The daily Alaskan., 1905-04-13
G5e EX.HERO
toriginaLl


 we call bravery is purely physical. Real bravery consists not in fighting an enemy, but ourselves. Cowardice or bravery is purely a matter of tempo rary nerves"
 Nevertheless, general" said young Captain Fitz Hugh, we honor the brave and despise the coward. When my nerves go back on me l trusi enough vigor will be left to enable m' to remove myself from the world O my disgrace"
 A pun of smoke appeared at one of the embrasures of a bastion fort on the crest of a hill, followed by boom, and a shell came blowing up the ground, burying itself ir tree not a dozen feet from the party, A fuse hiss cd and sputtcred, burning rapidly Co the vent. Most of the officers present either fell on their faces or ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Fjtz Hugh coolly walked up to the she'll pulled out the fuse and threw 1t away.
 Well done, captain" said the gen eral. "The battle has reopcned."
 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 a gold medal
 The war ended and Fitz Hugh was a hero to the world for all time, oc- casionally he would ovcrhear 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 chcered that he often gave un the attempt. He was the pet of the petticoats and the admiration Of men, The world of adulation in which he lived became the only world he knew, that which he had inhabited before h.. honors being forgotten. Yet his mod. esty never suffered, He would only wear his medal at social gatherings with the little band who had helped him earn it and to whom he always in' sisted it belonged.
 Thirty years passed. Fitz Hugh met with revcrScs that brought on nervousI prostration. He was obliged to break away and go on a trip. When he re turned he was stlll weak, melancholy and Inclined to study his symptoms minutely, consulting doctors, besides doctoring himself He rcCovCrCd, but was not the man he had been few years before.
 One day willie he was al the sCashore with a party of friends, among whom was a lady who had consented to be a comfort to the old hero for the rest of his days. Er was walking with her through tho town when a rough fellow passed them, pUTos"ly brushing against the lady Fi'z Hugh remon- stratcd, whcrCupon the man took him by the collar and showed him up against a wall. where he held him for some time, then released him with the remark that next time he'd better mind his own business. Fitz Hugh, mortified beyond measure at such treat, ment. tried to muster up courage to strike the man, but his enemy looked so ugly, So strong, so brutal, so unmer- ciful, that the eN-hcro did not dara touch him.
 That night, when an were asleep Fttz Hugh. clutch'ng something tightly in his hand, emerged from his room and went to an ocean pier. There he stood for awhile, looking out on the black eNpanSC of water. vaiuiy cndeav- bring to muster strength of will Co plunge. He could not The waves dll ed him with terror. Then he threw what he held ln his hand out into tho water and. turning. went Co his room.
 The next day he did not appear, His fancee sent for him to 70 down with her to tho beach Hn went down looking pale and haEC0rl. She guess ed his trouble. but sad nothing, They were sitting on the beach, lower than they were accustomed to do, for th" tide was out, looking at the bathcrs, the gulls, the waves glltteCing in the sunshine, the ships far ont at sea. The lady was thrusting her hand into the sand, grasping 1t and letting 1t slip through her fingers. Suddenly they closed on something round and fat and heavy.
 It was the hero's medal.
 He confessed to her that he bad thrown it into the water the night bC. fore, and she knew why.
 'Tt is better to have been brave" sho said. "and lost mes bravery than never to have been brave at all
 When tho cx-hcro returned to tho city he married his ilucCc and settled himself in a home, which he rcsolutclr declined to leave. cschewlng especially army reunions. One reunion night hl9 comrades came and took him away bodily. bis wife before he left pinninc bis medal Co his coat without hi7 Knowing it. Arriving at the room
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