Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-01-09
CHAPTER XIV.
A MATTER or TRAINING.

"HE days passed. and Tudor
seemed Ioath 10 leave the hos
pitality of Berande. Every
thing was ready for the start.
but be fingered on. spending much
time in Joan's company and thereby
increasing the dislike Sheldon bad
taken TO him. He went swimming
with her. IN point Of rashness exceed
ing her. and dynamited fish with her.
diving among the hungry ground
sharks and contesting with them for
possession of the stunned prey. until
he earned the approval Of the whole
Tahitian crew. Arahu challenged him
to tear fish from sharks jaws. leav-
ing halt to the shark and bringing the
other half himself to the surface. and
Tudor performed the feat. dip from
the sandpaper hide Of the astonished
shark scraping several inches Of skin
from his shoulder. And Joan was de-
lighted. while Sheldon. looking on. re-
allied that here was the hero Of her
adventure dreams coming true. She
did not care for love. but he felt that
If ever she did love. 1t would be that
sort of a mana man who exhibited.
was his way Of putting 1t.
He felt himself handicapped In the
presence Of Tudor. who had the gift OF
making a show of all his qualities.
Sheldon knew himself for brave man.
wherefore he made no advertisement
Of the fact Life pulsed steadily and
deep in him. and II was not his nature
needlessly to aGtate the surface 80
that the world could see the splash he
was making. And the effect OF the
others amazing exhibitions was to
make him retreat more deeply within
himself and wrap himself more thick
ly than ever in the nerveless. stoical
calm Of his race.
"You are so stupid the last few days."
loan complained to him. "You don't
seem to have an idea in your head
,bove black labor and cocOanuts. What
is the matter?"
Sheldon smiled and beat further
retreat within himself. listening the
while to Joan and Tudor propounding
The theory Of the strong arm by which
the white man ordered life among the
lesser breeds. AS he listened Sheldon
realized. US by revelation. that that
was precisely what he was doing.
While they philosophical about II he
was living It But why talk about It?
1t was sufficient to do It and be done
with II.
He said as much. dryly and quietly.
and found himself involved In a dis
cussion. with Joan and Tudor siding
against him.
1.-THE Yankees talk a lot about what
they do and have DONE" Tudor said.
land are looked down upon by the
English as braggarts. But the Yankee
Is only child. he does not know ef-
fectually how to brag. BE talks about
It. you see. But the Englishman goes
him one better BY not talking about It,
The Englishman's proverbial lack OF
Dragging ia subtler form Of brag.
after all"
~ never thought Of II before" Joan
cried. "Of course. An Englishman
performs some terriHcally heroic ex-
plot and Is very modest and reserved,
refuses to talk about 1t at all. and
the effect Is that by his silence he as
much as says: 4 do things like this
every day. 1t Is as easy as rolling on
a log. You ought to see the really
heroic things could do II they ever
came my way Confess. Mr.. Sheldon,
don't you feel proud down inside when
you've done something daring or coura-
geous?"
Sheldon nodded.
Then" she pressed home the point.
isn't Disgusting that pride under a
mask Of careless indifference equiva-
lent to telling u lie?"
"Yes. II is." be admitted. But we
tell similar lies every day. It is mat.
ter of trimming. and the. English are
better trained. that is oil. Your, coun-
trymen will he trimmed ns we'll in time
AS Mr.. Tudor said. the Yankees are
young Certainly we are proud inside
Of the things we do and have done
proud as Lucifer. yes. and prouder.
But we hive grown up and no longer
talk about such things"
II surrender" Joan cried. "You are
not so stupid after ALL"
"Yes. you have us there" Tudor nd.
mitted. But you wouldn't have had
US II you hadn't broken your training
rules"
"HOw do you means"
"By talking about It." -