Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-02
TOAST TO OLD YEAR HEROES
Oldest Inhsbitaut and Careful Observer
Drink Cereal Coffee to Their Idols
HERoINeS GET IN THE FLUCTUATIONS
In the Judgment of These Sapienl
Souls Real Heroisn L. to
BE Found in The
Ranks.

full Observer yesterday afternoon when he
and the Oldest Inhabitant sat on stools in
a dairy lunchroom and drank cups of cereal
coffee.
while wandering around town reading
Uncle Sans billboard advertisements for
male help wanted in the navy, have been
thinking that thousands of last years
heroes were born to blush unseen, yet
did not waste the fragrance Of their deeds
on desert air. / do not have in mind the
heroes who, night after night received
passing plaudits for mimic deeds, but real
flesh and blood heroes who have fought
the battles of life for themselves and loved
ones, without a whine or whimper, without
thought of reward or to be placed on the
free list. The submerged majority of
heroes are those who plod through the
slough of despond with a stiff upper lip, be-
lieving hopefully that beyond the pale of
present ills and misfortunes are green pas
lures. flowing brooks and good fishing
continued the Careful Observer.
LimeIight Not Essential.
.'It has long been my belief that the
name of hero is not necessarily Synonymous
with valiant deeds on the bloody field of
DdItle, Inc ElShiilB Va iiiV Va iiAiAS ~
Gus ways on land or sea for that OF an
other, or the tossing of a recalcitrant gaso-
line stove from Il top-story window; all
of which are, however, deeds Of bravery,
vet easily overestimated. To those VINO
have figured in such acts of heroism dur
ing the last year / doff my hat and say,
'Brayor yet | believe there were more
who lived the lives of heroes every day
and for whom the Master will have spe-
cial blessing when the great roll
shall be called up yon. To the latter
/ not only doff my hat, but would invite
all over to chicken dinner if Sail was not
! bothered with rheumatism and rather short
of chairs" replied the Oldest lnhabitant'
\ as he pressed two slices of buttered toast
with his knife.
What u Live Hero Really Is.
| MY observations during the year just
| finished have been that we in Omaha grew
| in the matter of heroism even as we ad-
| yanced in the more material things" con-
| tinued the observing drinker of cereal cof-
| fee 1T is no idle task to be a hero in the
/ strife, in the face of trials ana open
| switches; TO be stouthearted when the roof
| leaks and the rent comes around at the
| same time; to bear up and notice things
when your daughter wants sealskin
sacQue and the boy Graves for new sled
the same day. To be more serious, how
ever, the greatest heroes-using the noun
without gender-are those who with each
low, descending sun, view from their
mansion some worthy actions done - TO
change the poets language. That person
Is a hero who suppresses his own cares
and troubles and leaves pleasant words
and smiles in his wake, though his heart
may be racked with things the world
! knows not of and cares less. He is a hero
| who always moves up in front of a crowded
street car when the conductor requests him
to, though he may have paid cents to
| stand where he was standing and though
by moving up he may have his corns
| trespassed on and come in contact with
| a man who relishes garlic. He is hero
| who gets up in the middle of the night
/ with a song his lips and warns the
! baby's milk for the tired wife who had so
much to bear the day before. He is a hero
| who lives within his means and saves u
| little, though by so doing he may smoke
stogies until his pay is raised, wear last
years. overcoat until the baby carriage is
! paid for and be content with a mouth harp
until he can afford a pial.O He is hero
who is not always ready to fight at the
drop OF a hat or at defeat in an argument,
out WHO Is ever NllllllB W pIOlctl ING weak
and innocent and lift the fallen one. He is
a hero who will turn the washing machine
for his wife rather than sit around the
house and talk Of setting the world on
fire."
what About the HerOinesf
But what about the heroines which you
did Lot include in your illustrated cata.
logue Of heroesg" questioned the Oldest
Inhabitant-
Bless the women folks" replied the man
who observes. as he raised the second cur
of cereal coffee to his lips. Drinks Coffee
Nearly all women are heroines," he con-
tinued. Il believe there is more real hero
ism In woman than in man. few women
will pout when the goods won't match, the
Jell won't Jell or when baby cuts the sew
ing machine belt, but most Of EN- are yard
| wide heroines."
Il, too, am glad TO note the race r. grow
ing more heroic and that men are beginning
TO give each other square deal and the
right change" reJoined the Old Settler.
Then the philosophers drifted down town
and caught a woman who stepped backward
from a street car.
"'Rah for nlneteen-naught-sX," shouted
the Careful Observer and Oldest Inhabitant
| a. one man.