The Detroit times., 1917-04-06


There are heroes who are heroes
First In thought and tnsn in fact.
Others are made into heroes
Quite by accident In fact.
Real heroes are those who do
brave deeds knowing all the time
rust what they are about. what
risks they are taking. what will
happen II they fail. and yet doing
tho brave deeds just the same. The
other kind OF heroes are not real.
true heroes at all. but are treated
a. n they were and are made Just
as much Of a. n they were. They
are the ones who DO what seem IN
be brave deeds. but which in truth
haven't been planned at all, but
have been done unintentionaI
People who In trying 20 save their
own lives happen TO save the lives
OF others always are called heroes
and are looked mp 10 and made
much Of when In truth they are not
heroes NJ all.
Peter Rabbit In this kind Of .
hero. He saved Bobby Coon's life.
Al least Bobby Coon is kind enough
to say he did. Anyway he made II
possible for Bobby 10 escape from
angry Buster Bear. So Peter 10
called a hero and has been made
much Of. Everybody says that he
was very, very brave. Bot night
down IN bis own heart Peter knows
that he doesn't deserve any OF the
nice things said about him. Trne.
he did save Bobby Coon. but he
didn't do II purposely. No, sir. he
didn't DO II purposely. Perhaps be
might have n he had thought OF IL
but he didn't think OF H. What he
did wasn't the result Of thinking
and planning AZ all. but OF not
thinking: OF carelsssness and heed
iessness II you please. But II made
Q hero Of Peter In the eyes OF his
friends and neighbors lust the same.
You see II was this way:
When Buster Bear tore open the
TAIL old stump in which Bobby Coon
VAS sieepins Peter had been watch
e from behind big tree. He had
seen Buster Bear lose his temper.
He had seen Bobby Coon climb
the big tree with Buster After him.
growing nsrcely. He had seen
Bobby jump over into the slender.
young tree growing near. and Bus
ter Bear promptly drop down and
rush over 20 the foot OF that young
tiee before Bobby could get down
out OF H. II was all terribly excit.
ing Peters heart was all with
Bobby Coon. Peters heart always
is with the one who is being hunt
ed. no matter who II II. even when
n r. Reddy Fox with BowSer the
Hound at his heels.
when Buster Rear began 90 shake
That slender young tree, trying TO
shake Bobby Coon out Of n, Peter
forgot everything but his desire TO
zee what would happen. From
where he was behind that big tree
ne couldn't clearly see Bobby Coon
ir the top OF the slender young
tree. 30. quite forgetting that he
might be IN danger himself. Peter
hoped out from behind that big
tree 20 try 20 hnd a place where he
could see better In his curiosity
and excitement he heedlesslT for
got to watch his steps. and trod
on a dry stick that broke with o
little snap.
Now. no one N all the Green For
est has keener ears than Buster
Fear. In spite OF the fact that his
attention was all on Bobby Coon.
he heard that little snap and vhlrled
like a Fash 20 see what had made
n There sat round-eyed Peter
Rabbit staring with all bis might
without pausins al instant Buster
SprAng for Peter. He would make
very good eating. as Buster well
knew. and a rabbit on the ground
was better than a coon he couldn't
shake out OF tree.
Peter lodged iust IN time. and
with A suueai OF fear away he wpnt.