Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-20
STOCKS AND HEROES.

We are no. in the habit of associating
the acts and impulses of heroism with
the dealings Of persons whose chiei
aim and employment IS that OF money
making. The Robin Goodfeilow
whose purse is his friends and whose
notions of ownership are never SO
clearly defined or severely asserted as
to cause contention or dislikes, is con-
stantly, whether We will or no, con-
trasted with the more siaid and siren.
uous man of business ana business
habits. The nerve which is required
to stake q sum OF money. out Of hand,
upon the turn OF card, is accounted
sign and token OF a certain sort of rare
courage; and we are apt TO dissocia:e
this nervous quality from the habit
and character of the successful man of
trade. There seems, indeed, to be a
kind OF Personal daring In the clever
gambler, quality OF self-reliance anu
determination In facing his antagonists
Of the card table, which, like the per-
scual courage that makes man suc
cessIui in single combat, mas a very
vsmesome flavor and we find our
selves admiring it before we fsirlg
know what it is we are thus SO iayora-
bly, taken with. But there Is much
quiet heroism, which seeks no recoc-
milton, presents no startling situations,
vaunts no: itself, and is as far from
chat picturesGness which captivaies
the eye as is lie quiet soldier who, Ii,
cheerful silence performs his rerilous
duties from the stTutting martinez
whose every movement is study and
all whose attitudes are purposely con-
spicuons. If we are on the lookout for
heroes we strain our eyes i'll another
direction than that OF the stock board
and "the street." We may expect to
find no little desperation there and
no little recklessness Of results; but
for the deeds of kindness and self sac
rifice; the manful risk Of fortune out
of an impulse of pure generosity;-for
these to be made by sharp, keen, SELL
helpful, money-liking and money.
saving men, we are not " -rays pre-
pared. But we have lately nau many
evidences Of warmer place in the
heart of Mammon than We have hith-
erto credited it with. Some trying
experiences have lately come 70 certain
dealers and SPECTATORS in mining
stocks living among US. The hard
lines have pressed in many directions
and upon many persons in these days
of doubt and disaster. But the COM
mon and widely-shared sense of ca
lamity, instead Of stimulating the in
stinct of caution and the selfish i'm
pulse Of prudence and self preserva-
ton, has awakened such q ready and
generous willingness to provide and
bes:cw help and succor as to inspire u
feeling of confidence in the public
mind and make it evident that they
who sre in danger are not to be colaly
abandoned to their fate. Thousands
of dollars have been proifered, with
out terms and in a noble disregard OF
the substance of securities, until the
crevasse is stayed and the
peril of crushing disaster
is averted. These admirable and
timely acts of neighborsfip by our
fellow citizens of means, prove that
this community rests on something
better aud more trustworthy, some
thing moro deeply laid and more
rooted than the temporal de-
vices and emergencies and ephemeral
make-shi:ts of an aggregation of ad-
venturers and fortune hunters. Times
OF trial deveiope in people, as in an
the better and more ster-
ling qualities; and the tests of this
crisis demonstrating, as we have
shown. the better side of our better
citizens, give Us assurance of solid
and reliable quality underlying the
fabric Of our society which is as assur-
ing as it is worthy of public recogni-
ton.