真正的男子漢

　　判斷男子漢的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，并不取決于他是否有強(qiáng)壯的肌肉，也不取決于他是否做了那些好像只有女人才會(huì)去做的家務(wù)。真正的男子漢擁有一顆勇敢的心，能夠在關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻挺身而出。真正的男子漢是和愛(ài)心、責(zé)任還有自我犧牲聯(lián)系在一起的。

　　“媽媽?zhuān)瑒e動(dòng)，快坐下，讓我來(lái)?！备ダ椎隆だ锼箍四?，一個(gè)開(kāi)朗活潑的十二歲男孩這樣說(shuō)著。里斯克姆夫人看起來(lái)臉色蒼白、十分憔悴，她正試著慢慢把她都沒(méi)怎么動(dòng)過(guò)的早餐拿開(kāi)。

　　她笑了一下，說(shuō)道：“你來(lái)洗碗嗎，弗雷德？”

　　“是的，媽媽?zhuān)备ダ椎抡f(shuō)，“我已經(jīng)看您洗過(guò)太多次了，如果我還不會(huì)的話，我就是一個(gè)太差的學(xué)生了，就看我的吧。”

　　里斯克姆夫人欣慰地笑了一下，坐在了她的矮手扶椅上。弗雷德洗干凈了盤(pán)子，將它們放進(jìn)了碗櫥。他打掃了廚房，又從地窖里取出了晚飯要用的馬鈴薯，把它們洗干凈，之后才去上學(xué)。

　　弗雷德的父親出門(mén)在外，好在儲(chǔ)藏室里有一些凍肉，里斯克姆夫人準(zhǔn)備晚餐還不很困難。放學(xué)后弗雷德很快就趕回了家，他擺好餐桌，吃完飯后又洗了碗。在以后的兩三天他一直都在幫他媽媽做這些事，直到她的媽媽康復(fù)。

　　一天，醫(yī)生不經(jīng)意地說(shuō)道：“夫人，在我看來(lái)，如果您不是保持靜養(yǎng)的話，你可能會(huì)病得很重?！备ダ椎掠X(jué)得自己的付出得到了最大的回報(bào)。醫(yī)生并不知道靜養(yǎng)背后的故事，他也無(wú)法知道，聽(tīng)到他的話時(shí)男孩的心曾怎樣地跳動(dòng)。

　　弗雷德為了幫助他的母親，放棄了許多男孩子的樂(lè)趣——這個(gè)時(shí)候正是滑雪、滑冰的最好季節(jié)。另外他的自制力和耐心也經(jīng)受了很大的考驗(yàn)。原先他總是習(xí)慣很早就去學(xué)校，放學(xué)后也還要在學(xué)校多玩一會(huì)兒。

　　男孩子們都很想念他。而他總不肯說(shuō)出為什么不能早到學(xué)?；蚴欠艑W(xué)后再多玩一會(huì)兒的原因，他只是說(shuō)他想待在家里。所以，孩子們的好奇心也被勾了起來(lái)。

　　“我會(huì)告訴你們的，”湯姆·巴頓宣稱(chēng)，“我會(huì)查出來(lái)真相的，伙計(jì)們，看我的吧！”

　　一天早晨，在上學(xué)的路上，湯姆去找弗雷德。他悄悄繞到弗雷德家的邊門(mén)，緊貼著靠近廚房的窗戶向里看。他看見(jiàn)弗雷德正站在桌子旁邊，手里拿著一塊抹布。

　　他一五一十地把這一切報(bào)告給了學(xué)校的其他男孩。于是在課間休息的時(shí)候，迎接弗雷德的是各種各樣的“問(wèn)候”。

　　“嗨，你可真行啊，在家洗盤(pán)子！”

　　“娘娘腔?！?/p>

　　“你的圍裙呢，波莉？”

　　弗雷德既不缺乏勇氣也不缺乏斗志，他極想回?fù)暨@些侮辱他的人，并與他們打一架，但是，他的是非觀和他對(duì)母親的愛(ài)阻止了他。

　　正當(dāng)他努力控制自己的時(shí)候，他的老師出現(xiàn)在了門(mén)口。他看著弗雷德，好像是在說(shuō)，“不要泄氣！要做到真正的勇敢！”他知道老師已經(jīng)聽(tīng)到了他那些沒(méi)心的同學(xué)的嘲笑與奚落。

　　那天那些男孩子收到警告，不許他們以任何方式嘲笑、耍弄弗雷德。他們知道老師言出必行，就再也沒(méi)找弗雷德的麻煩。

　　“著火了！著火了！”驚惶的聲音打破了夜的寂靜，火警警報(bào)也立刻響了起來(lái)。弗雷德被警報(bào)聲驚醒，紅色的警燈照進(jìn)了他的屋子。他迅速地穿上衣服，輕輕地敲著母親的臥室門(mén)。

　　“是巴頓先生家的房子著火了，媽媽?zhuān)屛胰タ匆豢窗?，”他急切地說(shuō)。里斯克姆夫人猶豫了一會(huì)兒，她想，弗雷德還太年輕，但是她相信他會(huì)照顧好自己，而且她知道他是多么迫切地想去幫助他們。

　　“好吧，你可以去，”母親回答說(shuō)，“但是要當(dāng)心，我的孩子，如果你能幫得上忙的話，盡量幫忙，但不要莽撞?！备ダ椎鲁兄Z會(huì)遵從母親的叮囑，然后急匆匆地趕往著火地點(diǎn)。

