Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-01-13
Ole EX.HERO
tOriginal.1

n cary nerves"
r Nevertheless, general" said young
e Captain Fitz Hugh, 1--WE honor the
brave and despise the coward. When
my nerves go back on me | trust
enough vigor will be left to enable me
to remove myself from the world Of
my disgrace"
A puff OF smoke appeared at one Of
the embrasures of bastion fort on
the crest Of hill, followed by boom,
and shell came blowing up the
ground, burying itself in a tree not a
dbzen feet from the party. A fuse hiss
&c and sputtered, burning rapidly to
tlfe vent. Most of the officers present
either fell on their faces or ran as fast
as their legs could carry them. Fitz
Hugh cOolly walked up to the shell,
pulled out the fuse and threw it away.
well done, captain" said the gen.
eral. "The battle has reopened."
There was hard struggle. When the
fighting was over. there was as much
wonder that the young captain came
out alive as at his conspicuous bravery. |
One of his exploits, the leading of a
few men against an angle Of breast |
works wherein the guns were creating
havoc, was so conspicuous and so far
reaching in its results that he was
decorated with gold medal.
The war ended and Fitz Hugh was
a hero to the world for all time. Oc-
casionally he would overhear some
one say: That's he; the man over
there. They say he doesn't know what
fear is" At army reunions, when he
arose to say few words he was so
violently cheered that he often gave up
the attempt. He was the pet of the
petticoats and the admiration Of men.
The world of aduation in which he
lived became the only world he knew,
that which he had inhabited before his
honors being forgotten. Yet his mod
esty never suffered He would only Q
wear his medal at social gatherings I
with the little band who had helped 2
him earn it and to whom he always In. p
sisted it belonged. I
Thirty years passed. Fitz Hugh met II
with reverses that brought on nervous o
prostratiOn. He was obliged to break Il
away and go on a trip. When he re- o
turned he was still weak, melancholy n
and inclined to study his symptoms G.
consulting doctors, besides b,
himself He recovered, but
vas not the man he had been a few ir
ears before. &C
One day while he was at the seashore ~
With party of friends, among whom th
vas lady who had consented to be a IT
omfOrt TO the old hero for the rest of m
rs days, he was walking with her pr
trough the town when rough fellow pi,
assed them. purposely brushing pc
gainst the lady. Fitz Hugh remon- If
rated, whereupOn the man took him tn,
= the collar and showed him I'D tn,
gainst wall. where he held him for 4O(
me time. then released him with the as
mark that next time he'd better ROY
ind his own business. Fitz Hugh, wo
ortified beyond measure at such treat ma
ent. tried to muster up courage to 7
rike the man, but his enemy looked Cd
ugly, so strong, so brutal, so unmer- plo
full. that the ex-hero did not dare Qui
UGH him.
That night. when all were asleep.
tz Hugh, clutching something tightly
MS hand, emerged from his room -
q went to an ocean pier. There he
'od for awhile. looking out on the
Ick expanse of water, vainly endeav-
m on /
lnge. He could not The waves fill
him with terror. Then he threw
lat he held in his hand out into the
ter and. turning, went to his room.
he next day he did not appear. His
lcee sent for him to go down with
to tn" beach He went down
king pale and haggard She guess
his trouble, but said nothing. They
re sitting on the beach. lower than
were accustomed to do. for the
was out. looking at the bathers,
gulls. the waves glittering in the
shine, the ships far ont at sea.
lady was thrusting her hand into
sand. grasping it and letting it
through her fingers. Suddenly
closed OH something round and
and heavy.
was the hcro's medal. mucl
confessed to her that he had ridge
wn 1t into the water the night be- field
: ana she knew why. the e.
N Detter 10 nave been brave" she struc
. "and lost 1nc's bravery than the i
u 10 nave been brave at all" sides
hen the cX-hero returned to the lines,
ne married his nancee and settled taken
eh III nome, which he reSolutely distaI
ned to leave, eschewing especially not CO
reunions. One reunion night his In
aues came anu took him away shout,
Y, his wife before he left pinning the n
medaI 10 MS coat without his marke
ing II. Arriving at the room are pl
g dinner was in progress. he be rea
placed amid cheers In the seat "
Onmandcr-president. Conn,
mrades," he said when ire tu. In GO
had ceased. my general once have
me that bravery Is purely phys numbe
! have learned he was right. | numer
been weak enough to think my compla
NAT you think me-a hero. / ar daniag
10 ana never nave been one meet t
words, attributed to modesty, chusett
forth burst of applause. The for con
n dropped his eyes and for the
ime discovered the medal on his
2. Again he glanced at his COM The
WIN lnoruneu expression that and IL
ne story of its having been placed wear. !,
md on,
'neie WIS 'unhuIt that rlvaSes precedc
u OF battle. crowtb
r. a MIIEHEL Farm q
The Arabic Lam .xe.
e Is 10 language more poetical Our
the Arabic Ianot1a0a wbaraI Aattor