The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-11-26
WHO WAS THE HERO Z
A Story for the Children.

a Story for the Children.
Wasn't he hero, papa ?"
"Who, my boy-Napoleon ?" asked
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
gentleman.
Why, he took Arthur Raymond's
part III the fight yesterday with Club,
and Club is ever SO much bigger than
bip.."
"But thought fighting was forbid
den at school now, Harry" said the
gentleman.
His son looked down and colored
slightly.
$50 it is, papa" he said "but boys
cant get on without fighting"
Indeed" said the gentleman, dry
ly; II was not aware they were such
quarrelsCme animals"
Nov, papa, you are laughing at
me" said Harry. "But if fellow calls
you. names, what are you to do ?"
"Strike him, L suppose, according to
your theory" said Mr.. Wills.
yes, there's nothing else you can
do, unless you want to be called cow
ard" said Henry and do hate cow
ards" he added. 81 wish Arthur had
not walked of, instead of fighting
Chub, yesterday. He'll be sent to Gov.
entry for it, know"
"Then Arthur Raymond thinks it
possible for boys to live without fight
ing, I suppose" said the gentleman.
"Well, you see, papa, fighting has
been forbidden since that affair of Mar
ain's," said Henry "and Raymond
said he wouldn't break the rules. 1t is
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
directly. 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."
"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 ?"
"Oh? 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 disgraced."
Disgraced do you call it? Well, 1
think that lad is an honor to the
school" said Mr.. Wills.
"Oh, papa - exclaimed Henry.
"I mean what say. L call him
true hero, said the gentleman, warmly.
"But, papa, all the boys said it was
30 cowardly of him not to fight Chub."
But you say he was not afraid of
Chub-could have beat 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 "and you
do not think he ought to be sent to
C)ventry, suppose?"
81 hope, my boy, you will be brave
enough to stand by him, though all the
rest should carry out their threat"
said Mr.. Wills. "To stand by those
who have dared to do what is right, in
spite of all opposition, is true bravery
and hope you, Harry, will be a hero
of this type. 1t will be far more diff
ficnlt, 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 glorifcation, telling
what had taken place the night before,
and that the schools honor had been
trampled in the dust by Raymond's
cowardice. Harry wanted to say some
thing in defense of his friend-some'
thing of what his father had said the
night before, but somehow he could
not. But when Raymond 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, want
ing to say something.
Eyes, have it in my pocket" said
Raymond but he colored 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 con-
tempt of his school-fellows, although
he was upheld by the consciousness of
having done right: =,