The sun., 1901-03-17
A QUESTION or COURAGK.
Story Of the Death of q Naval Ofncrr who Re-
iicvrd Himself Coward.

Story Of the Death Of q Naval Orfcer who Re-
iicvrd Himself q Coward.
The story Of the desth two years ago of a
young Officer IN the navy many be told now
without risk Of disclosing his identity. II
il of general interest because II throws a
aide light on the much discussed question Of
what constitutes courage
The officer may he called Lieut.. Childa
He was popular in the Naval Academy.
though not a hish-stand man, and when
he entered the service he made many friends
He was tall. athletic and with the kind Of
square determined face that is generally
described as good His family possessed
breeding and social distinction
ChlldS performed his duties we'll and de-
voted rather moro time than his fellow Of
fccrs to the sort Of reading TINT would help
him in his work Ho seemed IN every way
q fine type of the American officer and gentle
man Moreover. he was a thinking man.
Nearly a vear before the Maine was blown
up In Havana Harbor Lieut.. ChldS was
present ~ nm army and navy hall in Wash
ingtou. When the chaperon- began to gather
their charge Chlds and two civilian friends
went 10 a club for n little supper and a chat
lie was very evidently depressed and when
his friends accused him Of being in love he
suddenly woke up and said
Nothing half So pleasant The sight ~
all those army and navy officers tonight
started me thinking again ~ subject that
| have frequently thought Of before PEI
hapS II will 10 me good To talk with you about
II franRly. In word. am convinced that
am a coward
What nonsense. Cmlds said one of his
friends Why, Id back you In any sort
Of flght Don't ever Sav such n thing to any
one else
ChIlds pnffed his cigar IN silence for several
minutes. and then he said That Is jus, il
4 confession OF that sort from a man wear
ing the uniform Is sorions matter. have
been giving very serious thought 10 this
subject, ! have placed myself in all sorts
OF emer genCies and wondered what would
do In each. | am sorry to say that don't
thlnk that would have the courage 10 face
You are never likely to be tested O." snid
his friend. for the DAYS OF wars for this
country seem 10 be past
That Is apparently true p P'rhaps might
serve until ! wa retired for old age without
being In an engagement but ought | not to
resign now. knowing that am coward"
that yoI. haze .sGprage. the courage ofStrfr
convictions No man can U,if~A9R.'Es firs
impulse may. move him In tho face Of DANGER.
but firmly believe that thinking man like
YOU, realizing that his reputation which Is
dearer than life, was AZ stake would over
come lui kly his first feeling of fear and prove
his courage. You have read Maupassant'
nnd ""'' ''"' ''''' ''",, o' ''' '0'' ! '"''o
Well. then yon would in an emergency
dread the loss Of vOIT reputation more than
death, unless | am much mistaken You
have been reading too much and exercising
too little shake yonr-ri up and tnkr my
advlc" not 70 bre III" sdcn suspicion Of your
courage To any one else.
You mean well. said Childs. and II humil-
iates me 70 say n, but am aCOward
This asscr tion made such Hn impression on
his friends that late~ they discussed g. They
agreed that mono hVt a brave man would
make such n confession. thlldS had shown
his sand on N" football team and in the fights
which were m ImppTtdnt part Of the training
in the Naval Academy IN his day, and he was
In u hir relations OF life man oi III" highest
ceive of his shirking his duty
When the war came hlld- = civilian friends
were deliEh tod "a learn that hlS assignment
10 duty would take him 10 N" front AZ once
They were sure that he WOuld win promotion
thilds's Chnncn came early. His civilian
friends hGvr Snrr talked with the men who
served with hll and every one OF them spoke
| Of him in lh" highest terms. His attention -
duty was an Inspiration to others and he was
| trclcss IN his efforts 10 make his mculenoCt-
| I've lie WH- apparently "a lOONtl DlIt'l.
He was under fire a uuli dozen times and
| then he waN assigned 10 a special eNpcdil'o
which fniled for reasons that seemed good to
| every man engaged In II. II was at q time when
| rnmOrs spread quickly and had there Dccn
the slightest suspicion that b" had dIs played
| the white feather the whole navy would have
| known 1t within week
| Two months later ia" commanding officer :
| report devoted iust line to this special expo
| dition, ing that III failed uulucuuntthlv. %
| When Child~s friends saw that statement
| thoy knew how il would affect him. Their
| invest cations convinced them that II was
! either CaTolc-~lv made or else u was based on
| mlelnfurmGtIou.
| Three months later came tho news OF
| Childs' don't h iroWfcvcr ] he physician who
| attended him said that he Yielded TO the di -
| ga Sc apparently without resistance. though he
| was "A man Of strong constitution and excel
| lent habits He had evidently brOOdcd over
| the loft-handed slnp that his Cummanding z
| officer report had given 10 him. and had ma de
no flght TO save his life. Had he been a coward
| he might have shown II w. 'he engagement =
| when hc was under hre, illsCOnduct on these
| OCCa Sions was beyond reproH"h The failure
| Of his special expedition was satisfactorily
| EXPLAINED in the opinion Of hisbrothcT officer
| hv tho statements of Childs and every one " no
| accompanied him.
| NO man who talked as Chlds did 10 rs in
| Washington. say his two civilian friends,
| could have been coward He was simply
| more honest than the aver age man IN admit
| ting his teirs