The Irish standard., 1920-05-01
Saturday. May I. 1870

Aeroically comes back to Us, In spirit
at least as 4 hero. The particular
thing he did is q fact. I'm proud OF
him for it-and so far. for that, and
fer that only. But 1t isn't true that
By itself alone it made him a hero.
And when I said that I'm interested in
the lesser facts. I mean that Dicks
reasons for going into the war at all
nay be the proof that he was hero
and that any physical bravery he may
have shown has nothing whatsoever
% do with It. Please don't mtsjudge
"a We're not trying to belittle any
thing Dick did; it's neither fitting nor
possible. But what we want to knew
= where the credit lies-with Dick. .
reasoning, inspired, determined man,
or with Dick. intoxicated by danger.
IN the latter case, his heroism would
appeal to US as 4 detached incident,
having no relation to his earlier life
q to our own; it would be something
to bring US pride for that. but for moth
ing else. In the other case. the knowl-
edge Of the why. in addition to the
what. would bring US But
about Dick1"
you can be happy. them" said Hill
Hard uneasily. because he went over,
I believe, in the firm conviction that
every man has two countries-his own
and France"
"Yes1" The doctor sat down abrupt
y.
"As long as you're interested in what
he did before he was wounded"
"And afterward. Mr.. Hillisrd."
Rather than how he was hurt, let
me assure you that as far as know,
from the first day he landed. I don't
believe he thought once about his own
misfortunes. He had them, I know.
But II you've got any manhood in you,
you can't think Of your own troubles,
ever there. It's too fearful. The Car
rel-Dakin solution heals all sorts of
wounds. Doctor Duraft, all but the
worst wound Of all-and that's what
every man who has any humanity and
any sympathy about him gets when he
drst sees France. His heart Is torn
clear out of him. He can't sleep, he
can hardly live with his own thoughts.
And that quiet resolution you speak
about-it's enough If 1t comes to man
therel don't care what he had in his
mind when he left you; don't care
what it was that led him to go over
seas; don't care what his purpose
| vxuos vvyh0 h1 In &H>n< x~vk
he stood on French soil there wasn't
an atom of seltishness or self-pity in
him. It wasn't question Of adven-
ture; 1t wasn't question of drowning
his sorrows; it was a question Of his
doing anything and everything he
could to help out. Let me tell you
something" Hilliard sat on the edge
Of his chair. ITS possible that you
never thought of Dick Morgan either
as martyr or a fatallst. Nor do
think he was. But when he was
brought to Neuilly there was among
his papers little sort Of 6eld diary
I'm sorry it was lost. 50 haven't IL
to show to you. but saw 1t often-and
under the date of his first tour Of duty
In the front line trenches was scrib-
bled this, quoted from Rousseau: The
dead carry to the grave, in their
clutched fingers, only that which they
have given away Doctor Durant,
Dick went into this war In the belief
that the only way to reclaim his life
was to sacrifice it. Does that answer
your question:"
There was an utter stiffness. It had
been superb fiction. but Hilliard,
thinking obliquely of Angela. was only
partly sentient Of his baseness.
'"Thank you." said the doctor. and
glanced at his daughter. "Yes. He
had the making Of splendid man. I
knew his parents and his grandpar-
ents. His career in Syracuse hadn't
anything to do with his heredity, Mr..
billiard; 1t was the result of badly
chosen environment. He chose It
himself, and he had all young mans
interest in temptation. But when those
temptati tions were removed. when he
was free to revert to his family tradi-
tons. why then he could"
ut would please me great deal
more, doctor. If you looked at him inds-
pendently and maybe little less aca-
demically-if you didn't 90 90 far b.
yond the actual facts"
"How do you mean7"
"Why," said billiard. 'for one thing,
In laying so much stress on his grand
parents. Dick was the one who went
overseas; his grandparents didn't
And his grandparents didn't 90 into &C.
tion on the western front singing Ste
m