OCR Text |
Show Why, he is not what the books call a hero be his a man every lack of him and I would like to take his hand and tell him so." TBM STOlll OF A UR.-IVE PEED. The Kpisodo of Lord U'illlam Iloresford and Servant O'Toole. life. What one likes In Archibald Forber'e ''Bar-racks, ''Bar-racks, Hivouacsand llattles'' (Maemillan( is the air of freedom, the robustness, the jauntiness of these episodes In the pageant of war. Men do their brave deeds without parade and Willi,, ut IsM humility, but with Just a touch of assumed CirleaanMt. Of COUrte no man risks his life, without caring car-ing unless he is utterly tired of It nnd iu that ease there is uo special merit in riming rim-ing after death. But really to cnoy life to the utmost, and put it all in a peril for a sentiment or thought ambition to wear a bauble of a cross which means honor that lakes nerve, and to do it, with a smile, aa though it were one of tho polite conventions conven-tions of life which arc expected of every gentleman, requires more than that phy-eieal phy-eieal iinperturbablencss whiili we call 'nerve' it demands a steadfast spirit. So iu these sketches when we read of Lord William le-rcsford riding into the very face ol death to snatch a wounded sergeant from the oncoming Zubu, we feel admiration for his humaulty. And when v e lead that the ,,uuded man refused to c with him because it would endanger two liven instead ol bringing inevitable death to one we say he also bin a brave man. But when it is added that Lord William "swore with clenched list that lie would punch the wounded man's head if lie did not allow al-low his fm to be snyed" the touch of liuinor brings the whole scene within the r ingc of our sympathies. It is not a play any longer with actors of another race, but a bit of ordinary every day life made ideal. Then v e say, "Here, is a hero." Thou a third man appears, Irish Sergant O'Toole. and he shoots down the purshing Zubus, who are at the very heels of the over-burdened over-burdened horse, and the three eomaids together to-gether nt last reach safley By and hy the British troops sail home but the news of the brave deed has ioug preceded them. Lord William is summoned to Windsor to receive the Victoria cross, lively he had earned it doubly; but there i- room for even more "fluff" in such a hero. He will have no honor lliat lie cannot share with O'Toole, and the i(ueen knows vnlor when she sees it and gives two Victoria Vic-toria crosses. Then we say, "Here is a hero who is not only human and brave, but generous and modest, and withal he has a sense of humor. |