
where they had been standing.
"Why didn't you knock him down? ?
said the companion of Wilson.
The latter, whose face was now very
sober and very pale, shook his head slow.
ly. He made no other response.
81 believe you are a coward" ex-
claimed the other, impatiently; and
turning off he went in the direction
taken by Logan.
The moment Wilson was alone he seat
ed himself on the ground, concealed from
the party whose voices had interrupted
them, by a large rock, and covering his
face with his hands, continued motion
less for several moments. How much
he suffered in that little space Of time
we will not attempt to describe. The
struggles with his indignant impulses
had been very severe. lie vas no cow
ard in heart. What was right and hui
name he was ever ready to do, even at
the risk Of both physical and mental
suffering. Clearly conscious was he Of
this Yet the consciousness did not aud
could not protect his feelings from the
unjust and singing charge of cowardice
so angrily brought against him. In
spite of his better reason, he felt humili-
ated; and there we're moments when be
half regretted the forbearance that saved
the insolent Logan from punishment. -
There were but a few moments Of weak
ness; in the strength Of a manly char
ecter he was quickly himself again.