The Washington times., 1904-01-01
Human Nature Put to Test.
Elemental Virtues and Weaknesses APP
pear Under Supreme Trial.

IN the midst or catastrophe like
that at Chicago men and women for
get to pose, and the very foundations
of human nature are laid bare. In
such intense moments of tragedy, the
best and the worst that is in us Is
aroused. There are no commonplace.
On the darker side of the picture we
behold abject fear, and the selfish in
stlnct of preservation bursting forth
III veritable madness. Men and ten
der-hearted women trample over the
faces of their fallen fellows; children
are thrust aside that their elders NAV
be saved women are pushed from the
platform Of a fire escape chat others
may avoid the pursuing flames But
let US not dwell too long upon this side
of the picture. 1t proves nothing
save that In moments of supreme ter
ror the physical IN us gains the ascen-
oaney. That the soul, mind. will. call
1t what you please, is for the instant
blotted out. 1t is a part of our IN
heritance of weakness, this element of
fear that may sweep us off our feet IN
some unexpected moment. But what
shall we say of those human hyenas.
who, taking advantage of some APP
palling catastrophe, steal among the
bodies of the dead to rob them2
Nothing, save TO set up against this
hideous picture whatever brighter and
more inspiring incidents the awful
happening may afford We must not
lose faith In human nature. We must
not let ourselves believe that, when
put to the test, men and women are,
at bottom, merely animals-some Of
them with the instincts of the hyena.
Let us rather think of that boy who
opened his eyes while the doctors were
working over him and asked:
Whatever dom to met"
Taking care of you," replied the
doctor. "Tell us your name"
Il amt goin' to havesanyone tellin'
my uother about this of me. I'm al
right, L am. 1t was fire, that's
what it was"
Heroism and the capacity to think
Of others in moments of great pain
and excitement are all the more In
spring when they occur in the young
or illiterate, because they teach us
that there is something divine in man
something which the animals do not
possess after all. Then there was the
mother who was found kneeling with
her back to the stage, whence the
flames had come, clasping her babe 10
her breast. Her attitude left no
doubt as to her intention. She had
kneeled thus to save her babe at the
price of her own life. We shall not
forget either, when we see him again
before us, the actor, him of the
grease-dobbed face, the whimsical
song, the ludicrous dance, who stood
under the burning curtain with the
fire all about him, striving to calm
the fears of the audience. Nor must
We fail to pay tribute of passing
praise to the chorus girls who sang on
till some of their number fell faint
ing to the stage. There were cool.
brave men in the parquet, too, who
Fever for a moment lost their senses:
there were other men who plunged
into the building and worked like mad
to aid the dead and dying; nurses and
doctors appeared on the scene as
though they had sprung from the
earth ard gave Of their skill and OF
their strength TO the limit Of human
power. The wealthy threw open their
places of business and offered their
stores without stint and without price.
Yes, there were happenings at Chica-
go which we would rather not think
ofy'but there were more things to reas-
sure us, and to renew our faith In
the Godhead of man.