People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1899-08-31
4 Question
Of COURAGE
BY FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyright, 1895, by J. B. Lippincott Co.
Copyright, 1895, by J. B. Lippincott Co.
BY FRANCIS LYWDE

resolving 10 break MS engagement WIN
the colonel at all hazards, but that gen.
tleman calmly waived his stammering
excuses aside and made room for him
Oh the seat of the carriage. after I've
done spoiled your day, a-draggin' you
over the country afoot, the very least
you can do is to let me cyar' you home
with me, and the mo- especially as you
"yan't make US a visit"
Hiagbrand gave up again, for the sim
pie reason that he had no valid OBJ
lection to offer, and half IN hour later
he was sitting on the veranda of The
Laurels,' deep in the discussion of the
race problem with the colonel-a dis
cussion in which the northern point of
view Jared indifferently because the
mind OF It's advocate was too busy with
questions suggested by the pres
ence of Hester Latimer. All through
the argument he was studying her face,
searching therein for the proof or the
contradiction of Mrs. Ludlow's asser-
ton, and tormenting himself by trying
20 imagine what Hester would say if he
should tell her of his intended depart
ure and the reason forit.
After an carly tea the colonel excused
himself, riding off with Henry to the
west farm, portion of the estate lying
lwomiles farther back on themountain.
When they were left alone together,
Ringbrand made a commendable effort
to keep the stream of conversation flow
ing in trivial channels; but his
thoughts set 50 persistently towal The
feud, and its bearing upon both their
lives, that he had spoken of it almost
before he knew what he was saying.
81 should think it would be a constant
source Of anxiety to you" he said, IT.
releyantly.
Perhaps it would, if knew what it
was" she answered, demurely.
Pardon mel must have been think
ing aloud. Imeapt the feud."
She smiled at his preoccupation. 81
supposed that was what you were
thinking OF. No, can't say that it is
exactly a source OF anxiety, although,
Of course, | should be glad enough if
the Bynums woulG leave the country.
1t isn't pleasant to have the enmity of
such people"
But your ia hcr and brother-don't
You sometimes feel anxious on their ac-
count?"
Che shook her head. THAT would be
disloyal; it would imply a doubt of
their ability to take care of them
selves"
RinGbrand was thoughtful for mo-
ment, and then he said: Its a dreadful
state Of affairs, though, Miss Hester; l
should think it would be a perfect
nightmare to you"
at seems terrific to YOU, no doubt
but you must remember that we are
used to it-or, anyway, as nearly as one
can be used to such things. l should
feel quite lost without the feud."
Il envy you your courage"
That's odd. didn't suppose a man
ever envied a woman the possession of
such an ordinary virtue as courage"
Perhaps it isn't so commonplace as
you imagine"
"Oh, | meant with gentlemen; of
course, it says itself that women are
towards, but that is only another way
OF saying that men are brave"
I'm not quite sure that l follow your
logic. Would you mind giving me your
definition of courage?"
Perhaps l will-after you've told me
yours"
Ringbrand reflected moment before
answering. Possibly my definition is
not quite sincere. l have always
thought that the truest courage con.
sisted in doing right when it is easier
and safer to do wrong-in other worts,
that it requires higher kind of eour.
age to suffer injury than to resent it.
I'm beginning to suspect, however, that
this test can be applied only to martyrs
and to cowards-to the latter, because
they use it as plea for nonresistance.
Il think that is little beyond nv
depth" replied Hester, shipping a rose
from the laundering bush that covered
the end of the veranda and beginning
to trim the petals into dahlia-like pre-
cision with her scissors. 81 have al.
ways thought of brave man as che
who was simply not afraid of anything;
one of whom it could be said that he did
not know what fear was"
THAT always seemed to me like du-
bious praise. If one doesn't know the
sensation of fear, there can be little vir-
tue in being brave. To my mind, the
man who realizes the danger ard vet
compels himself to face it, though it
may be with palli1 face and shaking
knees, deserves the greater credit"
Il suppose that's true; only never
got that far into tie subject before. |
don't often reason about such things,
because suppose you would say be-
cause a woman doesn't reason about
anything; but it doesn't seem neces-
sary; life isn't so much a question OF
motives as of derjs: it isn't so much
what one thinks as what one does. And
father says one does what his ancestors
did"
in that case ought TO be br,ve
nan" said Ringbcand, smiling; "ry
forefathers were Scottish clansmen,
and they haven't left a record of many