The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27
STAYING POWER.

What might be called, for lack of
better term, staying power" is the most
precious quality of human nature. One
day the telegraph tells Us that man has
committed suicide because he had lost
money IN speculation; the next day it is a
young woman who has shot herself be-
cause her lover broke his troth and mar.
ried another. Suicides of this sort are
simply proof that the self-murderers were
not persons Of healthy organization in
mind or body; they lacked nerve tone,
which as the basis of what we call grit or
grip. Grief strikes such natures and they
instantly hang out the white dag.
sensibility TO suffering is entirely con-
slstent with sound mental and physical
health, but surrender without a fight is
not A base man breaks faith with a
woman; she ought to be glad she found
the fellow out and escaped marrying such
a fraud; she ought to despise him, and
thank her good luck that he showed his
true moral colors before she was bound nv
marriage to false man, but she elects. on
the contrary, to shoot herself for the sake
OF a treacherous knave that was not
worth tear, let alone her hearts blood
The suicide of girl. who is not of the
kind that suffer and yet wax strong
through suffering, is due 10 the very sauna
radical lack of nerve tone. the physical
basis OF moral grit, that makes a man
when reverses overtake him, refuse to
hight on, night ever, until he captures the
nag or dies on the battlefield, sword in
hand; for lack Of nerve tone he eitbar
turns thief or sinks out of the world bv
suicide.
Another illustration is the commo,
class OF men who shoot the women who
refuse 20 marry them and sometimes shoe,
themselves. 1t is the same miserable lack
OF moral grit, the same night from and
surrender TO every hard fate, q natural and
perhaps desirable act in a homeless nro-
iesslonal gambler or criminal who had nv
his lie OF wickedness burned all the
bridges down between him and = better
end, bur an act OF melancholy folly
when perpetrated by person NJ
reputable character and humane in.
suncts in moment Of moral coyardics
Duty IS only another name for difficulty
and the man or woman who Consents 70
SUICIDE or moral self-surrender whenever
some scoundrel makes them suffer senti.
mentally, or calamity cuts the cahle If
their business anchor, = an invalid. a sinh
lect Tor debate among doctors. who some
times heal such people, rather than = can.
didate for the worlds sympathy and .or-
row. The men and women who suffer inst
IS keenly as the towards, but in face Of
failure continue TO fight for victory or gal
LIANT death and honorable burial. a-e The
best objects Of the worlds sympathy snd
sorrow when they are found with their
backs TO the field and their feet 10 the foe
The world is fond of successful man
and Yet the world is Just enough to treat
respectfully every stout fellow who has
every gift Of good soldiershlp save good
fortune. The world says He didn't win
buI he made fair and square fight TO the
last as long IS his hardy hand could swing
his battleax;" and the world knows that
the gallant dead, if not a successful gen.
eral. was . manly soldier, who did not
break for the bomb-proof when the battle
grew bitter; nor turn guerrilla: nor ROB the /
dead; nor pillage the camp: nor say
wAlningly, success or suicide" but said
success or honorable death and burial on
the battlefield, which was what Admiral
Nelson meant when he said Now for
peerase O. Westminster Abbey"
IL IS trite saying that "all the world
loves lover" truer saying would be
that al tie world loyss q lighter, who &C.