Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-08-19
THE HERO OF TODAY.
ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER WHICH
RAISE MAN TO THE FORE.

A Man IL Often Judged by the Men He
Admirer. as L. "a Nation by the Kind Of
Msn she Honors-Courage is Not the
onIy Quality Requisite In "a Hero.
II isa truth which has not yet come to
be fully realized that much Of the char
scter OF an individual depends upon his
ideas Of heroisn What he admires and
honors Is good test OF what he In, or
rather what he longs 10 be. and his heroes
will always have strong attractive
force. which will draw him as far as pos
sihle into their sphere In all the various
| types of the hero one quality remains
forever pronnnent-courage. The can
nibal who has distinguished himself By
the number of his murders, the rohber
chieftain who had held thousands at hay,
the Indian with his belt adorned with
scalps the duelist who holds his life
cheaper shan his faneied honor, have all
In times past been regarded as heroes,
and whatever estimate they now receive
no one denies their courage.
/ Equally so. the martyr who goes cheer
fully to the stake; the man who braves
obloquy and contempt for truth as he
holds Il. he who risks his life to save an
other. or devotes it unreservedly to the
good of mankind one who can bear and
endure, and another who can dare and
do. all are in turn. heroes to those who
appreciate them. and all arc distin-
griished by the same element-courage
Whatever le the virtue or the vice: what.
ever the cause engaged in; whatever the
motives which govern the life-no one.
has ever, been made a hero, even in
thought, unless in some way he has shown
strength and bravery. Cowardice and
weakness. pusillanimity and fear, are OPP
posed in their very essence TO all hero
ism. and no merits, however great, can
form connecting link between them.
The mistake, however, which has long
been made, and which we are only be-
ginning to correct. il that courage alone
can make hero To some extent we
nave given up this notion Our present
heroes are no longer cannibals or rob-
oers or duelists, however courageous
such men may have been. We have
come to admit that something else must
TO united to bravery to create heroism.
And what is that something elseg Is 1t
not some noble purpose outside Of self
l
sacrifice for something higher than
pleasure or interest comfort or ease.
united TO the courage which scorns all
mean temptations and persists in the
truth and right, as far as il is seen, spite
! OF all obstacles-that is the true heroism
which we are vaguely seeking and be-
ginning to appreciate.
The prizehghter may be bold and in
trepid in giving and receiving blows:
but, except to few like himself, he hns
ceased to be hero, for his purposes are
low anl selfish Tho suicide may have
the courage TO throw away his life, but
ne has not that heroic courage which
, lives on. enduring, hoping and working
in spite Of all the adverse circumstances
! OF his lot The great conquerors Of the
p world who have plunged their nations
3 into cruel wars for the sake of their own
. glory and ACKNOWLEDGMENT were pre-emi-
i nently the heroes Of IA past age, but we
are gradually learning that the true hero
Of his country is the man who seeks her
: best welfare. who defends her rights and
i consults her interests, and who for this
I great purpose is realty To take praise or
blame TO govern or to forbear. to live or
. 10 die Our own Washington and Lin
coin were men OF this stamp, and we ara
! justly proud to have them head the list
of our conntry's heroes
! Not. however only in public life and
. under the gaze of the multitude do we
/ find the true hero. In the home and IN
+ the schoolroom, ia the Office and the
4 workshop, in the crowded street and
open field he may be discovered by
those who can appreciate what heroism
really is Whoever has a high and
:, worthy purpose at heart, whether ot
truth or duty or love. and also has tho
v strength and courage to work, to sacri.
4 ice and to suffer. il need be. for its sake
II Is worthy of the name
% One quietly denies himself pleasure or
z comfort or ease for the aged parent OF
. the sick child Another gives up cher
= = ished plans because they would interiors
with the claims of dependent family.
IA One faces the displeasure of friends and
. society sooner than foEake his principles
5 another employs all his power in defenss
r, Of the weak and against the oppressor.
P Our hero must be strong and brave. but
u he must also be magnanimous and un
= selfish. not counting the cost. in his great
y desire to further his noble purpose
Such men and women ara always
among US. but in the retirement of pri
a vate life they are inevitably known bui
IN TO few, Those few. however. should
a esteem 1t their privilege and duty 4
' honor such true heroism. and to extend
e its influence Especially should th'
. young be taught TO recognize and rever'
= = it. 1t should be an important part o
= : the education Of every child to form
~ within him true and worthy concep
as tion OF heroisln. and to enable him h
OF recognize il wherever 1t exists.
Of Too often his only idea OF it is foun,
OF sn the sensational romance, or in the ex
y amples around him of men who, fol
y praise or glory or gain, viii do darinl
deeds and manifest q physical brayer,
often at a fearful cost 10 their fellow
4. men Let us give him truer ideal ans
h afford him higher example. .-Philadel
IT. phia Ledger