PATRIOTS & PATRIOTISMS.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 69

PATRIOTS & PATRIOTISMS.

VICTORIA LEAGUE ESSAYS. The following are the essays which were awarded the first and second' prizes in the Victoria* League's competition, open U> the school children of Otago: [By Mona BhOSNAN, Lawrence District - High School.] Patriotism! It requires an abler ipen than mine to define the meaning of thai one word. Let it suffice to say thai patriotism is one of the noblest emotions implanted by God in the heart of man; : that it is the power that decides the strugole between duty and inclination; that it, is the guide that will ever lead our footsteps in the right path; that it proves its possessor, however fallen, is not without some of the noblest attributes of maa„ There is always hope for the man who feels the divine fire .of patriotism burning in his heart. He is still capable of performing deeds that will make the world a better and happier place. How often 'io we think of the [patriots working quietly, unobtrusively for the good of their country? Soldier and sailor, statesman and lawyer, doctor and author, explorer and navigator—each doing his share, his best praise being (the (approval of his conscience, his most fitting epitaph "He lived and died for his country." History and tradition have handed demo, to us many examples of patriotism. Think of the soldier of Pompeii. How signifiw; cant is the fact that we can «iay the soldier*! After two thousand'? years he was found at his post, guarding the city as he had. guarded it on that terrible night. Haughty r patricians of that doomed city, your verjj; ■names are forgotten, but that plebesiirf; soldier will live green in our memories' for ever and a day. Then, again, re* member Caesar. How very near he was to making the saying "All roads lead fco Rome" an accomplished' fact. Centurietf pass. Joan of Arc stands forth brightly; against the darkness and oblivion of times.Joan of Arc, woman, soldier, and God-strengthened, country-loving little* maid; men lower their voices in reverence when they speak of you; womenl make you their ideal. Then there is Wil*; Ham Tell, brave Swiss mountaineer, who scorned tht tyrant's command: "Bo* down, ye slaves, bow down." Ah, there was a kingly spirit, a mighty overwhelming love of country hidden under the exterior of that common peasant. Now we come to one whose work concerns, us moT 1 * directly. I sneak of William Wallace, the truest soldier and patriot God ever made.-. You died a shameful death, 0 Wallace, but you are still remembered in the leal hearts of the Scotch people; you are respected by the descendants of your foes. Look through the list of countries. None so fallen but a patriot pleads some extenuation of its faults. Call upon the patriots of long-past ages, and rank after rank, file after file, rise from their .last resting! place at your summons. Oh honest, manly, hearts, that worked and toiled, that fought and died for your countries, that weiyj, maybe, harshly condemned' and misjudged', your work will bring you a great regard some time, somewhere. , We will now turn to the patriots of our own land. 0 Britain, mighty Britain! that holds command of the sea, before whom the nations bow, how much /ow owe to the patriots who laboured l to build up your Empire, who strove to make your 1 people better and nobler, wiser and greater! Come forth from your graves, ye gi-and old British bulldogs, who made Britain what she is: the greates tnationl the old, old world has ever seen. Drake, Hawkins, Grenville. Marlborough, Wellington, and (greatest of all) Nelson; Stanley, Livingstone, Hudson, and the rest; ye have all helped to build up the Empire, Your grateful nation has emblazoned your names on the scroll of fame in letters of. purest gold., and century after century will voll'by and leave youv jrlory

undiminished —yea, ever slisfog oiit. with a greater lustro against a background ever more and more obscured by the mists of Time.

