The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-03

WORLD.

WORLD.
Grace Dufie Boylan. writing in the
Record-Herald of Chicago, on the chief
virtue of man, says: Some one, not
knowing me, has appealed to my judg-
ment.
What" he asks, sis the greatest
4 virtue a man can have in weman's
i eyes"
i I smiled at the simplicity of my
task Who could not answer such a
/ riddle without thinking! But there is
the rub. I began to think and got lost
4 in the mazes of the question.
The greatest virtue that a man can
have in the eyes of a woman!
Goodness? 1t is a hollow word. And
generally fits itself to some lank,
damp-handed hypocrite, who has no
more right to wear it than many a
bluff and merry Bohemian, who has to
bear the brand of wickedness.
Temperance? Charity? Faithful
ness? They are virtues, but neither
one can make a character to stand
alone. And there remains for my nam
ing but one quality, which glorifes all
others and makes the humblest man
a being to the Teverenced and adored,
and that one quality is courage. The
greatest, finest, lordliest thing in hui
man nature.
l do not mean to call the brute
strength which makes a bully win a
fight courage. do not call the stub
bord pride that will not yield when it
is wrong by such a splendid name or
the savage temper that runs madly
into dangers ready to rend and hurt
without a cause. Courage is a nobler
thing than that. 1t is a forgetfulness
of self.
The flame that lights the spirit of a.
man who gives his life for his friend;
that makes him Scorn a lie because it
is thing too base to make barrier
for him between death and life A
man who fights for a good cause and
fights to the end; who loves his life
but will part with it if need be with
out a fear or a protest; who will love
as he fights, and dare all perils for his
lady's favor, is not less popular now
than he was in the brave days of old
even though the meistersingers have
forgotten to praise him.
We women folks have learned to
prate of peace. But never believe that
we are sincere in it, We say we have
done with war and its horrors; that we
are in training to become a nation of
lotus eaters. But even as we speak
comes news that bluff old lion-hearted
Frank Baldwin has by deed of splen-
did heroism cut off the arm of rebel
lion in the Philippines, and that the
stars of q general have fallen in rec
DmpenSe on his shoulders and we for
get our talks of peace and cry in our
feminine treble: "Hurrah for Bald
win
But did not mean to speak of those
who have chosen war as their profess
sion; they are not the only captains
courageous" Every fireman who filings
himself into a burning building is as
brave as the bravest soldier; the To-
connective engineer, the stokers, who lit
orally go down to sea in ships, and in
the scorching air of the furnaces, just
over the beat and whirl of the waters,
sacrifice themselves for the safety of
those unknown and unknowing ones
who laugh under Gods open sky I'M
til the voyage is done, are as brave as
any of the laureled heroes of the world.
I honestly believe that courage car
ries train of other virtues with it.
That brave man is always more kind,
more simple and honorable than a
coward, and that a fighter en1bodies
more lovable characteristics in him.
self than can be found in q whole ar
bitration committee.
1t is the quality for conquest, and
all other virtues pale before courage.
But if women like to have brave men
take their hearts captive they are
equally anxious to rear brave sons to
do their husbands honor.
The Spartan women taught their lit
tie warriors to take their first steps to
the sound and measure of battle pipes
and the same pride in prowess is the
heart of mem bers to-day. They rejoice
in courage whether it is manifested
in soldierly disregard over a cut fin
ger or a heroic willingness to go to bed
in the dark. And the wee chap who
hides his curly head under the quilts
and does not whimper or cry out when
the shadows stretch long fingers on the
wall, and he is "seein things at night
deserves a place among the heroes
have mentioned.
Little evidences of courage are very
precious to mothers. A year ago three
women and q. child walked on lonely
southern mountain. They were busy
gathering flowers, when suddenly one
looked up and after a moments star
tied pause gave a cry and fed with
the others after her. The path was
blocked by a fierce-looking razor back
ed hog, black, gaunt and probably
harmless. But bear would not have
been more terrible. The boy was not
years old, and his head was as yell
low as dandelion, but as his pro-
tectors fed he called reassuringly:
Don't be 'faid. I'll take care of oo!'
and catching up twig of azalia he
advanced, charged and routed the enc
my 1t was little thing. The other
women smiled, well pleased. But the
mother woman sank on her knees, and,
with her hero in her arms, crushed
against her breast, thanked God that
He had given her brave son, and she
went down the mountain as though 1t
had been the way of glory.
silly? Well, maybe!
The immense influence Of tact in
matters social is frequently comment
cd upon. But, says the New York
tribune, the woman who prides her.
self upon doing and saying just the
right thing in the drawing room does
not always consider that the same
quality exercised in the kitchen would
save her many a domestic annoyance
ana often avert an unpleasant catas-
lrophe. Servants are human, after all,
ana little judicious flattery some
times effects a change that a sharp
Ieprimand would fail to bring about
Mary" said her mistress to an un-
tldy waitress, you looked SO pretty
last evening at dinner, Mr.. Smith
spoke of 1t. Now, don't you think you
can dress as neatly in the morning at
Dreakfast?" And the improvement was
Effected af opaa 7 had GfpnuIV fold