The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-11-02
NATHAN Hale.
A Type Of True Patriotism.
LET Us ALWAYS BE TRUE.
BY G. GRosvENoR DAVE.
Written For The Commonwealth

Written For The Commonwealth.
A Model for Voters I'm the City
Hall Park Of New York stands the
statue OF a besrdless youth whose el-
bows are tied behind his back. The
cars of hurrying commerce and pleas
ure roll by him and crowds almost as
unheeding as the cars Themselves
glance at the figure and pass on. This
youth died one hundred and twenty
three years ago without knowing any,
thing of the outcome of the Revolution
and without ever dreaming that bis
statue one day should stand as q quiet
appeal. Men of greater moment than
this earnest, hearty, patriotic school,
teacher served all through that war
and with distinction, yet their names
inscribed even less deeply upon the
hearts Of some~of us than is Nathan
Hale's
He was spy and he met spy g
death, just as Major Andre did later on
upon the American side. Many others
were spies and not all were caught,
yet Of them we hear nothing. Nathan
Hale's memory lives because when he
was about to die he said, II only re-
great that have but one lite to lose
for my country" This is the meta
with the true ring: That Is the her.
oism that tells, because 1t does not
count consequences that is the lite
that lives though life be yanquished
that is the self-forgetfulness which
prompts his country-men to an un-
fading memory.
Next year the school-house in East
Haddam, Conn.,, where Hale taught
will become a museum and relics OF
this brave young man will be gathered
there, together with other historic
things that should DO preserved for
ever. Our country is doing we'll By
its constant endeavor through the
various historical societies, to preserve
statues, and houses, and treasures that
tend to make the past more real to the
present day child.
What is Hale's quiet message to us
across the years OF change that separate
nis time from ours? 1s it not that our
country ought to be to each Of us a
very real thing-a personality, might
almost say? We are too often poss-
essed of feeling of impatience and
digust with some particularly obnox-
ious neighor and some of us rise up
even in our wrath and declare that 80
long as this or that bad man votes we
will not vote, and so long as this or
that bad man has power we will inten-
tionally be weak and show no power.
What surer way is there for unfruitful
political life than throwing aside the
heritage OF vote just because bad
man possesses that same heritage? Rath-
er than holding back let Our vote nallify
the vote of the bad man instead OF in
creaslng his power by our not voting
at all.
It is when we realize the actual per-
sonality OF our country thought made
up of all sorts of diverse elements that
We can begin to understand something
of the spirit that actuated Hale. He
was in love with beautiful girl ; he was
full of life and hope he had been we'll
trained at Yale College and Congress
had especially honored him by making
him captain after short service
before Boston yet all these things he
counted as naught when set against
the interests of his country, word
that is too often hazy and misty in
our minds as to its true meaning.
Hale knew it was something worth
fighting for, worth living for, worth
dying for and he was either right or be
was a fool. Surely not the latter; tor
we are running hither and thither to
honor him. But If right, what con-
dltlons have altered, pray, to make us
less interested In the future OF the
country? / can imagine visions OF
Americas greatness floating before the
d,stended eyes of this boy OF rs; and
the thought of even making the small
lest contribution to its great needs was
sweet to him and he did not shirk.
He was prophet and SO are we, all OF
us VINO understand and live out the be-
,iet that our country's history and
power, glory and might, do not begin
and end with our little tiny selves, but
that we are items in the greater cir
cumstance of the moving forward OF
the nation. Most of us are not Called
upon to render our services to the coun-
la. his trvino conditions. All