Old Grumble on Heroism

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 145, 23 May 1885, Page 2

Old Grumble on Heroism

" A hero dies, -.a nation mourns " — • sometimes. It does*. if : the political party to;' which h» v is-allied should happen to be in jpowef at the time of his demise, qr should !s£s*£* )een a favorite at fcourt ; ~tnen tfi* sacred altars of fame are lighied-with emotional fires, and fanned into flame by tne^spintljKmn^'flon'^tf <UF^IWJSa_ nations feelings a^e aroused, jpd people hasten to 'pay homage to life aanetrand h«ftp^ya^it hoanjUa^n * his memory. But ■.should he be no courtier, and his side theOppoeitipni then ail his valour, (Uig p^reet^ajßj! his blood spent : in his country's eeryice count for, nothing, and. unheeded, without, the pas)anjgf . jfcnjj>ui»-«^Wf-paid to hi* rmmoWyirCt^fi.iffe™ him across the dark rivtT tsi&!fsn§ $ of spirits. ." In tfee ladies gallery at;,'., the House' of "CoJ^^^^^ei^^ trasted atr^gly othV^s», '" who were in mourning HJow o |g^rthat .dignity that-eould n«t spare a tbk*n of jre^e^^ine^ta^rjrtß^ne > who did so iauoh f or Etigla^d's &™$- The purple, J^y^y^jjiaws^oat^i consequence from amid iHe-smmlfife robes of' humbler -b«J%g«^(^ta^a^B ut mourning for ihe h»ro Ghardo»)»(ftttd «>'d6olare^tk© merest sl*©^ the ;v*riest patch of black upon one tViiilfSd as a Princess spouse, to be too great ah honor to accord to evea such a hero. Time was, when^the e^rilrwtis younger by some two ©^three thousand years* that raoiw,»nswTOom^ twin virtues 'that were «*dtld^^ 4o^haT«> descended from the Qodsp:asd those who possessed them had) therjj(a«Bport te immortality. Monarch* extolled vaiour and bowed t6, heroism; knojr^ng that their own' greataeris^ej^&ed .upon the spirit oi tn^^eQipie f , f Jfow, a toothless infant's <k»th< lineage/ creates more icondernf amongst a kingly race; of th'«%urhty warrior; and th 6 ei^Mrig of tfile&estio menial who hayd.danceU 'dlfend^iice on a sceptred dame i» of greaser moment,, and:* moire 'to b^ regre^|d, than the death of the damines^po&lbn, who had, carried t^e ; lusfre^ o j Bri^sh arms into the very heart oi Africa, and made the name of BritaiiEdr«aded and respected even to the Upper Nile. In ancient tunes mpnar :hs deified their hero«s r now royalty use^t^em as%c { ht>ul boys do thoir slates— <x>rers them with oughts and crosses: Y^a/ilrsGrofiMe, tkey play that Bcientific game vpon their breasts, and wnen "tiredt of the amusement s^nd.theni; to broken to pieces in the suii, like tfre shingles of, our house. You suy I have boem talking about heroes, and yo\i wan^ to know what constitutes, .onf .>, Eather a poser that ! However, a man can't be a hero without lubk; h«j may b$ Wave as a lion, but if h© Has not^luclr,- si»me euquiring peUet may projbe^too dte|»ly. the inner man, and then away goes life and heroism at the same moment. There mfis,t be a strong combination of fortuitous circumstances' tfcn enable a man tbibe-iaiherb, harhasitoibeeome as mutilated as- a piece of Grecian he cannot be cnipped too much ; but the chipping must be artistic, till be becomes beautifully less. An arm must go; a leg may, according as he fancies ii.'^ ! sae lose of this member is 1 net-absolutely neces* ,^* r^» ut | he of •«■ eye is indis^n.able; and his ch<^ks inbuld be striped as the ifbras ; bui t|e|aose ' is sacred, -mus^; regain fntket: A hero nith Jut nose, blown, off c^uld net«r have a bust, and.if h« did,,the face would be as expressioaleat as". Aun^aUy's. Picture to yourself, Mrs Q., whai weiild'a statue of Hf^ellington be without a^noeo? Why you would never know that it was intended for hn J ; y N6, Mrs^-a-hero^can-not be kno<^ed {about: teo much if it ie 4one f scientifically. You may reduce him until, "like the baseless fabric of vision he leaves not 1 ' a rack behiftd." [This portrait of a r hero satis^es Mra Grumbleihat her husband will never find a sepulchre, in the crypt of St. Paul'sV' •■■ ' : : ::< ..... ; :.h-.^j