Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-02-17
The WORD OF A COWARD.

When Evan Bancroft, q young VIZ
gilman. went to study at the Univsr-
sity Of Heidelberg he promised eis
mother that he would never Aght 4
duel. But Bancroft did not CONSIDER
It necessary to refrain from joining
the fighting corps and engaging IN
harmless encounters. Indeed, there
was plenty of fighting material IN
him inherited from his progenitors,
and this was why his mother had ex-
acted the promise. Her father had
been killed in a duel, one OF her
brothers through reckless exposure
in the civil war, while another nao
been shot attempting to defend
prisoner from a mob. These snaIts
of death, striking SO near her, caused
her to brood and induced fear that
her only son should fall through
similar cause.
Bancroft at Heidelberg proved so
handy with all sorts of weapons as
to distance all competitors save one
a young Englishman named Horcut
The two held the record for being the
best swordsmen at the university.
and there was a desire among the
students that they should fight for
the championship.
When the terms Of the fight for the
championship came to be arranged
Horcut insisted on certain innova-
lions rendering the affair dangerous.
It was suspected by a few that ne
considered Bancroft the better swords
man and, Judging him to be timio'
wished to force him to decline the
combat. This would give Horcut the
championship without fighting for 1t
or risking to lose 1t. He would tnen
return to England to enjoy his hon
ofs
Whether or no this was his object
it was accomplished. Bancroft de-
clined to fight except under the rules
for friendly contests. Horcut accus-
ed him of cowardice. and there was
now nothing for him to do but chai-
lenge the Britisher to an "unprotect-
ed fight or be cut by the members
OF his corps. He declined to ngnt
either for the championship or to
vindicate his courage. but he wrote
his mother the facts and begged her
to release him. She declined to 90
SO. Besides, friends at home assur-
ed him that she was in critical pny-
steal condition, and II anything hap
pened to him it would kill her.
| Bancroft neither cared to give his
| true reason for not fighting nor be-
1ieyed that it would be accepted. 1t
would have been accepted and he
would have been respected for 1t ii he
could have satisfied the students OF
its truth. In no country in the world
are parents more beloved and respect
ed than in Germany. But to convince
a couple of thousand of young men
that he was not hiding behind MS
mothers skirts was out of the Ques'
ton.
| So Bancroft finished his university
career a cut man, though he wal
burning to meet his adversary. Wher
he went home to Virginia, finding
that the story had preceded him ane
prejudiced some people against him
he went to the farther west and en-
gagged in sheep raising. Soon afte1
this his mother died.
Several years passed. One day Ban
croft was treading his way on patl
barely a foot wide around the side o
a precipice. While doing so he say
} a party of tourists coming. Person
meeting on the path must pass care
fully, the one taking the outside. tn
other the inside. Bancroft was ex
pecting to take the outside when sud
denly he recognized in the leadin
man in the line of tourists his Oh
enemy at the university. He was ais
recognized.
| "Wait there" said Horcut. point
ing to a place where the path widen
ed a little. II pass inside He spok
with his old domineering tone. Ban
croft stepped to the spot indicated
saying as he did SO:
ST pass inside"
"You pass outside. I say" growle
Horcut, remembering that Bancro
was a coward.
care you armed!" asked Bancro
, quietly.
"No."
RI Bancroft took revolver from q
, hip pocket and flung it over Il
a precipice. It struck 500 feet below.
What do you propose?' aske
e Horcut, blanching.
e "To settle a feud Of long standin
t We are about the same build. L
c one of us throw the other over. II
a am victorious I will pass inside Il
It rest of your party"
r Horcut stood aghast. ''My God. ms
II that would be certain death for bo
q of u.s."
e. cit would prove US both bra
men,
But"
st 1--WE are keeping your friends wa
le ing"
to The friends were as terrified as t
~ principals. They begged Horcut 4
to to accept such fearful challenge
In "Do-do, l understand" falter
ne Horcut, that you will pass inst
10 those behind me?"
W "That is my intention"
10 "And you will permit me to p'
90 you on the outside in safety?"
~ "You have only the word of &C
-. ard for that"
-. Horcut consented with hang
- head, and the passage was ma
Some of the tombstone had bt
student at Heidelberg during b
croft's disgrace returned to Euro
=. and the story got to the universe
~ Bancroft was invited there and wi
Courtship by Pants.
-. Recently one of our most fast
GUS young men bought q pair of on