New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1860-09-14

ter and the ringing of merry voices
reached the ears Of our excited young
mon, and their relations Of antagonism
at once changed. Logan walked away
in the direction from, which the voices
came; while the other two remained
where they had been standing. ,u...
why didn't you knock him down?'
SAID the companion Of Wilson. .''" ~
The latter. whose face was now very
pale, shook his head slowly. He made
no other response. gdl .ao 2aioD
4 believe you are a cowardr exolaim-
ed the other impatiently; and turning
off, he went in the direction taken by
Logan. @'A .1'' '.'' ...' ..-'
/ The moment Wilson was alone he
seated himself on the ground, concealed
fiom the party whose voices had inter-
rul2ted them, BY large rock, and cover
ing his face with his hands, sat motion
less for several minutes. How much
he suffered in that little space Of time
We will not attempt to describe. The
struggle with his indignant impulse had
been very severe. He was no coward
IN hea rt. What was right and humane
he was ever ready to do, even, at the
risk to himself Of both physical ard
mental sn tfering. Clearly conscious was
he Of this Yet this consciousness
did not and could not protect his feel
ings from tht, unjust and singing charg
of cowardice 81, ,angrily brought against
him. In spite ofhis better reason, he
felt humiliated, a nd there were moments
that he half regretted the forbearance
that saved the inso lent Logan from pun
ishment. They we're but moments Of
weakness; in the str ength ofa manly
character he was quickly to himself
again. .e.-. ...la4.l ani asiW
The occasion of this misunderstand-
ing is briefly told. Wilson made one
Of a little pleasure party from a neigh
boring village, that wasspentling an af
ternoon in sharp retreat on the banks
of mill stream. There were three or
four young men and half dozen maid
ems; and as it happens on such occa-
sions, some rivalry was excited among
the former. These should only have
added piquancyto the merry intercourse
Of all parties; and weuld have done 50
had not the impatient temperament of
Logan carried him little beyend good
feeling and generous department to-
wards others. Without due reflection,
pet in no sarcastic spirit, Edward VIII
son made a remark on some act of Lo-
gan that irritated him exceedingly
An angry spot burned on his cheek,
and he replied with cutting insult; SO
cutting, that all present expected moth
ing less than blow from Wilson as his
answer to the remark. And to deal a |
blow was his first impulse. But he re-
strained the impulse; and it require d
more courage to do this than to have
stricken the insolent young man to the
ground. A moment or two Wilson
struggled with himself. and then turne;i
off and marched slowly away. I'd 2e
His flushed and then pale face, his
quivering lips and unsteady eyes, left
on the minds Of all who witnessed the
scene, an impression somewhat upfayor-
able. Partaking of the indignant ex-
element Of the moment, many Of those
present looked for the instant punish
ment Of the unjustlfable insult. When
therefore, they saw Wilson turn gway
without a definite answer, and heard
the low sneering uttered word, "Coward"
from the lips Of Logan, they felt that
there was craven spirit about the
young man. A coward we instructive.
ly despise; and yet, how slow we are to
elevate that higher moral courage which
enables man to brave unjust iudg
ment, rather than do what he thinks
to wrong, above the mere brute instinct
which, in the moment of excitement,
forgets all physical consequences AS
Edward Wilson walked away from his
cnrnnanions ha falt that ha uas na