Not once or twice in Britain's rough 3ea story, The path of iuty was the way to glory. Wo owe a debt to our patriot forefathers —a rfebt v.e can best repay by jealously guarding the Empire they so hard to build up. Whatever hio :ih norfc may be, each can do his e.hare. Ilie white fire of r great enthusiasm is the mightiest force in the world. Some time, perhrps, the Motherland will again call upon her children for help, and I am sure that •when the call comes, "Arise and fight, iny foe," it will not pass unheeded. From the snows of Canada, the plains of India, the deserts of Australia and Afrioa, the mountains of Nov/ Zealand, men will rush to the assistance of the Mother Country. Yes. and women, too. Following Florence Nightingale's splendid example, they will go with the armies through all. the horrors of War, tending the wounded, cheering the wounded, encouraging; the men to fight on for home and country. O brave British hearts! I am sure that when tried you will not be found wanting, but will fight to the death for your country. Long did the great oak shield her children from the storms when they were young; grown stronger and taller now, it is the striplings' work to shield the old tree. British soldiers, face battle as you have faced' : t before —proudly, fearlessly, confidently. You may fall in the' struggle, but- the Mother Country will pay her tribute of tears at your grave and mourn foi her lost " children. What more could you desire? Fear not, then, to face death in so righteous a war, knowing that a grateful land will mourn your loss; that though gone., you will not be forgotten; and hoping, nay expecting, to hear as you enter the land from whose bourne no traveller returns, the welcome: "Come, ye blessed of my father, possess the kingdom prepared for you."

[By Muriel Wallace May, High Street School.] Our country's welfare is our first concern, And who promotes that best, beai does his duty.

Patriotism means love of country. Most people love their fatherland, but true (patriotism is something more than a feeling. I' must be ready to show itself in r-cis, if need be. Men who truly love their country must be ready to sacrifice liberty, wealth, and even life itself when called to do so. Women .arc capable of patriotic feelings as well as men, as the following story will show: —A poor Spartan peasant had five sons, all of whom were engaged in war in defence of Sparta. The mother was anxiously awaiting news of the battle, and when a messenger arrived she questioned him eagerly In reply he answered that her five sons were killed. "Vile elaTe!" answered tho mother; "I asked th£c net of them." Whereupon the messenger added: "And we have won the battle." Ther the mother went to the "teaaple and thanked the gods. She loved her sons, but she loved her country more, and thought no sacrifice too great. Countries are often saved from destruction, battles wen, foes baffled by the effortsof one man. Oliver Cromwell literally made England what it is. Wallace and Brace won Scotland's freedom, while all coimtiies cherish names of men who have helped them. No country can boast of a ftaeV patriot than Arnold Winkelried, who died to save Switzerland. Austria was at war with Switzerland, and at Sempach, where the final battle was fought, there were but 1300 .lightly-armed mountaineers to meet Duke Leopold's force of 4000 knights and 1400 footmen. As the ground ,\r«s - too rough for horsemen, the Austrian* c&siounted and drew up —"a living wall, a human weed." The Swiss charged again and again, and lost 60 of their men, without wounding any of the Austrians. The enemv's line seemed impregnable; not a break could be made. The moutaineera knew that it an opening could be made the day would be theirs. Arnold Winkellied resolved to do what he could. With a-nns extended, tho brave mountaineer (rushed forward through the lines, crying "Forward for liberty." Before the ranks eoald be reformed, the rest of the Swiss charged. Duke Leopold and 20GO of his followers were killed. . Thus Switzerland again was free, And death made way for liberty. Switzerland's freedom was bought with 'Arnold Winkelried's life-blood. One of the truest and most patriotic (spirits is to be found in Robert the Bruce, oee of Scotland's greatest patr-ots. As a boy, Bruce's patriotic instincts do not seem to have developed, for we find him, fighting now for Scotland, now against it, just px. it suited him. Historians tell us that tiis heart was given wholly to his country en the occasion when he saw Wallace martyred fo. his country. Aftei that Bruce 6fcrained every 'lerve to gain Scotland's freedom. After many years of ups and downs, victories and defeats, the English and the Scotch met at Bannockburn. where the English were defeated. Robert the Brtice was now firmly installed on the throne, with s son to succeed him: and Edward II saw tliat there was now no Biope of a Plantagenet reigning over Septland. But Bruce's days were numbered. He was smitten with leprosy, and after a fev. years of suffering Scotland's greatest King died. All patriots have put their country first, themselves last, and therein lies the secret of their success. England's place among the nations, her greatness, and our free'dom were all won. by the self-sacrifice of our ancestors, and it is our duty to preeerve this liberty which our forefather! bo dearly won.