Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-04-21
BUY THEIR OWN MEDALS.
How Many seIf-Constftuteo Heroes
Exploit Their Imaginary
Merits.

1t was beautiful medal, and the jew
eler to whose art and skill it owed its
origin modestly admitted that much
himself. A complimentary inscription
on its surface informed the beholder
that So and So had received the medal
for distinguished bravery in saving life.
A society with peculiar name, wholly
unfamiliar to me. was inscribed as that
of the donor.
Must be a heroic sort of chap, who
ever he is" I commented. Queer I
don't know the name of the society
which has recognized him so hand
somely."
The jeweler smiled sarcastically,
shook his head, and deposited the gold
en- tribute to valor in plush case.
''Heroic?" he echoed. "Not bit of
It'll The man whose swelling chest this
trif1e is designed to ornament probably
never saved so much as a cat OF dog
in his life, let alone valuable human be-
ings, and the society which figures in
the inscription as the giver does not ex-
ist except in his mind. To be plain with
you, he had this medal made at his own
expense merely to crafty his abnormal
vanity, although the qualification is at
the expense of his honesty, too. He is
n young man we'll known in sporting
circles, and already wears three similar
medals for 'heroism,' which I made ac-
cording to his directions. Very frank
ly he admitted to me when first he
came to my shop that he was having
the medals made for himself, and that
he did so in order to obtain a certain
Difference from his deluded fellow
sports. If you notice this last medal is
dated four years ago. for he is wary
young man, and doesn't propose to al
low any inquiring sport to pin him
down too closely to dates and incidents.
mo, there is nothing unique in the
case of this self-constituted hero. Y
make medals every week or so for per-
sons who think they deserve them. al
though the deeds and works which
usually beget them are lacking, and
who, therefore, do not hesitate to sup
ply their own need. Of course, the in
scriptions on the medals invariably at
tribute the gift to other persons or as
sociations more or less fictitious. They do
not always buy themselves medals for
life saving or kindred heroic deeds. Many
professional gymnasts, trick perform
ers and charlatans decorate their
chests with medals so as to make it ap-
pear to amusement managers in par
ticular, and the admiring public in gen.
eral, that they are very superior per-
sons indeed in their lines.
Exhibiting expert marksmen seem
to have a mania for buying themselves
medals. Not long ago 1 received an or
der for half dozen of different designs
f1.nr rif q ch n 1aT VIII inh
amounted to nearly $500. Rather a
good price to pay for a within of vanity.
The purchaser candidly confessed that
he wanted them for advertising pur-
poses, and said that in the end the
medals would more than pay for them
selves. No man or woman in his pro-
fession, he said, could get along with
out medals. They impressed the man
ayers and secured remunerative en-
gagements. Besides, he continued,
medals convinced the public of the
marksman's skill, and if an expert
could afford to have his chest covered
from side to side and top to bottom he'd
win fortune every month.
Among women, the professional
dancers. I have observed. are very sus-
ceptible to the self-presented medal.
have supplied a number with golden
tributes to their skill and efficiency,
which they have forestalled a no doubt
anxious public in presenting. Next to
dancers come the players of trick
musical instruments in the music halls
To no less than half dozen of these
performers have sold self-given med
ais of value. This is a growing business
in New York, and to several small
manufacturing jewelers. it is a mat
ter of considerable profit every year"