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Show IkcleWalfe VARIETIES OF COURAGE T7" EltSMITH Is an awful coward," A- said the retired merchant. "He hasn't as much spunk as a chipmunk. This morning I saw a man half hie size twist his nose, and he never offered of-fered to defend himself. He trembled all over and was jit covered with a fLsv-"-" , cold sweat." S "And yet, uuder other circum-- circum-- " stances, Kersmlth s V might show all f kinds of courage." I I said the hotel- hfiitK' J keeper. "It isn't E jr ( safe to jump to I f 41N) f conclusions about ' - I such things. A ; woman will climb t.x I a tree, and shriek L ' " for the police if f.H.fXtK.6i gees a mougei and if a real peril comes along,; she'll exhibit more courage in five minutes than the average man could dig up in u hundred years. "There are scores of different kinds of courage in this world, and you can't expect one man to. have them all. A man may tremble and cringe when threatened with physical violence, vio-lence, and yet stand up serene and magnificent when the assessor comes to the door, and there's nothing finer than that sort of moral courage. "There used to be a blacksmith ln this town who had a wide reputation as a fire eater. He wasn't afraid of anything, people said. If he heard of a promising bruiser anywhere in the countrysMi, he couldn't rest until he had mixed things with him. And he didn't ask for purses or other Inducements. Induce-ments. He engaged in combat just because he loved it, and was happiest when his nose was knocked to one side, and his eyes were bunged up so that he couldn't see whether he was going or coming. He acted the hero on several occasions, rescuing people from burning buildings, and saving gents who were drowning and his nerve became a byword. "Well, in the fullness of time his teeth went wrong and his head swelled up until it looked like a squash. He bought about a million things at the drug store, and they wouldn't relieve the pain. The doctor told him he could have' his sufferings ended ln five minutes by going to the dentist's, but that idea turned him faint. At last he had to go, and the dentist told me he never saw such a doggone coward. That Invincible blacksmith just had t bo lifted Into the operating chair, and as often as he could get his breath, he yelled. "The dentist's chair takes the starch out of many a brave man. I used to have to frequent it a good deal before I bought these hand-made tortolseshell teeth, and I saw some moving sights when I was seated In the waiting room. Women would come In there as calm nnd cool as though they had just stepped in for a dish of ice cream. I have seen a girl graduate sit chatting comfortably until her turn came, and then sfie'd step into the chamber of horrors without turning a hair; and then some big policeman, who'd think nothing of fighting a revolver duel ln the dark with a burglar, would come Into the waiting room as limp as n dlshrng, sweating Ice tea and groaning every time he drew a breath. "A man might easily get a lot ol false ideas about courage in the dentist's den-tist's waiting room. "That man Kersmlth, who stood and permitted a smaller man to twist his nose, has a sort of courage I'd give a lot to own. I've always wished I could make public speeches. I've a lot ol pent-up eloquence inside of me that ought to be turned loose for the edification edifi-cation and instruction of the people But every time I'm called upon for a few timely remarks, I'm scared stiff nnd can't say a blamed word. I just gurgle and splutter like a sunstruck lunatic, and hate myself for three weeks after It. "But when Kersmlth is called, ht rises without a tremor, and smiles sweetly upon the audience, and goes ahead saying what he has to say af though In his own arm chair by his fire side. Td he willing to have my nos and ears twisted several times to hav ! his courage." |