Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-06-10
necessarily tests for either courage or the

every possible effect of danger or surprise
on differently constituted brains The
bravest and coolest are those who realize
the danger, and yet are as calm as those
fortunate individuals to whom fear Is un-
known. There is a well known story Of
subaltern accusing his Colonel of fear on
an occasion Of approaching danger.
Yes" replied the Colonel, as he rode
steadily on; "if you were half as much
afraid, you would run away. Whether
such would be the result of fear on the
subaltern would depend on the formation
OF his brain. Innate, sordid, reasoning
cowardice would cause its victim to shrink
from approaching danger; but the
cowardice, If IL can so be called, caused by
paralysis of the thinking faculties in ex
cessive danger, generally urges the sub
iect of 1t onwards Mental depression
from any cause frequently induces this
mad courage, and that too in men con-
stitutionally calm. The following story
was related to the writer by an officer in
| the Austrian army:
The bugle-call had sounded, and in FIVE
minutes every man was in his saddle ex-
cept b.
"He must be dead, ors sick that he can't
crawl" observed an old Major Il never
knew B - behind when there was fight
| ing in front"
Neither had l, and Iagreed with the Major
that 1t must be some physical incapsbility
that prevented piucky B -, as he was
called in his regiment, from answering to
a fighting bugle-call. volunteered to
ride round to his quarters, to ascertain
what had become of him, and, accompa-
MED by Cornet and junior Captain,
proceeded thither. We found B - sit
ting at his camp-table, his head resting
between his hands, looking as pale as
death.
"Hollo, B--i In a funkf" exclaimed
the Cornet.
"Nonsense. you young fool" 1 said "he
has pluck enough in his little finger for
your whole carcass. What's wrong,
By
"F- is all right" he replied az am |
in q funk. My time has come, and shall |
leave my wife and little child TO beggary, |
and worse" (He had married in opposi- |
ton to his fathers wishes)
Rubbish, old cockp said D., the |
Captain, trying to laugh him out of such |
an extraordinary state of mind. You'll |
bring them another clasp yet" D.
was an Engiishman, who, like myself, had |
entered the Austrian service; he was the |
son of nObleman, and was very well off. |
"Do you mean its' said B, starting
up, with a wild expression darting
through his eyes.
al 90, by Jove" replied D.. "pn
settle Captains pay on them for life;
but 1 don't expect to have to do so, old
fellow; you'll take care of them your
self"
few words of explanation, and repe- |
tition OF his promise on the part of d -,
and B buckled on his sword, and in |
another minute he was on his charger. |
Half an hour afterwards we were en-
gagged with the enemy. l kept my eye |
on B. He was always brave; but |
now he was mad His courage had been |
always characterized by extreme cool |
ness, never courting, although never |
shrinking from danger, but now he |
rushed on his death-and he found it, |
Ten minutes from the time the first shot
was fired, he was a corpse, transfixed by
dozen bayonet wounds. D. fulfilled |
his promise.
The impression on the brain, and its
results in the action of the individual
vary considerably with the source of
danger. Thus, fear of drowning invari |
ably destroys presence of mind; the brave |
man and the coward equally, franticaly |
and Intellectually struggling for life; and |
yet, under no circumstance, can presence
of mind be of more avail than in the ef- |
fort to keep the head above water, there |
being no art in swimming. Every scien-
tifc man ought to be able to swim the !
first time of entering the water, and
would, if he had presence of mind. Fire,
also, has peculiarly paralyZing effect,
but not so general as the fear of drown
ing. !
We are told that the sensations expert
enced by those who have been seized by
the larger Felin8 are very remarkable
a calmness almost soporifc, without fear,
yet the intellect remaining clear, and
ready to take advantage of any chance of
escape Such has been the experience of
Livingstone and many others, as we read
in books of African adventure. In one
instance (not published), an officer in In
dia, being seized by wounded tiger, held
his breath, to feign death. "But," he says,
81 felt wide awake, though withal calm
sensation stealing over me. By.and-by,
cautiously drew my hunting-knife, and |
fixed its point opposite the brute's heart;
was going to set my life on a venture.
knew that he would never leave igo until |
he killed me, and if missed my stroke,
only fastened my fate by few minutes |
Drawing a long breath, and grasping the |
knife with both hands, plunged it to the
hilt in his chest. 1t was terrible game /;
but won. The tiger fell back dead with
scarcely struggle had almost cut his
heart in two"
The question naturally presents itself
to us: Seeing the advantages to be gained
by the retention of presence of mind,
is it possible to be acquiredS The an
swer may safely be: Certainly; practice
and education tend to preserve the equi'
librium of the brain, which constitutes
presence of mind. The sailor, the rope
walker, the sportsman, the diplomatist,
are all examples of presence of mind in
duced by training. But it may be justly
objected, presence of mind is really oply
needed in sudden emergencies, which it Is
impossible to educate for. Yes, that is
true but calmness and deliberation once
established as a habit, become constitu-
tional, and respond under all circum-
stances when required. 1t therefore be-
hooves US, in the most trifiing as well as
the most important actions; TO act, think,
and speak. calmly, and with deliberation
to do nothing in hurry or furry, and,
above all, to keep our tempers.-Chana-
6ers' Journal.
Tuu colonel of an Alabama reOiment