The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-05
COURAGE AND HERoIsM.

While the manifestation of heroism is as
varied as are the exigencies which develop it
and as the impulses Of human nature differ
in different individuals, the elements Of this
virtue are the same in all times, places and
circumstances. Heroism is natural nobility,
a lift.above courage, and not to be compared
with daring and recklessness. A courageous
man will face danger without faltering if it
be inevitable; daring man invites danger,
and reckless man is either unable to realize
danger or to foolishly ignore it in bravado
spirit. The hero, while realizing peril to
limb, or-even life, goes forward to the dis
charge Of self-imposed duty without finch
ing. To invite death is never heroic; to face
death for the sake of others or in defense of
right is always heroic Major Anderson was
hero in the defense Of Fort Sumter, though
in the end he was compelled to abandon it.
To have stsid until death would not have
added a scintilla to the glory Of
that noble defense. To go to the
aid of the distressed or the plague-stricken
is one of the highest forms of moral heroism,
as glorious as to fall at the head of the column
or in the enemy's intrenchments. There is
heroism in peace, as in war; heroism in the
gentle and refined, as in the strong and aggres-
sive; heroism in women and children.
One of the latest exhibitions Of this element
in human nature was made by little Annie
Mack /. thirteen yearOld girl. living in New
York city. A few evenings ago, while near
the East river front little girl of her age fell
into The river, and would have persisted but
fox Armies help. As soon as the latter heard
the scream for assistance, she ran to the edge
Of the pier and plunged in, and finally sue
ceeded in dragging the drowning girl onto
raft, when boat came and took both
girls off. The little girl, who was a.
stranger to Annie, had sunk twice, and her
hand was just visible above the water. An
ME seized il, and drew her head above water.
"Then," said the little one, q ketched her
by the shoulder and riz her higher; then |.
ketched her round the waist and dragged her
on the raft II was all Icou1d do. / then got
skeered, and didn't know what was going to
do when man he cum. along and took us
both off,
'Did you know the girlf
tNo, Ididn't know her from crow
r /
At this point the brave little miss weakened
and began to cry, and when asked what made
her do so she said: fPm afraid the cops,Il
get me, meaning the police. Here, then, is
the. example Of a mere child, hunted and
haunted by Thousand alarms ever present to
children Of her class, riskng her life to save
that of stranger whom she did not "know
from crow That she realized what she
WAS DOING when she plunged into the river
was proved gby the answer she gave to the
question whether she would do the same thing.
again. II would that, said the plucky little
one. II saGause she wasn't no friend of mine,
and IT, she had o,been I'd a drowned or got
her out. This incident conveys its own
moral, and teaches, if it teaches anything,
that nobody, however lowly and timid, but
has in his composition some elements Of hero
ism. All that is needed is the occasion for
their display.
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