Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-04

HS1c setODhtlFeneSs NOT an Jncomt4c8
Nor IAN Exalted Cuality--Thc Bulldog
Idiocyz5Sapoleon at yvaterioo-Heroisin
of Every Day Life.
Courage, in any genuine sense, does MT
wantonly court danger. On the other hand,
it does not shrink from or avoid danger,
when there is any occasion to meet it. 1t has
a worthy purpose and adheres TO it unswerv-
ipgly, not counting cost or consequences
More mental and moral than physical, il has
nothing in common with display or bravado
1t is SO quiet and modest that it might be
mistaken by surface seers for want of conf
dence even for timidity 1t runs no risk for
the sake of risk; it wastes no ammunition to
make noise and smoke; it burns powder only
to speed the ball to it's mark The most
courageous do not advertise themselves be-
forehand; they calmly await the test willing
that it should speak for them. They are sell
dom imagined to be what they are under or
binary circumstances They keep their own
secret, which they may not suspect them
selves until requirement calls it forth They
are devoted to duty; where it commands
they follow against fearful odds, leading for
lorn hopes, charging in the face Of death,
sustained and stimulated by conviction of
right. eaE
Many peoples, Anglo-Saxons notably. at
tach undue Importance to what they esteem
TO be bravery, meaning combativeness in
general In our own country we are con
tinually hearing the expressions, 'He will
fight" ''They are fighters" They won't
give it up without fighting" as if combative-
ness were the highest human endowment,
as if its possession would compensate for the
absence Of any number of virtues. Combat
iveness Is not an uncommon nor an exalted
quality. 1t belongs a. a rule to all savages,
it is a physical trait OF undevelopment. The
tiger is neither noble nor intelligent, but in
fighting powers he is not surpassed by any
beast.
IDIoCY OF THE BULLDOG.
The bulldog is extremely repulsive in ap-
pearance, and so superlatlvely stupid that
he is generally regarded as a canine idiot.
But he has not an equal in the animal king
dom as TO fighting propensity, being as desti-
tute of fear as he is Of brains When he
seizes anything with his teeth his jaws often
cannot be pried apart He has been known
to suffer death without losing bis hold de
actually has not intelligence enough 10 de-
sist from what he is doing. His instinct is
absorbed and exhausted by pugnacity. tie
has been praised for his readiness 20 attacl.
any animal whatever It's size and strength.
The iInpelling agency is not boIdness, but
idiocy. By the common estimate he should
be chosen king of beasts. Men who are per-
petually prating OF their pugnacity. and
their Joy In showing IL, would be like the
bulldog IL they were not generally poltroons-
They resemble him minus his ferocity
Bravery-temperaIne disdain Of danger
or death-rnay be, probably is, unusual, bat
courage belongs 10 nearly al educated Ieen.
to whole nations, even 70 races. Is absence
is with them an astonishing exception. In
stead Of being heroic, II is really general
We nnst always judge Of courage By ia e.
feet Men who have appeared dauutles. in a
score Of deperate battles have privately cen
fessed that they were often timld They
doubtless told the exact truth. Courage Ia
frequently, IL not commonly, a matter Of
education Of wontednesz This Ii ssen IN the
conduct 81 raw troops when frst under FIRE /
They almost always are ursteaty, Liable 10
be thrown into confusion Bat after . csr- /
tain amount of military experience they wiu /
charge bsttary without ~aveTlnE.
EVOLUTION or ooraAsx
The solder. At bis virgin battle II likely 1
20 think that evs-y shot fired brings down
usn- Es alters his opinion when hs learns /
ira: an amount q metal equal 70 tie avsrags I!
human weight IS required 20 F7o6acs 8 easss-
atty. His whole military e3Eczt4oa CONCUR.
20 iocrsass his Errnness. lie who may play /
tse poieroon a. the ousse. q csrzEa.gn rrav /
be hero 4. the close. Frcssricx II, tas /
most eminent general OF BIS tine. and che Of /
tie most intrepid of Eaea, RAJ srzy fro-a bis i
llrs- bss-le- EolIintz Hzs ~on, 51f tie cszn-
naDder had fe4 Saposaoa, who had in /
viac1sle faith IN kas a4r. who rad cEangesl 7
tie destiny Of nations, who wzs sks grsas~xz
II captains. ioes spirit coxapssesly zk@a be
saw kirzsa. kopesezs.y defeated a. wassrloo.
znd vas socnd wsadsrtas amnesty ca Tia
fied, dAzs1 and ssaaxs=s Es yrpdigioSzs
courage had been GrTvsn CT 81 Last By an |
lrsysevghse Yesa-sa
Courzsss varies with eur r11esa ard c1rr5ra-
ssarcas; be-. tackled by VIA and p-53s szs1
faith In our cause, The ossscorse msy be
trusted Il Ii less derzandr1 tn wr tran Il
,esce- Which "a iaeaa@xaf onzh~. VIII zn-