American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-03
WHO WAS THE HERO!
BY EMMA LESLIE.

Mr. Wills, looking up from his news
| paper.
"No,.papa; Tom Flowers" answered
Henry.
"Why, what has Tom Flowers done to
earn that Distinction" asked the gentle
man.
"Why, he took Arthur Raymond's part
| in the fight yesterday with Club, and
Club is ever so much bigger than him"
"But l thought fighting was forbidden
at school now, Harry" said the gentle
His son looked down and colored
slightly.
$50 it is, papa" he said; Z" but boys
can't get on without fighting"
Indeed" said the gentleman, dryly
Il was not aware they were such quar-
relsome animals"
"Now, papa, you are laughing at me, !"
said Harry q" But if a fellow calls you
names what are you to do."
"Strike him, | suppose, according TO
your theory" said Mr.. Wills.
"Yes, there's nothing else you can do,
unless you want to be called Il coward"
said Harry, and | do hate towards he
added " [ wish Arthur had not walked off
instead of fighting Club yesterday. He'll
be sent to Coventry for it, know"
"Then Arthur Raymond thinks it pos
sible for boys to live without fighting, |
suppose" said the gentleman.
well, you see, papa, fighting has
been forbidden since that affair of Mar
tins" said Henry; land Raymond said
he wouldn't break the rules. 1t was
very cowardly of him, for we were not in
the playground or near the school at
ALL"
"What had Club done to Arthur that
your code of honor demanded they should
fight?" asked Mr. Wills.
"He called him liar, and Arthur
ought to have knocked him down di-
rectly. He could have done it easily;
but, instead of that, he merely said he
could prove to all the school that he had
spoken truthfully."
Z" And did he do so?" asked his papa.
"He will bring the proof tomorrow
morning; but, of course, the fellows
won't notice it, for they've agreed to
send him to Coventry for being such a
coward"
And does Raymond know this?"
ooh! yes, papa We told him what
we should do if he refused to fight; but
he stuck to it that it was not right to
break the rules and walked off, and then
Tom Flowers pitched into Club for his
impudence, Just to redeem the honor of
the school, which Raymond had dis
graced."
Disgraced, do you call it? Well, I
think the lad is an honor to the school,"
said Mr. Wills. ---..-..-.-.-
"Oh, papal" exclaimed Henry.
a mean what say. ] call him true
hero" said the gentleman, warmly.
but, papa, all the boys said ii was so
cowardly of him not to fight Club"
g But you say he was not afraid of
Cnub-could have beaten him easily; and
yet he braved going against the public
opinion of the whole school rather than
break the rules"
"Then you don't think he was a
coward, papa" said Henry; land you do
not think he ought to be sent to Coventry,
] suppose"
Il hope, my boy, you will be brave
enough to stand by him, though all the
rest should carry out their threat" said
Mr.. Wills. ITO stand by those who have
dared to do what is right, in spite of all
opposition, is true bravery; and L hope
YOU, Harry, will be II hero of this type.
1t will be far more difficult, i dare say,
than to act the part of Tom Flowers:
For some time after his father left him
Harry sat thinking over what had been
said, and at length he resolved to stand
by his friend; but he did not know how
difficult this would be until he tried it
the next day.
As he was going to school the next
morning Tom Flowers overlook him. He
was full of f-glorification, telling what
had taken place the night before, and
that the school honor had been trampled
in the dust by Raymonds cowardice.
Harry wanted to say something in de-
Tense of his friend-something of what
his father had said the night before; but
somehow he could not. But when Ray
mond came in sight and the rest of the
boys rather pointedly turned away, he
went and met him.
"Have YOU brought the proof you said
you would?" asked Harry, wanting to say
something.
Yes, i have it in my pocket" said
Raymond; but he colorcd and sighed as
he spoke, for two other boys had passed
and taken no notice of him. 1t was not
easy to bear this silent contempt of his
schoolfeIlows, although he was upheld
hy the consciousness of having done
right
HAIRY, you'd better join the rest he
said. little bitterly. They mean to
send me to Coventry, | can see
Are you sorry you did not pitch into
Chub?" asked Harry. You might do it,
YOU know. Even now you could walk
up to him, show him the proof, and then
punch him You're not afraid of him.
are YOU? You're stronger than Flow
ers?"
mo, I'm not afraid of him." said Ray
mond But I'm not going To fight when
it's against the rule; il isn't right. If |
get the opportunity I'll let them see I'm
not IA coward, but it won't be by fight
ing"
BY this time they had reached the
school and went in; but Harry received
several threatening glanccs from his
rs he passed 10 his place.
During school-time the quarrel was not
but no sooner had they got
INTO the play ground than Harry was
overwhelmed with reproachcs.
What business had you to speak to |
said one.
- You're just such another sneak as he |
is" said another
- If you talk to him again we'll send !
YOU to Coventry as WELL" said third. /
And this threat was taken up and echoed |
by all the rest.
Harry had never vet been treated to /
his punishment, and was by no means /
inclined to covet it, especially when he
glanced across the playground and saw
Raymond sitting by himself with a book
IN his hand To be shut out of all the
games and quite unnoticed was very
hard to bear; but he remembered his
fathers words, and, moreover, he could
not help admiring Raymond's action, al