The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-03-31
H HERO OF TODAY.
ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER WHICH
RAISE MAN TO THE FORE.

Men She Honors-Courace Is Not the
Only Quality Requisite In a Hero.
1t is "a truth which has not yet 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 Il strong attractive
force. which will draw him as far us pos
sible into their sphere. In all the various
types of the hero one quality remains
forever prominent-conrage. 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 man who braves
obloguy 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 an"
do; all are. IN turn. heroes to those who
appreciate them. and all are distin-
crushed by the same elelnent-courage
Whatever be the virtue or the vice: wha.
ever the cause engaged in: whatever the
motives which govern the life-no one
has ever been made IA hero. ever i'll
thought. unless in some way he has shown
strength and bravery. Cowardice and
weakness. pusillanilnity and fear, are OPP
posed in their very essence to all hero
ism. and no merits. however great. can
form IA 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 cannibals or rob
bers or duelists. however courageous
such men may have been. We have
come to admit that something else must
be united to bravery to create heroism.
And what ia that something else: Is it
not some noble purpose outside Of self
and it's interests. The glad and willing
SdCIllCe " SoAlAClilAiiS uiSi th"is
pleasure or interest. comfort or ease.
united to the courage which scorns all
mean temptations and persists in the
truth and right. as far rs it is seen. spite
Of all obstacles-that is the true heroisIn
which we are vaguely seeking and be-
ginning to appreciate.
The prizefighter may be bold and in.
trepid in giving and receiving blows;
but, except to IA few like himself. he has
ceased to be a hero. for his purposes are
low and selfish. The suicide may have
the courage to throw away his life, but
he has not that heroic courage whic}
lives on. enduring. hoping and working,
III spite of all the adverse circumstance.
of his lot. The great conluerors of the
world who have plunged their nations
into cruel wars for the sake of their w
glory and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT were pre-emi.
nently the heroes Of ii past age, but we
are gradually learning that the true here
OF his country is the man who seeks he,
best welfare. who defends her rights ant
} consults her interests, and who for thi.
great purpose is ready to take praise Oh
} blame. to govern or to forbear. to liveol
to die. Our own Washington and Lin,
coin were men of this stamp, and WI arf
justly prosi to have them head the list
of our conntry,s heroes.
, Not. however, only in public life ant
! under the gaze of the multitude do w
find the true hero. In the home and il
the schoolroom, in the Office ard TIN
workshop. in the crowded street an.
open field. he may be discovered b,
those who can appreciate what heroisn
! really Is. Whoever has a high an
! worthy purpose at heart. whether 0
truth or duty or love. and also has TIL
} strength and courage to work, to sacri
flee and to suffer. if need be, for its sake
J is worthy of the name.
One quietly denies himself pleasure o
comfort or ease for the aged parent o
the sick child. Another gives up cher
ished plans because they would interior
with the claims Of a dependent family
: One faces the d~ispleasure Of friends AM
society sooner than forsake his principles
> another employs all his power in defens
of the weak and against the oppressor
, Our hero must be strong and brave, bu
he must also be magnaniinous and IN
: selfish. not counting the cost. in his grea
desire to further his noble purpose.
Such mel and women are alway
: among us. but in the retirement of pri
vate life they are inevitably known bu
? to a few. Those few, however. shoul'
esteem it their privilege and duty t
; honor such true heroism, and to extern
its influence. Especially should tn
young be taught to recognize and rever
it. 1t should be an important part O
: the education CT every child TO forn
within him a true and worthy concel
ton of heroism. and to enable him /
recognize it wherever it exists.
Too often his only idea OF it is foun'
in the sensational romance, or in the ex
r amples around him of men who, TO
o praise or glory or gain, will do DARN,
deeds and manifest a ply steal drawer.
often at a fearful cost to their fellow