Milford chronicle., 1911-05-05
PRESENCE or MIND
May Make Heroes Of Physical
cowards In Time of Danger.
NOT A MATTER OF COURAGE.

ft is the Sudden Impulse That Mover
One to Do the Right Thing In an Un,
expected Emerseney-A Soldier anC
She'll and Man and Murder.
There is a distinction to be drawI
between presence OF mind and cOur
age. Persons who naturally are tlmid
and nervous will IN circumstances OF
great danger and excitement perform
lacts Of herOism that would be beyond
their powers on ordinary occasions
We speak Of these as instances OF
ipresence OF mind But II 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
ening danger TO themselves had be
come clear 10 their minds their nat
ural timidity OF character would have
asserted itself and deprived them OF
action.
II is absence Of fear that prompts
the soldier under heavy fire from
the enemy's guns to go to the assist
ance Of a 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 It 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. soldier was
told by the colonel to bring an empty
shell with a fuse. The colonel took
the shell In his hands and. striking n
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 be rushed forward exclaiming
i'Look out. sir: the shell is 1--we one
Then he did what never seemed t.
have come into the minds OF any in the
group OF officers. He seized the shel
out OF the hands Of the colonel ana !
threw Il into the sea For this service.
be was promoted. The soldier whc
had been told to bring an empty shell |
had gone to the wrong magazine |
Those who talked with the man touch |
ling this incident say that he repudi
iated any idea Of having done a brave
thing. II don't know" he said what
made me seize the shell out OF the
lcOlonels hand. but It came suddenly
into my mind. and 9 did It." Il is rhis
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 cas-,
'of a man known to be utterly dehcieni
OF eOurage who saved himself from
very awkward situation by an exhibit
lii0n Of real presence Of mind He was
an Englishman aud lived in a town in
the midlandS. where he was an organ
list Late one evening he was returning
home through some of the back streets
which al that hour were more or less
empty Of people As he went along
however. he noticpd some distance
ahead Of him q MIN and woman
walking side by side, the mans arm
being around fhe wuman's neck. just !
under a street lamp the couple stop
ped for moment. when the Organist
heard a piercing srream and saw the
woman slowly falling from the mans ]
arms. Almost before she had reached I
the ground the man darted away {
down a side street and disappeared
When the Organist came M 10 the
he found. 10 his horror. that q
she was lying in a pool Of blood His $
irst impulse was TO run away and ger r
lear of the terrible scene. but his bet :
er feelings prevailed. and he knplt S
iOwn beside the poor woman to see IL c
he could do anything for her When &
he raised her head he found she was e
quite dead, with her throat cut from u
ar to ear. Beside her on the pave S
nent lay a blood stained razor y
The organist was overwhelmed with a
iorror. BEFORE he could collect him p
elf a group OF people had gathered Il
md presently he heard expressions 1t
uch as He did It," Il tell you ! saw
i'm" There Is the razor. THE fiend
Where are the pOlice?" Hand him
yer" It was certainly a very awk Il
Yard position, as the rough character
Z the people might tempt them tu "
axe the law into their own hands and OF
Sc him very badly. The arrival OF hi
oliceman seemed TO steady his nerves sh
Dr. a moment. and then came wave tn
inspiration that might truly be call "A
. presence OF mind. He seized the
cad woman's wrist and. pulling out hs
Is watch. went through the form Of th
,eling her pulse. Then he put his 20
ind over her heart and. turning to
10 policeman. said as calmly as he
iuld: Il am sorry to say that / can
J Of no further service here. The WI
'Or woman Is quite dead. There Is
action in the heart or the pulse" HT
IN an Instant the murmurs OF the lo'
owd changed and he heard Hes m,
Q doctor" on all sides. This was his
portunity. and. slowly rising and
'ecting to be IN no hurry. he passed 2