St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-02-23
A VICTORY OVER SELF.

Uncle Joe Barker was modest man
He never boosted that he had been 9
hero in more than one naval conflict
but when he visited his sister Mary, she
said her boy kept the air blue with can.
non-smoke. They made him tell stories
until at last he fancied they were think
ing quite too much of glory, and too lit
tie of principle.
One night Ned said:
"Tell us one of the worst fights you
ever had the one that used you up most
completely"
We'll, when I was seventeen years
old
.You were not in the navy then?''
put in Tom
i" In that year the battle was fought.
I was at L., and up to that year /
had been the best mathematician in my
class, but at last / had a riyal--How-
ard by name. He was a snobbish, con-
ceited fellow, clear-headed and cold
hearted. / detested him from the first;
for if he ever gained the least adYan-
tage over me, he would sneer and take
on great airs.
:, At the end of y year we were con-
tending for two prizes lone for the best
composition on a given subject, one for
mathematical proficiency. I was quite
confident / should get the first, for
Howard essays were unequal, some
times rather original, but lacking al
ways in finish and deiicacy When,
however, / came to hear his read,
could not doubt the result; it was better
than mine. There We're exceedingly
effective points III it, ideas we wondered
at coming from him, and of course he
received tho prize with many compli
ments.
2 1t was a week before the other prize
was to be given, and our rivalry became
more earnest. This last was to be
awarded after a new fashion that year.
The matthew atical class was to be thor
oughly examined, and honor given to
whom honos was due. Then those who
sustained certain exceptional testsewere
TO have four problems given them to
solve in the presence of a committee
The one who worked correctly and did
the four the quickest was to receive the
prize.
a few days before the trial found
on the classroom floor slip of paper
covered with figures, the statement of q
pulling problem. The Professors
textbook was often full of such papers,
and did not once think OF its being
one of the four tests. [ put it in my
pocket, and such things being ALWAYS
fascinating to mel studied over it until |
mastered it. must have spent in all |
an hour on it, doing it at my ease as
pleasant practice.
About that true I was much dis
gusted to hear q schoolmate hint that
Howard older brother, who was in a
German university, very likely did the I
best work on Towards essay for him.
He said the day the subject was given /
him he wrote to Germany, and lie did /
not begin his essay until day after a
bulky paper came to. him from Ger
many. feared had been cheated out
If that prize, but there was no redress;
% equalize matters, I must gain the
other.
''The day came. There were at first
i've Of us competing; three soon were
out, Howard and / were left. What
vas my surprise, then, to have given us
he very problem / had found and
already studied QUIT said to myself. I
will be fair, ] will go about it as de-
iberately as if were trying it for the
irst time, and must not make a mis-
axe. / glanced up Howard was
working well, confidently, but he had to
hink, to choose between methods,
While my brain work had all been done
oefore I could show the whole prob
EN- finished in ten minutes and explain
he why and the wherefore. When I E
topped and smiled, Howard knew the
,rize was mine.
'The Professor requested him to 90
"A, and he finished it in twenty minutes
just twice as long as had apparently
'een. Yet even in that time of silence 3
nd intense excitement, conscience kept
loudly: You know YOU
eally took an hour, and he has not
AIKEN half that time / answered that
hen had no motive for rapidity, or /
onld well enough have done it faster.
n the ability to do it was the proper ]
est, and / was able; / had no help.
Conscience said: No; the test is of the ]
uickest thinker. Have you stood the
est honestlyp'
"Did Howard stand the essay test I