El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-23
Dorothy Dix On The Red Badge Of Courage

mothers breast. No drawer heart has
ever beat under il.
Women Lead FOrlOrn Hopes Every Day
of Their Lives.
Whom do we decorate and delight
70 hOnOr2 The man who stanG= BY
his colOrs until death, the sentinel who
stands faithful at his post when all
but he have deserted it, the pilot who
lashes himself TO his mast and keeps
his hand on the wheel until the vessel
goes down. Thank God there have been
many much men and we honor our
selves in hOnOrlng them.
But has the braVest Of them shown
any more courage than does the woman
who stands before the door OF her poor
home, and with her bleeding and work
knotted hands defends IL with the last
ounce OF strength she has. and TO the
last gasp OF her weary body2
Many men. discouraged and over
Whelmed by the hopeless hardships and
poverty Of their lot. are craven enough
Many men who have their fortunes
suddenly swept away from them COM
nit suicide and leave their wives and
children TO the untender mercy Of the
world But women have more coura ge
than that You almost never hear OF
woman turning her back upon a sick
or helpless husband, or fOrsak king her
little children and leaving them to
Heroines who Deserve The victorian
Cross.
In almost every pinch-faced board
ing house keeper, In almost every WOm-
an who orOOps over a sewing machine
in almost every scrubwoman that YOU
see down On her knees securing the
floor in an office building, YOU will find
some heroine who deserves TO have the
Victoria Cross pinned on her breast
She is supporting helpless little chill
cren, or feeble old people or some
husband or brother who has fallen in
the fight she is being faithful to her
colors unto death. She is standing at
her post not for five minutes, but
through weary years.
What do we decorate men for2 For
leading a forlOrn hope
Who leads such forl0rn hopes as
women do2 Think of the women who
spend their lives trying TO reform
drunken sons and husbands. hoping
praying, struggling to accomplish the
miracle that never comes TO pass There
Is no nOur OF the day when their nerves
are not taut with anxiety. no watch
Of the night that does not find them
listening for the drag OF a heavy step
ana the fumbling OF an unsteady hand
10 the door.
Friends have long since abandoned
these degenerates. Acquaintance haze
cut them, but IL never occurs 10 the
vie or mother TO cut herself loose
Her courage never fails her She
never ceases her fight and the battle
10 bring them back to decent things is
never ended for her until her hands
are sLllIeQ In her coffin.
women Smile Even When Their Hearts
Are Breaking.
Through a thousand years the Legend
has been told OF the bravery OF the
Spartan youth who smiled while the
toNed gnawed at his vitals bur Won
can match that story in q hundred
cases OF women YOU Yourself Ixnov,- Tr-Io
smile above breaking hearts while thew
tell pittful lies to try TO hide how the
faithlessness Of their husbands Is stab
bling them to the soul
The courage OF women Is bevor5 he.
lieL Perhaps the reason IL has never
been rewarded is because il has been
so common that IL has not attracted at
tenton, but II is time that we recoe-
nike this gallantry and reward H. g.
we do the bravery of men. Too Ions
women have borne the Cross vvf+boT3
me crown or Glory" Let them now
have some Of the other kind of crosses
the crosses with laurel wreaths at
tached to them.