The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-07-14
THE HERO OF TODAY.
ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER WHICH
RAISE MAN TO THE FORE.
A Man Is Often Judged by the Men He
Admires. as Is "A Nation by the Kind of
Men She Honors-Courage Is Not the
Only Quality Requisite In IA Hero.

Only Quality Requisite In IA Hero.
1t is u truth which has not vet come to
be fully realized that much of the char
acter of an individual depends upon his
ideas of heroism. What he admires and
honors is a good test of what he is, or
rather what he longs to be, and his heroes
will always have a strong attractive
force, which will draw him as far as pos
sible into their sphere. In all the various
types of the hero II quality remains
forever prominent-courage, The can
nibal who has distinguished himself by
the number of his murders, the robber
chieftain who had held thousands at bay.
the Indian with his belt adorned with
scalps. the duelist who holds his life
cheaper than his fancied 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 mar who braves
obloquy and contempt for truth as he
holds it: 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 ana
do; all are, in turn, heroes to those who
appreciate them, and all are distin-
guished by the same element-courage
Whatever be 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 op-
posed in their very essence to all hero
ism. and no merits, however great, can
form a connecting link between them.
The mistake, however, which has long
been made, and which we are only be-
ginning to correct, is that courage alone
can make a hero. To some extent we
have given up this notion. Our present
heroes are no longer c%annibals or rob
bers or duelists, however courageous
such rlen may have been. We have
come 10 admit that something else must
be united to bravery to create heroism.
And what is that something else: Is it
not some noble purpose outside Of self
and its interests. The glad and willing
sacrifice for something higher thaa
pleasure or interest, comfort or ease.
',nitoI 70 tbo corraoo wlicb scnrno oil
maan +omn+o+ions ond rorsistS IN ,La
~ .nT I;nht - : faras T. - saon s,ito
Of all obstaclcs-that is the true hcroism
which we are vaguely seeking and be-
ginning to appreciate.
The prizetighter may be bold and in
+ron;a n oiy;nr md rocni,ing L1ou...
49, a~aa fo,, Ii,.o Li,,.nif L. IT,,
coasod 70 ho hero fnr his n,rnosns aro
Io,, on5 sa1e u Tlo s,,ioiio ,nn. La,a
tho cnIraon ~ tbroT. owov bis Iifo L,,t
ha hos n@+ +ho+ Lor,in cn,ragn Ill
l;yos or ondnr;ng ho,ipr onI ,ror,.i,r
in snito Of oil tLn odvar.n c;rc,,nstann6,
If he lot Tho oraot cn,onorory NJ tbo
u.orId who La,to ,I,naoI thair no+;ars
INTO cr,oI u.,rs for tbo cal,a of tboi. o,,.,,
rIor,, md rrr,rdizonont ,.ora nro-o,ni
~1antlv thn he,oos of a nas+ oao Int ,ra
oro n,odr,n, To-, tint tho +,,o boro
of his country i tho man VIII seaks bnr
host y,elforn who defends her r;gbts o,d
cors,,I+s bo. int.rnsts and v.hn fn,. tLis
oroo+ ,,r,oso 10 ,ooIv 70 +oLo ,,.,;so mr
hIomo to Govern or m forbaor 70 Eroor
~ die Onr own Wasbington and In,
colin u.ora mon of tbis ston,n mi ,,.onro
7nstIv nrond to have them haaJ tho li.t
of o,,r corrtrv,s barons
Eot bo,,nvgr nnIv in ruhIic If, orl
under the rae Of the ruItitude do We
fnL Two +rTr l.ro +, t1n hnp,n or1 !,
the ,choolroo,n. in the ofico and fine
workshop in tln crnvrdnl s+r.,t md
omen field. me uay ba discovered Inv
those who can APPRECIATE what hproisln
really is. Whoever has n lieh and
worthy mt heart. whether Of
truth or duty or love. and also has the
strength and couraye 70 work. TO sacri-
fee and to suffer. if need be. for its sake.
IS worthy Of the name.
One quietly denies himself pleasure or
comfort or ease for the aged uarcnt or
the sick child. Another pives mn cher
ished plans because they would Interfere
with the claims of a dependent family,
Ono faces the displcasure of friends and
society sooner tlan forsakc his principles;
another EMPLOYS al his power in defense