The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-21
PRESENCE OF MIND
May Make Heroes of Physical
CowardS In Time of Danger.
NOT A MATTER OF COURAGE.

One to Do the Fight Thing In an Un-
expected Emereency-A Soldier and
a Shell and Man and a Murder.
There is u distinction 10 be drawn
between presence Of mind and cour-
age. Persons who naturally are timid
and nervous will in circumstances Of
great danger and excitement perform
acts Of heroism that would be beyond
their powers on ordinary occasions.
We speak Of these as instances Of
presence Of mind. But If you ask
them they would tell you that an in
voluntary impulse rather than any
premeditated course Of action guided
their will on the occasion. Had they
time for reflection when all the threat
en1ng danger to themselves had be-
come clear to their minds their nat
ural timidity of character would have
asserted itself and deprived them of
action.
1t Is absence of fear that prompts
the soldier under heavy fire from
the enemy's guns 10 go to the assist
ance of wounded comrade and bring
him TO place Of safety, and nothing
In human nature can compare with
such self sacrifice. But in times of
sudden emergency 1t Is not always
the bravest who act with promptitude.
The following story Is an instance of
this:
One Of our transports was returning
from the Philippines with invalided
men, and one morning at sea a group
Of officers on the deck discussed the
subject Of firing shells. A soldier was
told by the colonel to bring an empty
shell with a fuse. The colonel took
the shell in his hands and. striking a
match, lighted the fuse. AS this slow
ly burned and the colonel proceeded
with his address to the other officers
another soldier passed the group. and
the moment he caught sight Of the
shell he rushed forward. exclaiming,
look out. sir; the shell Is live one"
Then he did what never seemed to
have come into the minds Of any in the
group Of officers. He seized the shell
out of the hands Of the colonel and
threw 1t into the sea. For this service
he was promoted. The soldier who
had been told to bring an empty shell
had gone TO the wrong magazine
Those who talked with the man touch
Ing this incident ssv that he repudi-
ated any idea Of having done n brave
hing. Il don't know" Re said. what
made me seize fhe shell out OF the
colonei's hand, but It came suddenly
into my mind, and did H." II Is this
wave Of unconscious thought which
constitutes true presence Of mind. This
will come to people Of nervous and
even cOwardly natures.
There Is Of authentic record the case
OF man known to be utterly deficient
or courage who saved himself from q
very awkward situation by an exhibi-
ton OF real presence Of mind. He was
an Englishman and lived in q town in
the midlands, where he was an organ
ist. Late one evening he was returning
home through some of the back streets,
which ut that hour were more or less
empty of people. AS he went along,
however. he noticed some distance
ahead Of him man and woman
walking side by side. the mans arm
being around the woman's neck. Just
under street lamp the couple STOP
ped for moment. when the organist
heard a piercing scream and saw the
woman slowly falling from the mans
arms. Almost before she had reached
the ground the man darted away
down a side street and disappeared
When the organist came up to the
woman he found. to his horror, that
she was lying in a pool of blood. His
first impulse was to run away and get
clear OF the terrible scene. but his bet
ter feelings prevailed, and he knelt
down beside the poor woman to see If
he could do anything for her. When
he raised her head he found she was
quite dead. with her throat cut from
ear to ear. Beside her on the pave
ment lay blood stained razor.
The organist was overwhelmed with
horror. Before he could collect him
self group Of people had gathered.
and presently he heard expressions
such as "He did It," ~ tell you I saw
him." There IS the razor" "The fiend!
Where are the police" Hand him
over" 1t was certainly a very awk-
ward position. as the rough character
OF the people might tempt them to
take the law into their own hands and
use him very badly. The arrival OF a
policeman seemed to steady his nerves
Tor moment. and then came wave
OF inspiration that might truly be call
ed presence Of mind He seized the
dead woman's wrist and. pulling out
his watch. went through the form OF
feeling her pulse. Then he put his
hand over her heart and, turning to
the policeman. said as calmly as he
could: IL am sorry to say that can
be OF no further service here Tho