The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-05-19
HARRY'S BRAVERY.
A Lesson on the Meaning Of
True Courage.


practice in wealthy quarter of Phil
adclphia, and we boys, four in number,
were encouraged by him to live out Of
doors as much as possible. We played
the national game, rowed, belonged to
wellequipped private gymnasium,
and were hale and hearty accordingly;
but especially. did we prize the spring
vacation which was always spent at
our 7graudfather..s farm, beautiful
spot in the Juanita valley, shut in by
hills and warmed by the sunshine,
which always seemed to us to shine
especially bright on our annual visit,
as if to malse%np for the cloudy and
stormy weather of March,
At the time of which speak, the
anticipations before starting were
especially joyous. Harry, Carl and
Francis, aged respectively eleven. four
teen aud sixtcens,-had after earnest
efforts in their school work been
promoted each-to the. class above his
former rank, and were in consequence
proud snd happy, though tired !,
Royal by name, junior in a we'll
known New England college, working
steadily in the course. was not un-
willing to spend a week or two in
qniet, searching the well-stored
library which had the best that three
generations of book lovers could buy
on its shelves, and before whose
CHEEKY open fire we gathered at even
ing for stories and counsel from older
and wiser minds. s---,5s -as,.57
We packed. our bags, took our rods
for trout fishing was often good, even
inearly April, i'm well-stocked brook
thatran along willow -fringed banks in
the soItth pasture-and boarded the
train. At the station the hired man
met us with a pair of Morgan horses
than whichI do not remember to have
seen better from that day to this, and
we were soon at the hall door, shaking
hands with grandmother and grand
father, and, to our pleasant surprise,
with Aunt Celia, who, unexpectedly to
- us was at home. She was a widow,
having lost her husband in the Mexi-
can war, and was teacher OF modern
languages in a girls private school in
southern New York. She was one of
those rare natures that the heart in
stinctively trusts, and no one of the
many grandchildren hesitated about
telling Aunt Cecilia his or her troubles,
always confident that something would
be done toward making the rough
place smooth or gaining the object
sought. 49,
Carl and Francis were just at the
age when feats of daring were de-
1;,rl,t9t1 flo,.. II a,.,x, :, =, ,t,,.,
ally timid nature, modest, and lacking
sometimes in confidence, and so was
often urged on by the other two, when
he shrank from attempting anything,
by such expressions as Don't be a
coward, Harry..' "a girl could do
that!'' which, by such sensitive spirit,
were felt moro than blows. of the lash
would be. When was by, the boys
would not indulge in these trials of
strength or endurance, but in my abb
sence l knew they hurt his tender feel
ings by their taunts, though really
they did not intend to. A boy looks
for what he calls. courage in his play
mate and, if he does not sec what APP
parently corresponds to his own, he
thinks him coward, while the Drawer
of the two may really be the more diff
tldent and shrinking one. =.
1T was Saturday afternoon; we were
to leave Monday ueSuingx and had
gone to the post Office to mali a letter
to our father, telling him toexpect us
Monday noon. Behind the barn was a
large oak tree from whose, trunk q
long branch ran horizontally toward
the shed roof, though at a considerable
distance above it. The boys had been
pitching quoits near the tree, and. hav-
ing finished the game, looked about
Tor some more exciting sport Francis
thought he saw itzso he climbed the
tree, crept out on the limb, hung by
the arms q moment and then dropped,
with something Of Jar.to be sure, but
safely on the roof, where he sat with
a satisned look nc called 10 Carl to
z follow MN. tarl, tnough unwilling to
try it, was still more unwilling to ac-
knowledge any superiority OF his older
brother in that line SO he, too CHM bed
up crept out, and, when he had found
what he thought was good place,
and had called out two or three
times: Franz shall strike an right9"
dropped and was happy. Then they
both called to Harry: Come on, Hal, >
hut he, overcome by the fear he had
felt that they would fall while attempt
ing il, refused to make the trial,
When they began to speak about what
"a girl could do, grandfather came
out of the back door, where he had
bean n silent spectator ofAthe, whole