New-York tribune., 1872-07-18
DHJTTD EOHTD


daily column of eager comment on the Stokes
matter; the skillful chicanery of the trial OF
fast young man for the murder of thief IN
behalf Of an unchaste woman. There Is another
story, which they pass by in silence, OF a
young fellow who, on last Friday, did what
he could for women toO though in another
fashion, ungilded by diamonds or stocks or
romantic nastiness, which seems to us at least
as well worth the telling. A party of excur-
sionists had gone out from Philadelphia to the
hills near NOrrstown, and just before dusk
gathered about a station called Spring Mil, in
order to return home. The track at
this point slopes sharply about the hill,
with n bank on one side and a declivty
on the other. Five of the women
were on this track, when the whistle of the
approaching express was heard sweeping round
the curve not twenty yards from them. They
mistook it for the train on the other side OF
the river, which was just passing, and did not
move. The next instant the express flashes
into sight the crowd, terrified, shrink back
with cry of terror; all except one man, who
throws himself in the very front of the en-
gine. thrusts one after the other of the five
down the embankment into safety, and Is
caught up and dashed to the ground at their
feet-dead 1t does not seem to us to add
any force to the story to state that the women,
and the man who gave lis life for them so
simply and promptly, as though it were the
only natural thing for him to do, were cOlOred
During the war we crowned with our laurel
and our praise those gallant young fellows
who flung life away for some greater good
the safety of their countryside freedom of
race. Because the same cause touched our
own convictions and burned in our own blood,
we thought it was that which had strengthened
them for the sacrifice. But better than any
cause is the inherent bravery of blood that
meets death as o companion, the quiet, just
contempt of life when weighed against the
simple duty of manhood. Philip Gould lived
unknown and unnOticed; he had received,
most probably, neither gifts of intellect nor
culture to claim any especial regard; only
n plain, blunt man, who-of this we are sure
loved his friend. The women were mere ac-
auaintances; there was no call for sacrifice on
him more than on any other OF the crowd
who stood about them. There was no reason
why he should fling away his young life, as
full of promise, as strong and sweet to him as
that of any man of fairer skin, beyond the
fact that there are certain men among MS of
royal blood who live Obscurely until some cir
cumstance bids them prove their birth.
We hope the story of this man who died so
manfully will be told, simply because it is a
wholesome and ennObling story to us all.
Praise cannot benefit him now, nor give COM
fort to whoever is left behind TO love or care
for him. The quiet life of such men is worth
more to those who know them than any act of
sacrifice; "dying was not all they had the skill
"to dO.o We believe, too, that the most cheer
ing part of the story is the fact that such men
are common about us. There is not q railroad
accident nor emergency of any kind which
does not bring to light deeds of heroism, of
self sacrifice, OF unselfshness, that stir the
pulse and bring the water to the eyes. We
thank God for such men as this gallant lad,
and thank Hin the more that we find 80 many
of them on every side of us in black skins and
in white. We do not mourn Earl Percy dead
the less because we know that we have "hun-
dred living still gallant knights as he."