Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-05
My HERO.

Nse 1ibnV5
l had but one hero in nay childhood,
and that was a brother whom [ had
never seen.
When I was born my mother died,
and Douglas, then lad of seventeen,
was sent to the Naval Academy at An
napolis. He went into the navy few
years later as midshipman, and was sent
on four years cruise.
Jenny, my sister, and Ireceived boxes
from him from China, Australia, India,
with strange, costly toys, and joking,
affectionate letters, which we priced
more than the gifts.
We talked necessarily at school of
"my brother, the Captain" and be-
ieved that the adventures of Sinbad
were tame beside those which we i'm
agined for him. He was, in short, the
one heroic and brilliant, though unseen.
figure in our commonplace lives, upon
which we hung all the romance and
fancy which came to us from other
sources.
My father died when I was boy of
ten. Capt. Douglas came home in
time to see him before he died. I re-
member of being led with Jenny to
fathers bedside, where a tall, bearded
man stood, who put his arms about us,
and, with broken voice, said:
"Before God, father, I promise you
that they shall be my care! :"
He was compelled to join his ship as
soon as the funeral was over. The next
week Jenny and were removed to the
town of Clinton, where we were placed
at different boarding schools.
For nine years this invisible brother
was our guardian angel. Nothing that
money could supply was wanting to us.
His letters, always full of sailors roll
licking fun, were also tender as wOm-
ans.
There was a strange sensitveness, too,
in his affection that might have belonged
to mother.
ways insisted that we should be free to
pass one day in the week together; and
ON that day we usually compared his let
ters, or messages, and brought him be-
fore each other in yet more heroic col
ors.
There was certain mystery about
him, too, which added to our romantic
affection. Why did he never come to
see us? Surely In nine years he could
have had a Through!
We begged him inour letters to come,
or, at least, to send us mis- photograph !;
but instead came only playful excuses.
"An very handsome men are modest"
I said to Jenny, with the authority of a
college Senior, "and my recollection of
brother Douglas is that of man of a
superb presence and the highest type OF
manly beauty"
At last the day came when was to
graduate, and Jenny TO leave her school
in the same town. 1t was impossible for
Douglas longer to remain wholly sepa-
rated from Us. We both wrote to him.
Surely" I said, "you wiz no longer
refuse to come to US. You have been
father, brother-all to us. Let me show
you to nay friends"
[ tried to tell him how noble he
seemed to me; how had made him the
model Of my own life. "Come to u.s." I
from their posts in order to attend con-
certs or other entertainments, on the
condition that they provided efficient
substitutes to fulfill their ordinary drl-
ties. AS q rule, these substitutes were
not hard to find, but Mr.. OLeary con-
fessed, with tears in his eyes, that, al
though he had searched high and low,
for some unaccountable reason he could
find no one able or willing to supply his
place at the theater while he was absent
to fill most profitable engagement he
had accepted to play at q fashionable
West End concert the ensuing evening.
Without a moments hesitation Mr..
Whites threw himself into the breach
and profered his services.
"Stuff!" replied Mr. O'Leary, rude
ly, "what do you know about music? 2"
MIR. Whites couldn't tell. He WAS
quite certain about what he didn't know,
but that he refrained from mentioning.
There was painful pause. Mr.. OLGA
~ smoked silently on for some time, now
and then darling % searching glance upon
the anxious face of Mr.. WHITES, as if he
were revolving some great scheme in the
innermost recesses OF his own mind, bu.
as yet scarcely saw the manner in which
1t could be carried out. Suddenly"
have it. Thanks, Whites, my boy. I
accept your generous Offer. You shall
be my substitute" said Wr. O'Leary.
To say that Mr.. Whifles was delight
ed would but feebly express the state of
his mind. He grasped Mr. O'Leary's
hand and shook it feryentiy. He trem-
bled already with excitement. His
proudest hopes were about to be real
lied. he would be admitted behind the
scenes of the theater. Words failed to
convey any idea Of his feelings as he lent
a.wilIing ear to Mr.. O'Leary, who pro-
ceeded to give him the necessary in
structions.
In the first place Mr.. OLeary pointed
out that there were two trombone play
ers In the orchestra of the Royal Dash
Theater, he himself being one, and that
for the especial guidance of Mr.. Whit
fes he would summarily state the case
as follows, promising that after the ris-
ing of the curtain on the first piece a
performance upon the two trombones
heralded the approach of the villain of
the piece.