Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department (Souvenir) Page: 4 of 47
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A-
THE MODERN HERO _
The following beautiful poem was written for the Hearst newspapers by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, at the
request of the Boston Veteran Firemens Association, and is reprinted herein by permission of American-
Journal-Examiner:
When we read .in song or story of the heroes, crow ned with gloy,
Who have fought in famous battles of the past,
We are prone to sit down sighing for the heroism dying
From the world of men with whom our lot is e ast.
And we sorrow for each Nation, cursed with soft degeneration,
As it follows down the path the Romans trod.
When no mighty purpose thrills it, when but lust for riches fills it,
It has lost the great creative spark of God.
'Twas but yesterday y one doubted men had courage still, and flouted
At unselfishness, "that vague, unmeaning word";
Then there came a sound like thunder, and the doubter saw his blunder;
'Twas the passing of the Engines that we heard !
For they broke upon our quiet with a mad and reckless riot,
And they shattered all the silence into sound.
How the engines hissed and spattered, how the flying horses clattered,
As their iron hoofs sped by us with a bound!
And the men with knightly bearing, on to smoke and battle faring.
Seemed like heroes of an age of war and strife,
For they boldly courted danger, aiding foe and friend and stranger,
With the courage that outweighs the love of life.
Facing flame and falling ember, not a man paused to remember
Home and wife and little children left behind.
Rushing in through smoke and cinder, not one selfish fear could hinder,
Or drive duty from the throne room of his mind.
There, was some one yonder calling, and the mighty beams were falling,
And the smoke was like a raging deyil's breath;
Still, without one moment's waiting or a second's hesitating,
On they leaped, and wrenched a human life from death.
''Nay,true courage has not vanished,nor has Time all heroes banished,"'
Spake the doubter, with concession, at the last.
"In this daily scene of Duty lies unselfishness and beauty."
And he stood with head uncovered as they passed.
1I .i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.., ~~~~~~ ~ Cobnto--- . --
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Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department (Souvenir), text, July 1906; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth60970/m1/4/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boyce Ditto Public Library.