Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-01-20
A TEST FOR
COWARDICE
By VERNON ARNOLD
Copyright. 1911, by American Press
Association.

clared that brave man was born
brave and coward was born cow
ard; another that true bravery was re-
sisting fear natural to all normal per
sons. One officer declared that brav-
cry depended on the action of the
heart. citing the case of Napoleon l.,
whose heartbeat even on the eve Of
battle was not over forty to the min
ute. A young lieutenant with mild
blue eve and soft voice remarked that
Frederick the Great had said, "The
man who has never felt fear has never
snuffed candle with his fingers"
The colonel looked at this speaker
contemptuously and gave grunt.
Surgeon Bates observed the colonel's
action, but went on smoking without
expressing any opinion on the subject
under discussion.
What do you think about it, doc
tor?" asked the colonel.
81 think you are coward, colonel
If bomb had come out of the doc
tors mouth instead of words and ex-
ploded then and there it could not have.
produced more of shock.
Withdraw your charge, sir, at once
or go to your quarters under arrest"
Il will only withdraw it after a fail
ure to prove it's truth"
81 have proved its falsity on many a
battlefield"
81 will not deny that under excite
ment r0u have temporarily thrown off
fear, bur | deny that you can maintain
your bravery while perfectly cool. If
you will submit to test will prove
what 1 say-that you are coward"
Proceed with your test. have sat
on my horse motionless while shell
after shell burst over my head. There
was no excitement in that Members
of my staff were SO restive that they
moved at every shot. Does not that
prove l am no coward?''
You may have stood that test so
that is, you were able to control your
fear. Tie test l refer to will elimi-
nate everything except fear and show
you what you area coward"
Bring on your test, sir" cried the
colonel angrily, "and if you fail to
prove your charge be prepared to an
swer yourself the charge of conduct
prejudicial to military discipline in
this, that you have called your COM
manding officer q coward in presence
of his subordinate officers"
Surgeon Bates while in the wild west
had gathered number of live speci-
mems of animals of different varieties,
one of them a rattlesnake that he kept
in a five gallon demijohn divested of
the wickerwork on the outside. The
glass was transparent, so that the
snake could see and be seen, air pass
ed through wire gauze, used in place
of a stopper. The doctor arose and,
going into his Office, returned with the
captive, placing the demijohn on a
table.
Colonel" he said, "I have called
you coward. But, mind you, have
only applied the word to you in ac-
cordance with your own idea of what
constitutes coward. If you stand the
test 1 am about to apply 1 will will
ingly submit to be tried by court
martial for throwing discredit on my
commanding officer. Step up to the
table, colonel, and place your hand ON
tine demijohn."
The colonel walked to the table and
placed the palm of his hand on the
glass. Quick as lightning the snake,
vicious beyond measure, struck at the
hand, and equally quick the colonel
jerked his hand away. Mortified be-
yond measure, he put it back on the
demijohn, and when the snake struck
again he drew it away again.
"That will do, colonel" said the
doctor. you are welcome to prefer
charges against me, but to substanti-
ate your case you must be prepared
to keep your hand on that glass while
the snake strikes at you. But you
are not the only man here who, ac-
cording to your idea, is not brave. Not
one of you can stand the test. Cen
tlemen, step up and try it. The snake
can't hurt you; the glass is perfect
protection"
One after another of those present
pldCCu Ou thC dChiJOlhJ anu
at the snakes strike each and every
man recoiled. Then DR.. Bates said:
''No man can keep his hand on that
glass where the snake strikes at it for
the simple reason that the nerves that
direct motion act independently of the
will. In this case before the will can
be brought to bear the muscles have
done the work."
"Then what is braveryr asked the
colonel.
"a brave man is one whose bodily
machine Is so constructed and adjust
ed in its different parts as to enable
him to be brave.
"But the WILL" asked the major
"what part does 1t play"
'In reply to this question 1 give you
only my own idea on the willis part
In bravery. If 1t Is strong enough and
other faculties are not too weak 1t may
enable the man to stand up In face
of danger till he gets back near enough