Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
Something About Moral and Physical
Bravery in Bows

Something About Moral and Physical
Bravery in Boys.
Boys all despise a coward, but plucky
boy is admired everywhere No matter
how good boy is, nor how much money
he has to spend, nor how smart he is, if he
is cowardIy he will be avoided. This in
voluntary admiration for courage, or simply
pluck, as boys call it, is a perfectly
natural sentiment. The world shares it.
and In almost every country personal BRAY
cry is rewarded. In England the Victoria
Cross, which is pinned on the breast of the
recipient by the Queen herself, may be
obtained by the humblest private equally
with the cOmmander-in-chiefb but only for
some brave action, and men are prouder
of being able to write V. c. after their
names that K. g., or Knight of the
Garter.
But there are varieties and degrees of
pluck, and moral pluck is just as necessary
and as much to be admired as physical
pluck, and circumstances may occur in
which it is more difficult to be morally
brave than physically. 1t is sometimes
very difficult to say no to some attractive
appeal, and in this often consists the
truest courage.
Boys may exhibit moral pluck by the
avoidance of bad language, bad compan-
ions and bad books, by exercising scrupu-
lious honesty and unfailing truthfulness
Swearing is vulgar and it is wicked. 1t
is unnecessary, because no one will be-
lieve an assertion made with oaths
any more quickly than the same assertion
quietly and firmly made; it is ungenlteman-
II,
Some bows who are ill-bred appear to
have an idea that it is manly to swear.
This is a great mistake The best and
most manly men are the most modest
During the late civil war | was in the
army Being only boy and maccustom-
ed to exposure. it was not long before |
was taken with typhoid fever. | was
consigned to an army hospital.
While there the battle of Antietam was
fought and some of the wounded were
brought to the hospital where | was. One
man was put in cot nearly opposite that
In which lay. He was wounded beyond
recovery. But from his lips came hot and
fast the most horrible oaths Curtains
were hung around his cot so that the
others could not see his dying struggles,
but his language was painfully heard all
through the ward
Presently he became quieter but finally
after one horrible imprecation he fell back
dead. | have no knowledge to his physl-
cal bravery: doubtless he had acted with
ourage on the battlefield, but he was a
moral coward He knew lie had to die,
but he had a terrible fear of meeting his
Maker
Bad companions lead many boy who
would rather do right into wicked ways.
Here moral pluck consists in being brave
enough to stand the sneers Of bad cOmpan-
ions. and to say no to their entreaties.
knew a bright young man, OF good family,
fne education and brilliant talents, VINO
died in an asylum of softening Of the brain,
brought on by continued drunkenness, and
occasioned by his inability to say no when
pressed to drink by older and wicked com
panions. To be truly manly, boys should
be careful to initiate the virtues OF men
and women.
Books and papers are so very cheap that
the boys of this generation are great e read
ers than the men of the last were. There
are many good results from this cheapening
and wide diffusion of reading matter, but
there are also some dangers. 1t often hap
pens that the worse books are the cheap
est.
It is hard to lay down a rule as to read
ing. but it may be safely said that good
and brave boy will not read any book
which he would be ashamed to lend to his
mother or sister. There are books which
palliate or excuse evil actions, which take
criminals for heroes, which glorify crime
and illegal actions and foster desire for
Iawlessness. All these should be avoided.
Some stern moralists would frown upon
all works of fiction. / do not agree with
them. They are like the bigoted Moham-
edan ruler who burned the famous Alex
andrian Library. with its treasures Of learn
ing. He said that if the books contained
ANYTHING contrary to the Koran they were
dangerous. and if they agreed with the
Koran they were unnecessary, so he burned
them ALL
There are many works Of fiction which
give true pictures Of the manners and
customs of different times and places. and
which will do boy good to read. History,
biography. books of travel and adventure,
all are good. In reading, as IN eating,
there should be variety. and magma
tive writings should have due place in
every well digested course Of reading.
There are so many good and helpful books
and papers published that It IS waste Of
time to read unworthy ones.
A true gentleman is always honest and
truthful. Nothing indicates the bad more
unerringly than petty dishonesties and
lies. A boy who has in him the elements
Of a true man viii never break his word
even though it be to his own advantage to
do so. A liar Is always a coward, for he
Is afraid Of the consequences of truth.
The Ancient Persians used to teach their
sons from the age of three years to twenty
these three things-to manage horse. TO
use a bow and to speak the truth. The
boy who is always honest and truthful VIII
find as he goes through life that he viii
compel the respect of all who know INN.
BOYS. to become real gentlemen, remem-
Der these simple rules: Eschew bad
language. not only profanity, but low and
vulgar slang, avoid bad companions, be
brave to say no and stick TO it, when asked
to ioin in some wrong-doing; cast away as
mortal poison any book or paper which
YOU cannot read aloud to your mother or
sister: be scrupulously honest and rigidly
truthful and the elements of success in life
are in your hands.
The owners of the Kolter mine at Wau-
sau are enthusiastic over the supposed dis
covery of gold The president of the COM
pany has taken samples of the ore away
for examination