Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-03-05
AN UNCONSCIOUS HERO.


hands with painful intensity, as il they
we're somehow to blame, II cannot
marry you. Morris-you are not my
hero"
..Heroes do not exist out Of novels,'
answered Morris Holmes, with that per-
feet infection that good breeding gives
"a IT'S possessor; II cannot fight for nv
lndyloye as the medieval knights did,
nor hy to the wars in these degenerate
days"
Then be a soldier of peace; there
are daily wars to be waged hat need
disciplined soldiers. Be anything but
n dawdler on the silken skirts Of So
ciety. You believe that because you have
inherited a fortune that other men
earned for you by the sweat of their
brows, you are to lie idle in the
Ian of luxury. Shame, Morris Holmes!
when | marry l will choose my husband
from among the ranks of the people;
my hero must do great deeds, notdraam
them all day long,
"My dear socialist" said Morris, with
the familiarity of long acquaintance, IF
YOU will listen to reason a moment you
viii see that with money you ear rem
edy a great many evils; without il you
are practically helpless"
'Iow many evils have you rem
edied, Morris? Answer me that"
Few as yet, / admit. But, Eleanor,
is it my fault hat my father left me
a fortune? Listen, dearest. l will
call you so this once. Why not help nee
become his almoner? At least l am
not a protiigate."
Pardon me-" returned the young
woman, tearing the heart from a rose
a performance which made the sensi-
tive Morris wince--"I think you are
a profligate with time and influence,
and all the other good things which you
waste by lavishing them on yourself.
How will you account for wasted OPP
portunities and talents folded in a nap
hin when the day of reckoning comes?'
what would you have me do to
prove myself a hero?" asked Morris
Holmes, with a gently p%atronizing air,
as if he had been speaking to q child,
and which Infatuated Eleanor.
"Do?" she repeated, with whitening
scorn; edo anything to show the world
that you are a man, and at least capable
of managing your own affairs! Life
is full Of instruction, but you have
never learned one of it's lessons. You
have not even been a profitable dream
err"
She was intense and angry, and at
last he wa aroused. He rose without
his usual dawdling elegance of man
ner and said:
"You have taught me n lesson,
Eleanor, that I shall not forget. hope
when you find your hero he will love
YOU as truly as l have done-as I will
continue to do, if you do not forbid
me. And now, good-by. We part
friends, do we not?"
Before she answered him Eleanor
rose and in SO doing dropped the flow
ers she had been holding. Morris
sprang to pick them up, when instantly
she placed her small, imperative foot
upon them. crushing them to the floor.
He looked at her, shocked and wounded.
"You see how hopeless it is that you
should ever understand me-" she said,
bitterly. "You have more considera-
ton for these dollhouse weeds than for
the souls of those around you. You
hurt and wound me by your indiffer-
ence to vital questions, but you are
sorry for the roses! Good-by, Morris!'
"No berths left in the sleeper, sir"
But, / tell you, l must have a bert
| can't sit up all night" and Nd
Holmes shivered at the thought of
II hardship.
"A great many good people do, SIR
said the conductor. There's old Judge
Skinner and his wife, they are both
going to sit up tonight"
But ny man telegraphed for a sec
ton"
''rhey were all taken then. sir"
1t was strange that at the first mo-
n,ent Morris Holmes started out to be-
come a hero and learn the scamy side of
life he should be reduced to actual suf-
fesing like this. Lit he had been
dressed in his usual fashionable and
elegant travelling attire the conductor
would have suspected that he had un-
limited wealth and would nave bought
out some less important traveller or
sold him a berth already negotiated
for, as the al!-powerful car magnafe
has the privilege of doing.
But Morris. Holmes had donned the
plain dress of the ordinary business
man, and wore IA hideous gray ulster
that concealed bis elegant personality,
and was on his way to the mining dis
trict, where Il mine wa located ofwhleh
he was part owner; not n gold mine.
but one that brought in gold a btu
nainous coal mine, known as the Little
Summit.
Norris had taken little or no notice
of this branch OF his wealth. the man
agement and details being left to his
agent, but when he left Eleanor Lands
berg on the occasion Of her second and
n9aal refusal of his offer OF marriage,
" suddenly determined to take atrip
to the mining country and try his hand
ut heroism, i'll the way of improving the