Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-15
HEROES l HAVE KNOWN.
tBy Capt;.n a. p. Corco-aa in "Ev-
cry Week Mngazine.)

~ made up his mind TINT he would
never leave the peninsular nlivc. The
Turks commanded nll the heights and
the slaughter was terrible. Men who
have given up hope of living perform
nets of heroism almost unbelievable.
Here is Captain Percy llnuson, for
example, who under heavy fire from
tho Turkish batteries. single handed
rescued six wounded men. For which
the King was graciously pleased to
grant him the V. G.
"A hero" says very largo and
weighty dictionary, sis nun re-
nowned for fortitudc, valor, or bold
enterprise"
A dictionary, have discovered nf-
ter long experience. is quite right
within certain limits. II il right
in the case of Cosgrovc, II sergeant.
in Munster regiment. And the
twelve engineers of Scissors certain
ly showed fortitude untold. But how,
| wonder, would n dictionary classify
Michael O'Lcary, V. c., and friend
of mine who now wears the title Of
ID. S. o., but who, to us, was little
more for sometime than II darn fool
whose folly wns very dangerous
order?
Heroes. everyone of them, accord
ing to British annals, you understand,
but with difference, when you know
the real stories. Let me tell them
Then you can judge each caBc for
yourself.
ri take Michael OI.cnry first, for
his reputation looms largo.
zone Irahman," declared the war
posters, relying on Mchule for cor
roborntion, "is equal to eighteen Ger
mans" They were right. Michael
captured eighteen alone.
In the early days of the war regu-
lar trenches were unknown. Men liv-
ed in scrape-outs, or, M they called
them, "funk-holcs." These scrapc-
outs were disconnected, uncomforta-
BILE places. Here you would have iif-
ty yards; there one hundred and fifty.
The men in them were extremely I'M
happy.
Now, it happened that Hero O'Lcn-
ry was cncnnpcd in one Of these. He
had been there for several dnys. Not
only was he uncomfortable, but he
was bored. Fighting was dull; and,
being an Irishmnn, he wanted action.
Moreover, it must BIZ confessed, he
was thirsty.
"Betcha II ration of rum" volunteer
| ed one of his company who WIS suf-
fcring from the same complaints,
"you won't go out, Moikc, and bring
back Hun"
"Bcgob, ! will" snid the son of
Erin, seeming relief in sight. And
out he went without further ado.
How he did it is no matter The
fact remains. Michael OLeary killed
and captured eighteen Germans and
took "funk-holc" nll by himself
Report has it that his weapon was an
empty mcat-tin that, to tho Boche
looked like II very unpleasant species
of hand grenade. And the result?
Michael O'Leary is hero for life,
and nations HAYES ung his praises
And the sole motive for his heroism
was ration of rum.
A Hero Because He Wanted to Die.
Next comes that friend of mine, II
man of very different order-cold
stolid, about rs animated as statute
when necessity did not force him to
move his muscles. A very careful
man, however, with strict sense of
his duties, but absolutely lacking in
enthusiasm.
1t happened that, after very I'M
cvcntful term in France, this man
was sent home on leave of absence
He was not two days gone, when
Cupid accomplished what Mars had
failed to do. R fell hopelessly in
love. She must have been charmer
to make this stone man melt. But
alas, she was also deceiver. Hav-
ing raised him 10 the heavens of
joy, she plunged hhm to the hell of
despair. He returned to the front
no longer statue, but an Unframed
tiger, instead.
| Cold before, he became fiery now
Where he had been careful, he now
became reckless. Was there a chance
of getting shot? He rushed fear.
lcssly in. He exposed himself in and
out of season.
Risks were the breath of his life
for all he courted was death. There
could be no doubt Of it.
He wanted to get killed.
But did he? Not at ALL
So unheard Of WINS the fortitudt
and enterprise he. displnyed-so il
seemed to his uninitiated superiors-
that his feats reached the ears of the
general. Forthwith he was recon-.
mended for a d. S. o. He got it
Somehow it restored him to his sens
cs. Henceforth, have no doubt, tina
man will do his duty; but I scarcely
think it will ever bring him higher
honors.
Bravery, you see, turks under man,
euiscs. Only sometimes, rare times
does she appear in her true colors-
a cool, calculated disregard for dan
ger, when man faces death with hi
eyes wide open, with full knowledg
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