The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1902-03-07
EVERY DAY HEROES.
BY BELLE v. CHISHOLM.

BY BELLE v. CHISHOLM.
More than the soldiers uniform or
even the shoulder straps ~ an army
officer is required To make hero.
True. many of the worlds bravest
deeds have been performed upon the
tlrld nf battle, and scores OF privates
AS well a. soldiers Of rank have won
for themselves undyinv fame nv their
courage in the hour of danger. But
though all soldiers may he heroes. all
the worlds heroes are not soldiers.
at least not in the proper sense u the
word soldier"
A soldier must he brave. The eyes
0f h. world are upon him. and he
knows that his memory will be hon
Ored by a grateful country in the
years To come But what about the
heroes In the common walks Ut life
the brave men and women and boys
and girls, VIII, are making heroes OF
themselves in their humble. homely
lives, without "A Thought Vt any re.
ward save that of duty well perform
ed:
Only a short time ago. while train
was passing through lrng tunnel,
poth engineer and fireman became
stupefled by the smoke and Vas which
had settled there. The twn men sat
helpless at their post Of duty, unable
even To apply the brakes necessary
for the safety OF the train IN the
d0wn grade. S~0n the rapidly in
creasing speed OF the engine attrac.
ted the attenti0n.0f the young brake
man. Heknew that something was
wrong ahead, and that nothing but
prompt action could avert the threat.
ened danger. Quickly he went out
into the midnight darkness OF the
air poisoned tunnel. and, without a
thought " the risk he was taking.
lay fat On the platform. and reaching
down into the blackness, vrasped the
coupling u the airbrake and turned
the fastening until the air escaped
from the long hose communications
from engine To coaches. Thus freed
the brakes were supplied with life
giving air just Id time tn avert ter
rible catastrophe. Quick to thinl
and prompt TO act, this brakeman
uncOnsciously became hero. HI
did not dream that what t,e was dn
ing would be thoughtsbrape. =
The young school teache. wh;, dur
ing the recent street.car strike In ST
Louis gave shelter to stranger Rtr
fleeing frem the frenzied mob, had n'
thnught Of herOism. She thought
only OF duty when, in the name
humanity, she babe defiance to th
lawIess rabhle thirsting+for blood
The fugitive ,saams,ress had twic
sought shelter after she had bee
driven from the car she had dared t
enter. once In a saloon and once In
gr'cery store, hut was both time
turned back into the street BY COW
arrlly men and left to the mercy {
the mob; and so exhausted was sll
that when she reached the protectio
0f the friend who opened her door {
receive her, that she fell fainting I
the fioor. Later. when popular sent
meat sought To make a hernine IT II,
brave young teacher. she refused I
accept the reward pressed upon he
insisting that SHE had done n"thin
to meri, SUCH; display AZ appreciation
nnt,linx. indeed. tnit her simple dut.
FLOR which she had the right neitt'
to expect, nor tn accept anythil
more than the tacit oppoval M h
manity. al
A heavy freight train was r"tli'
up grade, wi III larely ti,ne ~. rea'
the siding g. short distance ahra
where IL was "a wait for the Liyt
ming Express to pass. when It "
stopped slurt by a huge hulder
the track. The delay, th"uvh sliKn
would have been fatal hut for .
J, young Qrenssn. f,r the bright ra'
running ar Uund the curve had alrea'
begun Il, q uiver under the rapidly :
vanclnv express. Quick ~ thougt
before bis avn train had been hrnuv
70 q sta ndstill. he spranv torwat
aud racl'Av out Of slght AROUND y
curve be- wxs just = san'e ~ stop =
. heavy train and preveut what won
.. have heen ) serious accident.
II yOuId be ashamed 70 accept g
meat for Himply dnlng ~ duty"
n flso6t the boy arsmau, when urged
1 1910 ~ company ~ reward 4
w " shs 1acs ~ psoullAf dsu41
s NV hnf6 GacN~1 M xnlR ulN9Q !
IL &55 r. - r. - ~ &*I&0