River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-07-05
ONE OF THE OTHERS
RvLawrence Boone.
(Copyrightedl


(copyrighted1
A LII HONOR to the brave men who
~ fought their country's battles.
Nor is there any danger that they will
miss their reward; the whole nation
sings their praises.
There is, therefore, the less need
that / should help swell the chorus.
For, after all, there are others. And
this is the story of one of the others.
1t may sound like a contradiction,
but ! shall always maintain that Eben
Frazer was a hero because he did not
enlist He wanted TO enlist. He was
urged to enlist. He was ashamed not
TO enlist. He was exposed to the most
seductive and periIous temptation that
earth can offer to a slow. big-limbed,
big-heartcd fellow. such as he was
and is For he was-and is-in love.
And his love badc him 90. 1t was
merely duty that babe him stay.
1t is often much easier to march in
the middle Of the procession, even to
the lannon's mouth, han to swallow
the bitterness Of undeseryed re-
proaches and tfudgc on alone in the
rough, homelv path of duty. This is
no disparagement to Claude Living
stone and the rest, who faced the
deadly volIeys at FL Caucy without
finching. But really il is sometimes
harder to live humbly than to die
nobly.
Eben and Claude had long been
rivals, and Lola Tanning was the
prize TO win which Eben toiled and
Claude schemed. They hated each
other very cordially and who shall
blame them? 1t is too much to expect
Christian charity from lovers.
And Lola was. in truth, an attrac-
tive girl. Even l, who did not love her
in the least, must concede that. She
was tall and fair and graceful Her
eyes were pale blue like a misty sky,
and her hair pale golden like watery
sunset. 1t was not peroxide = though
but for the Kindness of nature it
might have been. She was fond of
dress, which is commendable; she was,
perhaps, a little Overdrcssed which
was ineNcus BILE. Unborn triviality be-
trayed itself in supcrfuity of guards
and trimmings; yet her beauty ir-
radiatcd all her frippery That her
fair head was empty and her soft
heart shallow l will not presume to
add; for / may be prejudiced. You
shall Judge for yourself.
Yet | thought il much to her credit
that of the two suppliants at her
shrine she chose Eben. ] must own
that / was surprised when the en-
gagement was announced.
That Eben was such a handsome
young giant may in part explain the
mystery of her unexpected wisdom.
j. could have tossed the lively Claude
up into u tree to roost among the
tempted to try it.
When six feet three of crimson
blooded. manly beauty is kneeling at
your feet in tongue-tied alteration, il
is possible to forgive poverty of
words. 1t is even possible to forgive
another sort of poverty, that eX-
presses itself in hardened palms and
coarse clothes. if YOU happen to be
rich enough for two and so run no
risk of deprivation. In the country,
ut any rate. this is possible. And
have often noticed that those who
cannot love a lover may love his love.
That LoIas father was outspoken in
fbou's favor may have been factor.
too though a dangerous one perhaps
better dispensed with. Hard-headed
Squire Tanning had forbidden Claude.
who was the village Scapegrace to APP
proach the house; and what was va
cillating, pleasure-loving girl to do?
of course she must have a beau. And
Eben was altogether devoted and very
nice
So she condeScendingly wore the
ring that he had chopped cordwood
10 buy; and he was permitted to call
Nv a week and sit by her side in
awed and palpitating reverence. while
she chartered away in fashion that
ought to have opened his eyes, but
didn't.
Meanwhile Claude was lively" after
the manner of his kind. His liveliness
was decidedly loud. in speech in dress.
and i'm action. 1t seemed to consist
very largely in iissipating his money:
for he had inherited a large farm,
which he promptly mort gagged
Il do wish, Ebeu. YOU had little
more spunk and spirit" remarked Lola
one day as Claude flashed past on a
trotter on which it was rumored that
he had lately lost $500.
DO you mean that YOU'D like me to
drive East horses" exclaimed Eben.
surprised and a little shocked. You
know I can't afford it If l wanted TO.
And I'm trying to save
"You might at least drive something
faster than an old plug Of a pillow
horse" she interrupted, petulantly,
whats the good of shaving and saw
ing when there's money coming? If |
we're a man like You Id make a stir in
the world some way. But ! don't be-
lieve you do anything but chop wood
and hoe potatoes"
Yet it would be mistake to conclude
that Claude was wholly bad He was
not a sneak: indeed. his brazen frank
rrss was startling. His ''liveliuess'' was
at least spontaneous: and eNuheraut
vitality. even though vented in vice, is
potentially virtue.
II is said that the microbes of dis
ease, as they multiply, poison them
sel>s as well as their victim. and so, il
the patient is vigorous, finally effect
a cure. 1t is much the same with the
microbes of vice.
What Claude most needed was less