Semi=weekly graphic., 1899-01-25

excitement or actiyi- ty in a time of sud den alarm ; on the con6rary, that is the time above all others when 1t is desirable that the mind should be cool, the wits col lected. A cat sets a l good example to mankind This ani- nal If alarmed hy a sudden noise sits perfectly still, but alert, until it has ascertained the source of danger and has had time to de termine what had best be done, and she determines quickly and usually with precision
 Whether it is tenn porarily paralyzed by fear or acts in this way because it has it's nervous or ganization under eoatrol is not appar- ent, but it's conduct is rational and may well be followed by men In very many cases. as when a shot is fred or a shell bursts, the danger has passed before the sound of the shot is heard, and there is therefore no
 reason for starting or moving, and even
 where the noise Is Il warning of i'm mpend- ing danger no move ment can be intelli- gently made until inc source of the noise has been ascer- tained Men, Us il rule. have no more courage than women but their nervous organizations are under better cont ol, and they therefore suffer less from
 shock and can take better care of them
 selves In emergen- oies. In the army
 and navy men l acquire complete | control of their nerves, so that they
 are able to go about their duties without 1 payinguny attention to the noises about them. A body of men under self con 1 trOl is capable of 1 discipline, and disci- pline counts for a
 great deal in mo- i ments of danger In one story of an acci- l dent at sea we read 1 that through the | coolness of officers and crew all of the | imperiled lives were
 saved; in another that because of OK | eitement and disor- l der hundreds were | lost. In the one
 case self control is | exhibited, accom- | panied by discipline, i in the other hysteri- 1 cal excitement and l absence of all order. | Ttis an easy matter l to school ones self 1 to Coolness if atteu- l tion is given to the
 matter, and on the other hand it is quite
 as easy to shatteJ
 one's nervous organ
 izatiOn by giving
 way to excitement. On a man of war
 under proper diseip-
 line there is no more
 excitement visible,
 even during q bat
 tie, than ut target
 practice. Each man
 has n duty to per
 form, and attends to
 that to the eNclus-
 ion of all other
 matters. A seaman
 trained to his work,
 having discovered a
 fire aboard ship,does
 not shout an alarm,
 but reports to his
 superior officer in d
 common place tone 1 of voice, as he would
 report anything else,
 It is this self control
 on the part of officers
 and men that makes
 a well organized
 navy so efficient as
 a lighting force,
 Everything that Is
 to be done is done
 quickly, but without
 excitement; the
 nerves are kept I under control, and
 though the strain
 may be very great
 the nervous organ
 ization suffers less
 than if permitted to
 become excited. Few
 of us have 10
 go to battle or meet
 the dangt rs sot ship
 wreck. but it IS
 nevertheless worth
 while to get control
 of ourselves, so that
 we may meet any
 disturbing condition
 without undue OK
 citement, iu the full
 possession of our 1 faculties and with
 such cool Judgment
 us will enable us 60
 determine on the in
 stant what had best
 be done, Wild alarm. i hysterical excite l menu movement
 without purpose is 1 likely to az graVate
 tho dangers one
 seeks t0 a1aii. bui
 1t is in tie.tS uf iaa-
 ger that ouC net6
 ali his lacuiLles about hun, and
 therefore the need
 Of cultiyating self control. Albany Times Union, 4toy.