COURAGE VERSUS ETIQUETTE
Here is a story of Gen. Leonard Wood, told by a Boston physician in the New York Times:
One day an infant was brought in suffering
from membranous croup. The case was
so far advanced that any delay would almost
certainly result in death for the little one.
Dr. Wood did not hesitate a moment. He
began to work at once, carefully, fearlessly,
promptly, and successfully. Five minutes
later, and while both mother and patient were
still in the room, the surgeon who should
have had the case according to rule, walked
in. The young doctor (Wood) explained,
but would not apologize, as he was asked
to do. He had done right, and he was not
going to tell any man he was sorry for it,
he said. The result was that he was first
suspended, and then dismissed. And I call
that courage. (Text.)
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COURTESY
Charles W. Eliot introduced [at Harvard]
a system of discipline based upon personal
loyalty to college interests. It is related
that at a faculty meeting shortly after he had
been inducted into office, one of the faculty
asked him with considerable severity the
reason for this doing away with time-honored
rules of discipline, when the young president
replied, with great sweetness and courtesy,
"The reason is, we have a new president."—James
T. White, "Character Lessons."
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See Kindness.
The Brooklyn Eagle has an office boy whose name, let us say, is Joe. The other day Joe was present when the wife of a member of the staff called to see her husband. The latter, having just returned from lunch, deferentially greeted the lady by raising his hat. Joe contemplated this act of courtesy with that fine scorn which office boys feel for all obligations that are not compulsory. "Huh!" he remarked to a companion. "You'd think them two was strangers!"
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Courtesy Imitated—See Symbols, The Value of.
COURTESY IN TRAVELING
Probably few people know it, but the institution
of the bell-cord, by which the engineman
is signaled to stop his train, was
due to the courtesy of a conductor. A general
passenger agent told the story the other
day. Back in the fifties, when wood was
still used for fuel in locomotives, the conductor
on a local train rigged up a bell-cord
so that he could let passengers off at will.
The stop signal was given too often for the
engineman, who finally became so annoyed
that he cut the rope. At the next stop the
conductor went forward to the engine cab.
"Jim," he said, "I'm going to treat my passengers right. You tie up that bell-cord, and if you cut it again I'll punch your head."
The engineman cut the cord again, and the conductor, who valued his reputation for courtesy to passengers, went forward and delivered the promised thrashing. Conductors nowadays, tho, are not quite so primitive in their methods, and are not obliged to administer personal discipline to fellow employés.—Buffalo Evening News.
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COURTS OF JUSTICE AMONG BIRDS
Dr. Edmondson describes regular assemblies
of crows of the hooded species—"crow
courts," they are called—which are held at
certain intervals in the Shetland Isles. A
particular hill or field suitable for the business
is selected, but nothing is done till
all are ready, and consequently the earlier
comers have sometimes to wait for a day
or two till the others arrive. When all have
come, the court opens in a formal manner
and the presumed criminals are arraigned at
the bar. A general croaking and clamor are
raised by the assembly and judgment is delivered,
apparently, by the whole court. As
soon as the execution is over, the court
breaks up and all its members disperse quietly.
An Alpine tourist relates that, during
an excursion in the Swiss mountains, he accidently
came upon a small secluded glen,
which was surrounded by trees, and became
the unexpected witness of a singular spectacle.
About sixty or seventy ravens were
ranged in a ring around one of their fellows,
evidently reputed a culprit, and with much
clatter of tongues and wings, were engaged
in discussing his alleged delinquencies. At
intervals they paused in their debate in order
to permit the accused to reply, which he did
most vociferously and with intense energy,
but all his expostulations were speedily
drowned in a deafening chorus of dissent.
Eventually the court appears to have arrived
at the unanimous conclusion that the
felon had utterly failed to exculpate himself,
and they suddenly flew at him from all sides
and tore him to pieces, with their powerful
