Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-02-12
Ready Men.

The rarest recorded instance of readiness
was undoubtedly that of Foote, the come
dian. He had given offence to famous
duellist of the day, who had vowed ven
geance, and was only waiting to meet the
luckless actor. Foote was told Of it, and
kept out of his way for long time. At
last they met at an inn where the actor
! generally dined, and where the duellist
happened quite casua ly to come in. Foote
saw his danger when it was too late; but.
as his enemy said nothing, did his best to
entertain him and keep him IN good humor.
No one could be more diverting when he
| choose, and here he was not only very
anxious but very successful He told one
story after another. He kept the table in
a roar. The fire-eater became quite pacific,
and was delighted with his new friend
| FOote passed from one good story to an
| other, and at last took to initiating differ
| ent people, practice for which he had ex-
| traOrdinary facility. The other guests got
| quite uproariOus with the fun, when sud-
! denly the luckless actor saw from the face
of his enemy that he had inadvertently imi-
tated one of his friends. The duellist was
in fact, putting his hand in his pocket to
pull out card and present it as the pre-
limInary to a challenge, when he turned
round to the mimic and said in a dry,
satiric voice, 'Really, Mr.. Foote, you are
so uncommonly clever in taking other
people off, | wonder whether you could
take yourself off. " ''Oh, certainly" said
Foote. and he walked straightway into the
street. Here his readiness probably saved
him his life.
1t is noticeable how the characters of
mind and body correspond, and how the
ready man is generally quick in his move
ments, prompt in action and fertile in re-
source. The great Napoleon used to say
that no quality was so rare or so valuable
as (what he caled) two-o'clock-in-the
morning courage. The power of suddenly
changing front and altering the whole
scheme of a campaign was precisely what
the greatest of all modern strategists would
admire. He himself eminently possessed
1t. The man who had the wit to say TO
the arlstocrat who taunted him with his
lack of ancestry, Moi je suis Gncetre,"
possessed readiness of words as well as of
action. He was not likely to lose either
his head or his tongue. But this kind of
promptitude is rarely coupled with staying
PO"SA' ~ 10 NlSbiLStiy 6uu part
of the brilhancy is due to the gloom which
follows it. And, therefore, the nations
who most possess IT are also purposeless,
and without reserve of force. One very
amusing instance Of military readiness is
given in Napler's ''Memoirs. The troops
were defiling down a narrow gorge in India,
when suddenly mad bull was seen charg-
ing down at full swing and with tremend-
Gus impetus. The captain had presence of
mind enough to give the word of COM
mand. which his soldiers mechanically fol-
lowed The order he gave sounds singular
enough. 1t was this: 'tPrepare to receive
cavalry" The soldiers obeyed, and the
unfortunate bull was impaled on their
bayonets. This episode has always been
cited as an instance of the courage of the
British soldierY. 1t seems rather to illus
trate the courage of the Indian bull.