The Irish standard., 1905-10-28

the heart of the South by his excellent
address breathing a devotion to that
section of the country and n deep de-
termination that justice be accorded 1t.
He has evoked applause by his tribute
to the american fighting man." says
the Boston Republic.
Fineness of grain Is the distinctive
quality of the American fighting man.
And his intrepidity is supplemented by
a quiet determination, unostentatious
readiness for emergency, alertness that
time and again have howered into
splendid Deeds
There is something about the Amer
lean fighting man" that causes the
blood to thrill more gloriously through
the veins as his name Is spoken. He
has inspired splendid poetry; his deeds
have become a sacred memory: his
achievements cannot be blotted out
While the republic endures.
A nation is made worthy or ignoble
by the heroes it chooses as represent
ing in enlarged form the national
genius. The French peasant girl has
been powerfully Influenced by the
splendid purity Of Joan of Arc. Frede-
rick the Great still casts the shadow
Of the sword and visor over Prussia
! and Sheridan, Sherman and Grant still
1rn tn Vnp,tt no IN, ct
American Imagination, which shows
| how surprisingly vital Is their control
Of our national psychology to-day.
They rule our spirits from their urns.
We have few heroes. Our character
does not express itself in spectacular
heroics. We have not learned the ritu-
al of hero worship. So when the oc-
casion comes that requires elaborate
stage settings and the adroit use of the
lime-light the Americans sense of
humor saves him from grandiloquence.
Ask the American to pass the hat for
the manument fund or to head the sub
scription list, or to take the contract
\ for building the monument or to dream
out some inspiring design for the
bronze immortal plle-and he is ready
for he task.
But when he goes to war-in the
rocking chair period of it---when there
| Is brass braid. music and multitude,
bunting and band, he goes with rather
n deprecating manner. And this semi
apologize air clings to him until he
gets into the thick Of the fight, where
glory or death waits for him at sun
| down. lie not only has the fighting
strain that has been carried in the
| blood from the days of Paul Jones and
Jack Barry, and Decatur and Hull, but
he fills the definition of a gentleman
given by Oliver Wendell Holmes: zone
who is willing to die for little things"
to the american fighting man."
When speaking Of the American
| fighting man, as the balladists and
writer's of popular songs delights call
ing him, little incident that reveals
mis- quality comes TO mind.
| Captain Craven, who went down to
his death with his ship, "recumseh,"
in the battle OF Mobile bay, was a typ
! ical excmplar of the best qualities of
the American gentleman soldier. The
monitor was sinking beneath him when
he and the pilot, John Collins, met at
the foot of the ladder leading to the
turrct Both men hesitatcd, and Craven
stepped back politely after you.
pilot" he said. The pilot mounted the
stairs and was saved. There was MOTH
! ing after him but the bubbling water
of the bay!
| 1t is just that touch of chivary that
makes the heroic figures of '61 SO ap-
pealing TO the young men of today.
The Catholic has especial justification
| for pride. The story of the Catholic
regiments, the dramatic tale which re-
counts the deeds of the Ninth Massa-
/ chusetts and the Twenty-eighth New
| York are too well known to need re-
/ ca. phi u.atiOn. 4 history of brave deeds,
+; magnifcently done! no man-certain-
! ly no woman!-with Celtic blood beat