Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-07
WAS IT A DEFEAT?

Uncle Joe Barker was a modest man.
He never boosted that he had been a
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, andto 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"
"Well, when 1 wa~s.'seventeen years
old'-
"You were not in the navy then?"
put in Tom.
I'm that year the battle was fought.
I was at L., and up to that year l
had been the best mathematician in my
class, but at last | had a rival--How-
ard by name. He was a snobbish, o n
oeited fellow, clear-headed and cold
hearted. | detested him from the first;
for if he ever gained the least advan-
tage over me, he would sheer and take
on great airs.
AT the end of a year we were con-
tending for two prizes-one for the best
composition on a given subject, M for
mathematical proficiency. 1 was quite
confident l should get the first, for
Towards essays were unequal, some
times rather original, but lacking al
ways in finish and delicacy. When,
however, l came to hear his read, I
could not doubt the result; it was better
than mine. There were exceedingly
effective points in it, ideas we wondered
at coming from him, and of course he
received the prize with many compli-
ments.
cit was a week before the other prize
was to be given, and II rivalry became
more earnest. This last was to be
awarded after a new fashion that year.
The mathematical class was to be thor
oughly examined, and honor given to
whom honor was due. Then those who
sustained certain exceptional tests were
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.
ga few days before the trial I found
on the classroom floor a slip Of paper
SoNolCu Will ASulcs, tlc Stite1ucHC VI {;
puzzling problem. The Professors
textbook was often full Of such papers,
and l did not once think of its being
II OF the four tests. l put it in my
pocket, and-such things being always
fascinating to mel studied over it until
l 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 a schoolmate hint that
Towards older brother, who was in a
German university, very likely did the
best work on Towards essay for him.
He said the day the subject was given
him he wrote to Germany, and he did
not begin his essay until a day after a
bulky paper came to him from Ger
many. ! feared l had been cheated out
Of that prize, but there was no redress;
to equalize matters, 1 must gain the
other
"The day came. There were at first
five OF us competing; three soon were
out, Howard and | were left. What
was my surprise, then, to have given us
the very problem / had found and
already studied out! 1 said to myself,
will be fair. | will go about it as de-
iberately as if l were trying it, for the
first time, and must not make q mis-
take. l glanced up. Howard was
working well, confidently, but he had to
think, TO choose between methods.
while my brain work had all been done
before. | could show the whole prob
lem finished in ten minutes and explain
the why and the wherefore. When ]
stopped and smiled, Howard knew the
prize was mine.
"lhe Professor requested him to &C
on, and he finished it in twenty minutes
Just twice as long as 1 had apparently
oeen. Yet even in that time Of silence
intense excitement, conscience kept
whispering loudly: You know YOU
really took an hour, and he has moi
taken half that time l answered that
then l had no motive for rapidity, or ]
conld we'll enough have done it faster.
In the afn!ity to do it was the proper
test, and | was able; l had no helm.
Conscience said: No; the test is of the
quickest thinker. Have you stood the
test honestly2'
"Did Howard stand the ESSAY teri
honestly? l answered. This. at Tho
worst, only makes us square,
-Ihe prizes were to be presented puh.
4icly that evening, but before | left the
classroom l was warmly Congratulated
and saw Howard disappear flu of raoa
"Well, boys, l went to nv room anJ
then came this battle l tell of. Tbars
Wa was no or streaming blood,
pus no conlllct since ever cost NE the
mental struggle that one did.
'At.last conscience won the day. and
sald ! would go and tell the Professo,
the whole story. 's'o'
AND you lost the prize. after all?n