The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-20
Paper Read Before the Cha,uauqua Circle.

fdper RedG BerOre the ChdutduQud Circle.
HHERE are no people under
heaven who are such ardent
hero-worshipers as the Ameri-
cans, and there are certainly no
people who are SO quick to recognize
and appreciate brave deed done in
the interests of humanity. And it is
also fact that no other nation forgets
its heroes sooner. This is probably
due to our constant desire for some
thing new and original in our heroes
as well as in other branches of life.
Perhaps it would be as we'll to stop
for moment and consider what con-
stitutes hero.
We often make the mistake of calling
"a man hero without taking into con-
ssideration the circumstances and mo-
tives that impelled him to the alleged
heroic act. A man may be brave and
courageous and perform some great
feat in skill and daring in which he
risks both life and limb and still not
be hero. He may even do some real
ly heroic act at great peril to himself
and yet not be hero in the true sense
of the word. For instance, a man
awakes at night and finds his house
on fire; his children are sleeping in
another part, from which he is cut off
by the flames; without stopping to con-
slider the great risk he is taking he
rushes through smoke and fire in an
effort to rescue his loved ones. The
act is brave and noble one indeed
and yet the man could not be called a
hero, and for this reason: the act was
a more or less selfish one and was
prompted by parental love. Had he
failed to do all in his power to save
them, even tho the danger to himself
was great and the chances desperate,
he would be an abject coward and not
worthy to be called man.
If, however, he takes equal risks to
save those in whom he has no interest,
he is then clearly entitled to be called
a hero.
AS war heroes are the ones to attract
most attention from the general public,
let us consider the case of a soldier
Conspicuous bravery in the service of
the United States army is sure
means of promotion, and this fact
alone accounts for many of our heroes.
There is a great difference, however,
between the one who does an act of
bravery fully realizing his danger and
the one who does not realize it. The
soldier who rushes into great danger
without apprsciating the risk he is
taking, but does it in spirit of reck-
1essness and bravado or to show off
before his comrades, even tho he ac-
complishes some great deed, can not
be considered hero. He is fool and
his act was foolhardy. If, however, he
carefully weighs his chances of success
and fully realizes the risk he. is taking
and then goes on and does his best
from a sense of duty, whether he is
successful or not in accomplishing his
object he is to my mind brave man
and true hero and worthy of all
praise. Assuming that his act is one
of national Importance let us consider
the treatment he is likely to receive at
the hands of the press.
Any person who performs an act of
bravery or noble deed that brings
forth the applause and praise of the
people, if he wishes his name to live
for any length of time or to have his
deed remembered and still retain his
reputation, should have the good taste
to die as soon as possible after it's ac-
complishment. And even then he is
soon forgotten. On the other hand, if
he is weak-minded enough to live on,
the press will soon make him wish
that his name had remained obscure
and unknown. 1t is a habit of the
press of today, when person accom-
plishes any great deed worthy of praise
and honor. to boost him and his deeds
whatever they may be--to the skies.
This is carried to such an extent that
the hero's head, like Sinbad's snow
flakes off Cape Horn, becomes inflated.
This usually causes him to do some