esitated nor wavered when he once saw his duty. There was no
shilly-shallying, no hunting for a middle ground between right and
wrong, no compromise on principles. He hewed close to the chalk line
and held his line plumb to truth. He never pandered for public favor
nor sought applause. Duty and truth were his goal, and he went
straight to his mark. Other churches did not agree with him nor his,
but he was too broad for hatred, too charitable for revenge, and too
magnanimous for envy.

What tale of the "Arabian Nights" equals in fascination the story of
such lives as those of Franklin, of Morse, Goodyear, Howe, Edison,
Bell, Beecher, Gough, Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Amos Lawrence, George
Peabody, McCormick, Hoe, and scores of others, each representing some
great idea embodied in earnest action, and resulting in an improvement
of the physical, mental, and moral condition of those around them?

There are plenty of ideas left in the world yet. Everything has not
been invented. All good things have not been done. There are
thousands of abuses to rectify, and each one challenges the independent
soul, armed with a new idea.

"But how shall I get ideas?" Keep your wits open! Observe! Study!
But above all, Think! and when a noble image is indelibly impressed
upon the mind--_Act_!

CHAPTER XXXVII

DARE

The Spartans did not inquire how many the enemy are, but where they
are.--AGIS II.

What's brave, what's noble, let's do it after the high Roman fashion,
and make death proud to take us.--SHAKESPEARE.

Let me die facing the enemy.--BAYARD.

Who conquers me, shall find a stubborn foe.--BYRON.

No great deed is done
By falterers who ask for certainty.
GEORGE ELIOT.

Fortune befriends the bold.--DRYDEN.

To stand with a smile upon your face against a stake from which you
cannot get away--that, no doubt, is heroic. But the true glory is
resignation to the inevitable. To stand unchained, with perfect
liberty to go away, held only by the higher claims of duty, and let the
fire creep up to the heart,--this is heroism.--F. W. ROBERTSON.

"Steady, men! Every man must die where he stands!" said Colin Campbell
to the Ninety-third Highlanders at Balaklava, as an overwhelming force
of Russian cavalry came sweeping down. "Ay, ay, Sir Colin! we'll do
that!" was the response from men, many of whom had to keep their word
by thus obeying.

"Bring back the colors," shouted a captain at the bat