St. Paul daily globe., 1894-05-06
WKA1IS A COWARD

'
cam II"
Itwas oneof the crowd OF boys who were
pouring out of the public school who made
the statement, another who askef.the ques-
ton. Then closely cropped red head and
curly blond head, gray jacket and
black one, four fists, four knickerbockered
legs and two :book-bags seemed to mix
themselves up in the centre of the street,
and a crowd of other boys closed in about
them.
Not being acquainted with the rules of
'the ring" cannot tell youof the fight, but
believe that whatever the little blond fellow
who had been called a coward could do with
his fists to prove that he was not one, he did
in the interim betweenthe first blow and the
arrival of a very large policeman, who lifted
the pair apart as giant of the fairy tales
might a pair of Tom Thumbs, and inquired,
sternly:
''Say, what's the matter with yous?'
There was so much the matter in the shape
of bruised foreheads, black eyes bloody
noses and puffed lips that imagine that
motheray tears were; shedb boxersboth red and
blond heads, and 4 am sure that both
these boys were, told never to fight again,
because it was both wicked and ungentle-
manly.
But what can boy do when he is called
coward. And if he will not fight he is
coward land the worst of all things is to be.
that, argued Johnny. And he is right. A
boy who is that is worthless. And if it is
necessary to fight in defense Of honor, of
country or weaker folks, let him be ready to
do it.
But there are other things necessary, too,
and great many fighting characters are
arrant towards at heart; men who, when
you come to get at the root of the matter,
are only braggarts who delight in terrifying
peaceful people.
In many western country places are men
known as "Jim the Terror or Sam the
Shooter" who are spoken of as having
"painted the town red one day last week"
and being dangerous to the community. I've
no doubt that some boys fancy that, however
bad these fellows are, they must be brave
men. On the contrary they are the most
contemplate cowards-a record of their ex-
ploits will prove it. Two of them will rush
through the town armed to the teeth, raid
the saloon and drink some mild old Germans
sashes Of the candy store roar hideous oaths
at the window of the parsonage, overset an
old man with basket of eggs, devour the poor
fruit woman's apples and oranges, threaten
to shoot the polite, respectable elderly tailor
on his way home with new suit of clothes,
demolish things in the Chinese laundry and
cut off Chung Foos precious pigtail despite
his mild petitions for mercy, and insult
country ladies who have driven in, to shop,
but will wilt like spinach in boiling water when
faced by three stout townsmen with good re-
volvers.
remember seeing one of these men who
had been supposed to threaten a certain vii
lage with destruction. at noon, hanging out of
the '1ock-up' window at dusk, weeping and
begging some good Christian for heavens
sake to give him ga chaw Of tohacker." He
was coward, of course. y
There is another person you think very
brave, perhaps. Your cousin John who is at
college. He looks such a finefellow as he sits
telling you little boys of the fun they have
"hazing the freshmen and you think that
when you are as old as he you will "haze
freshmen" also.
Now there are few more cowsrdly deeds
done in this world than much of that same
college hazing, and the fact that boys have
been at it here and in England, for.two hum
dred years makes it no better. To heap in
suit and injury on some unoffending young
stranger, to cover him with modification
when he naturally wishes to appear his best,
to pain his heart and harm him physically,
can be fun to no one but coward. Now and
then tragedy occurs, and hazing takes an
other shape and becomes murder, and the
public learn plainly that the ringleaders of
college hazing are coarse, brutal and con-
temptib.e towards. A boy who leases
girl is sort of coward. I do not like
tho little fellow who lwilfully upsets his
sisters work basket or throws her doll down
the well, or laughs at her when she practices
her music lesson. I like little boy to whom
his sisters cometo get him to mend their toys,
or show them the how to do their sums to
take care OF them whena dreadful dog barks,
and who is always ready to help them. That
shows that he has the spirit Of the protector
in him, and one who has that is never O
coward.
Another thing is very cowardlyz-to tell lies.
You may fight all the boys in your county,
but if you habituaLy tell fa:sehoods you are {.
coward all the same. Sometimes it is the
? biavest OF all brave things to tell the truth.
DO it Tor tina. reason. DO not have it on your
soul that you have. lied to save yourself from
q reproof or even a. punishment; do not know
2 your heart that You are coward. ------