The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-01-20
T~~~~~~NSN~
5 fl BORN COWARD. )
} BY Francis nynde. !
'iDHILIP CHISHOLM. come here.r


md the inquisitorial eye of the new
teacher was on a boy who was vainly
striving to hide a bad black eye be-
tween the covers of his geography.
The boy rose and went forward re-
1uctantly. He was small for his age, and
not sturdy; and his face, in spite of the
swollen eye, was frank and handsome
rather than strong. just now it was
pale, and his feet dragged on the
floor.
so you've been fighting, have your"
demanded the teacher
a suppressed litter ran around the
room. The idea of Phil Chisholm fight
ing.
mo, sir, l haven't"
Mr.. Woodrill frowned He was rather
quick-tempered, and his hobby was dis
cipline.
Don't make bad worse by an I'M
truth" he said, sharply, How did you
get that black eye?"
Phil hung his head II fell down
and hit it on rock" he stammered.
The principal handled his ferule.
Phils face grew paer and his knees
trembled, as Mr.. Woodrill pushed his
chair back and stepped to the edge of
the platform.
chisholm, you have broken the rules
by fighting, and you have told delib.
crate falsehood to escape punishment.
Don't answer me, sir!-your face con
victs you. Hold out your hand!"
If the boy had been a criminal upon
whom the extreme sentence of the law
had just been pronounced, the scene
which followed could not have been
more pit,ful. Pills pallor became
ghastly. He held out his hand, with
drew shrinkingly and went down on his
knees, grovellei at the masters feet and
begged like mendicant for mercy.
Mr.. Woodrill rad taught in many
schools, but re had never before seen
such shameless exhibition of physical
cowardice
THAT will 90; get up" he said,
with a whiplash Of contempt in his
voice. Get up and 60 to your seat. You
will remain after scEuol."
Phil crept back to RS desk with his
cheeks atlame, and his uerves tingIing
under swift uprising Of saame and out
ragged self-respect He had told the
truth. In game of king. King Can
tico" he had collided with Dave Level
Ign, and they had gone down together.
The black eye had come from the fall.
Phil had been afraid that the story
of the fall would not be believed. It
had rot been, and he had made a hu-
initiating spectacle of himself before
the whole school. The shame of X was
almost unbearable. Truly, they all
knew his weakness. but he had never
before given such a pitiabie exhibition
OF it.
When school was dismissed. the prin-
cipal once more called Phil - me desk.
"Are you ready to tell me tae truth
about your eye now?" he asked.
Il did tell the truth. l fell down the
bank and hit on a rock. / didn even
kllow it till afterward"
Who was with you when you did t?"
Dave Llewellyn. We've ran to-
gether and knocked each other down"
"Oh, you did; quite good ma turedly.
OF COURSE" and again the whip-lash of
contempt cut into the culprit. GO back
70 your seat, and make up your mind to
stay there until you can admit the sim
pie truth
That was the beginning of a siege
which ended at supper-time; a siege
in which the garrison steadily refused
10 capitulate. The master finally let
the boy go unpublished, but later in the
!, 10 -
at DR.. Chisholm's house, up on the slope
Of the mountain.
The doctor was sitting on the wide
veranda, alone; and he welcomed the
schoolmaster with true Tennessee cor
diality. Taking your evening stroll,
professor? Come in and make yourself
al home"
the subject of his errand. Its
small matter" he concluded, but |
thought you ought to know about it.
If your son has allowed himself to-
The incident itself is trivial enough"
interrupted the doctor, but it has led
you to stumble upon the sorest trial of
my life. Philip told you the truth; ly-
ing isn't one of his failings. But the
humiliating thing is, to put it plainly,
he l. born coward. | have known him
TO { rally brave things; but if ply
sical pain is involved, he will 90 any
thing but lie to dodge it,"
Dear me! I'm sorry l didn't know
that" said the master.
ut is true, and yet he comes of a
race of brave men on both sides; but
If his life or that of anyone else ever
depends upon his courage-well, l don't
know. | don't want to be hard on the
lad, but it's sore trial. We set great
store on personal courage in boy and
man down here, Mr.. Woodruff"
Now the library of the Chishoi-a
home opened upon thu veranda, and
the windows were up. Phil, curled up
H. an easy chair by the nearest window.
reading, and without any intention of
playing the eavesdropper, heard all that
was said, or rather, all he could stand.
Long before the schooimaster's visit
had ended, Phil had tiptoed out of the
house to wander forlorn in the wood on