St. Tammany farmer., 1906-01-06

oSA SSAAy "ONAN y 0O - VIVA - A~s~~~
sermon, parson, or dig up your loose
coin?" .--.~
The exponent of holy writ flushed an
indignant scarlet, and, ignoring the
questioner, addressed the soldier of the
jovial, bland countenance.
|. Have you ever experienced fear
been conscious Of the terror of unseen
things, by the laity called unexplained
phenomena, by the children Of faith
the manifestation Of spiritual power?'
The scar on the old soldiers cheek
gathered up into the wrinkles of his
smile, and with a wink out of the corner
of his fearless eye, he replied soberly:
well, to shame his majesty the devil
by truthful statement, must con-
fess that I have. I'm an old fighting
man; I've seen the blood and battle Of
the civil war and the sham blood-let-
ting of modern conguests, and no mat
ter where I've been. whether in tho
thick of the real thing or when play
ing at arms down with the Cuban mig
ger, there it has always been-the sick
ness at the pit of the stomach, the
grip of the heart and the rise of goose
flesh all over the body. If that's being
coward-then I'm one"
"And you experienced that at the
approach of mere physical danger!"
There was a covert sneer in the
unctuous inquiry, and the divine turned
his glance upon the veteran full of q
lofty pity for such human frailty.
"But you never baked or turned
heel. did you?"
The soldier smiled into the grinning
face opposite. NO. he answered. Il
always went right on into the very
thickest of it,
"That's what / call bravery. The
mealy beggar without imagination
never realizes what's coming and
sticks by the post, and If he gets killed
every one calls him the hero. Now the
man who can keep from running when
he has the feeling of the ball stinging
in his breast, when all Of the brute in
him wants to save his own life, when
he realizes the giving up in the wink
of an eye, and when his healthy blood
pounds all through his strong bobby,
when he can face the music of famine
or fire or sword, then don't tell me that
that man isn't a hero when he gives
up the game for the sake of some
weaker devil whose life isn't worth the
blowing OUT
'sThat's my idea," said the soldier,
beaming his satisfaction at such plain
speaking, ''it's the brave man who has
suffered agonized fear and conquered. .
"Don't you think said the clergy
man, stif1y, 'that we might close the
window. The sparks from the burn
ing srowsheds are rather disagree
able
The three strangers sat for awhile in
silence, and the coach, empty but fes
the casual acquaintance, moved over
the hot rails, and the night grew fit
fully bright with ominous fireflies that
few out from the consumed sheds
along the way. The heat became in
tense.
The clergyman and the soldier sat in
unspeaking discomfort, but the third
traveller moved restlessly. At length
he rose and threw up the window.
There was scorch of burning breeze
laden with particles OF charred wood.
Far out into the night he thrust his
body, steadying himself by the window
frame as the onrushing train leaped
theadlong for the bridge. There was the
sound of hurrying waters and the shrill
call of whistle. There was q sudden
bump and wrench, and the three men
came to their feet simultaneously.
Good God! breatheds the clergyman,
and the soldier blanched under the ugly
red of his scar. The third man rushed
to the platform, followed closely by
the other two. There they were met by
q sheet of fame spreading upward, and
the raucous scream OF a departing en-
CINE.
.The baggage cars have caught hre
and they have uncoupled us. : cried the
stranger as he caught at the molten
brakes: then in stihed voice he said:
'4The air brakes have collapsed. We
can do nothing and the chances are
that the bridge has given way.