Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-12-10
COwARDiCE.
(BY. @. n. McINTosH.)

The craven is truly not he alone
who lacks instructive bravery in times
when the gu atty Of courage is spec
tally tested by startling and unusual
events, but more, far more than that,
he is the one who forgets his self re-
spect IN the absence Of moral STAN
ina.
We find the greatest, the most dee-
picable towards in the daily walks of
life, and it is here that man strength
OF character and the moral integrity
OF his life is tried in the balance, for
for when courage and decision are
born and nurtured by excitement
and special circumstance, it is only a
fractional portion of the individuals
sincerity that is before US.
In the ordinary events, those that
come to everyone slyly and without
blare Of trumpets or crash of Gym.
balls, do we show the true quality of
our courage.
The man who skulls behind excns-
es and cloaks himself with tattered
garments Of pretended virtue is the
king Of all the towards. Aa the old
saying has it "a man or mouse"
Which shall we be?
When the occasion arises that an
other needs our service to refute
scandal, to give the lie to gossip, to
hold up our hand in protection, to
ward off malicious utterances and
worse than malicious deeds, to up
hold that other when he or she is
bounced upon by thoughtless pub
lie which ID needless and. careless as
to the righteousness of social judg.
ment, so long rs the opportunity is
given to ride upon the roller which
fiattens fellow. being into the mire,
and takes this chance to manifest it's
"propriety" and paltry virtue, without
consideration as to the guilt or inno-
cence, merit or demerit, of the object
OF its venom, 80 long as a wagging
tongue of idleuess in the head of some
vagrant sloven Of the social slums has
said it was 3d." When we see
wrong done wilfully and openly and
right placed in n high chair IN the
corner with a mourning cloth cast
over it's head, shall we stand idly by,
with lips sealed by false. detest-
able, a degraded sense of self vir; ne,
and let those things be done which
convict us with ourselves of beng
towards and afraid, shall we count
the apish smiles Of contraband socj-
ETY. above that love of justice the poss-
ession OF which marks the man king
tho lack Of which marks him a serf to
custom which is more often curse
than blessing, shall we court the ap-
proval OF a society, which holds itself
above love, above humanity courtesy
and justice, greater than our honor,
our truth and the respect which is
due to those who gave US birth, and
stand detiled IN our own sight and
shorn OF self respectP Or shall We
be men, frank, honest, open men, fee
to express ourselves against oppres-
sion, holding up our heads under the
pure sunlight Of Gods Heavens with
no claims Of society, Of fashion or OF
perniceous custom to bind us down
when our hands can give assistance,
our tongues undo wrong, and our
actions stay the ebb tide OF one who
has unwittingly incurred the insipid
wrath Of those whose stand in such q
case should bar them from the consid
Grafton Of every man who has any
conception OF the honorable things
OF life?
We should remember that life is
eternal, that society is butterfly, to
be fonnd where it can rest most ge mt
ly without singing its own wings,
ever holding someone, chosen for
the purpose up to the fire Of public
opinion, that the blaze may find a
surfeit for it's hunger without reach
ing out for them. One friend faith