　　巴頓先生和太太都不在家，房子留給仆人在照管?；饎?shì)以可怕的速度蔓延著，因?yàn)轱L(fēng)非常大，挽救房子是不可能的了。仆人們四處亂跑、哭叫，但卻什么事也沒(méi)做。

　　弗雷德在外面發(fā)現(xiàn)了湯姆，“凱特在哪兒？”他問(wèn)湯姆。湯姆嚇得渾身發(fā)抖，他除了知道自己逃跑什么也想不到了。

　　“她還在房間里?！?/p>

　　“哪個(gè)房間？”弗雷德問(wèn)。

　　“那個(gè)?！睖氛f(shuō)著，用手指著二層的一個(gè)窗戶。

　　沒(méi)時(shí)間說(shuō)別的了，重要的是行動(dòng)，立刻、迅速的行動(dòng)。樓梯已經(jīng)著火了，只有一個(gè)辦法可以接近凱特，但那也太危險(xiǎn)了。第二層的樓板隨時(shí)可能倒塌，弗雷德清楚這一點(diǎn)，不過(guò)他相信上帝一定會(huì)幫助指引他的。

　　人們很快架起了一架梯子，弗雷德爬上了梯子，一個(gè)消防員也跟了上去，他猛撞窗戶上的窗格，終于沖進(jìn)了屋子。屋里可憐的孩子已經(jīng)快被煙熏得窒息了。

　　弗雷德費(fèi)了好大的勁才把凱特叫醒，他把她架到窗口，放到窗臺(tái)上，她立刻就被一雙強(qiáng)有力的手接住，送下了梯子。弗雷德也飛速跟下。他們剛剛到達(dá)地面就聽(tīng)見(jiàn)一聲轟響，他們知道他們差一點(diǎn)就無(wú)法逃生了。

　　湯姆·巴頓永遠(yuǎn)也忘不了那個(gè)晚上，他意識(shí)到真正的男子漢是和高貴、愛(ài)心和自我犧牲聯(lián)系在一起的。從那之后，他一直以此作為自己行動(dòng)的準(zhǔn)則。

　　True Manliness

　　"Please, mother, do sit down and let me try my hand," sa Fred Liscom, a bright, active boy, twelve years old. Mrs. Liscom, looking pale and worn, was moving languly about, trying to clear away the breakfast she had scarcely tasted。

　　She smiled, and sa, "You, Fred, you wash dishes?" "Yes, indeed, mother," replied Fred, "I should be a poor scholar if I couldn't, when I've seen you do it so many times. Just try me."

　　A look of relief came over his mother's face as she seated herself in her low rocking-chair. Fred washed the dishes, and put them in the closet. He then swept the kitchen, brought up the potatoes from the cellar for the dinner and washed them, and then set out for school。

　　Fred's father was away from home, and as there was some cold meat in the pantry, Mrs. Liscom found it an easy task to prepare dinner. Fred hurried home from school, set the table, and again washed the dishes。

　　He kept on in this way for two or three days, till his mother was able to resume her usual work, and he felt amply rewarded when the doctor, who happened in one day, sa, "Well, madam, it's my opinion that you would have been very sick if you had not kept quiet."

　　The doctor d not know how the "quiet" had been secured, nor how the boy's heart bounded at his words。

　　Fred had given up a great deal of what boys hold dear, for the purpose of helping his mother, coasting and skating being just at this time in perfection。

　　Beses this, his temper and his patience had been severely tried. He had been in the habit of going early to school, and staying to play after it was dismissed。

　　The boys missed him, and their curiosity was excited when he would give no other reason for not coming to school earlier, or staying after school, than that he was a "wanted at home." "I'll tell you," sa Tom Barton, "I'll find him out, boys — see if I don't!"

　　So he called for Fred to go to school, and on his way to the se door walked lightly and somewhat nearer the kitchen window than was absolutely needful. Looking in, he saw Fred standing at the table with a dishcloth in his hand。

　　Of course he reported this at school, and various were the greetings poor Fred received at recess. "Well, you're a brave one to stay at home washing dishes." "Girl boy!" "Lost your apron, have n't you, Polly!"

　　Fred was not wanting either in spirit or courage, and he was strongly tempted to resent these insults and to fight some of his tormentors. But his consciousness of right and his love for his mother helped him。

　　While he was struggling for self mastery, his teacher appeared at the door of the schoolhouse. Fred caught his eye, and it seemed to look, if it d not say, "Don't give up! Be really brave!" He knew the teacher had heard the insulting taunts of his thoughtless schoolmates。

　　The boys received notice during the day that Fred must not be taunted or teased in any manner. They knew that the teacher meant what he sa; and so the brave little boy had no farther trouble。

　　"Fire! fire!" The cry crept out on the still night air, and the fire bells began to ring. Fred was wakened by the alarm and the red light streaming into his room. He dressed himself in a moment, almost, and tapped at the door of his mother's bedroom。

　　"It is Mr. Barton's house, mother. Do let me go," he sa in eager, excited tones. Mrs. Liscom thought a moment. He was young, but she could trust him, and she knew how much his heart was in the request。

　　"Yes, you may go," she answered; "but be careful, my boy. If you can help, do so; but do nothing rashly." Fred promised to follow her advice, and hurried to the fire。

　　Mr. and Mrs. Barton were not at home. The house had been left in charge of the servants. The fire spread with fearful speed, for there was a high wind, and it was found impossible to save the house. The servants ran about, screaming and lamenting, but doing nothing to any purpose。

　　Fred found Tom outse, in safety. "Where is Katy?" he asked. Tom, trembling with terror, seemed to have had no thought but of his own escape. He sa, "Katy is in the house!" "In what room?" asked Fred. "In that one," pointing to a window in the upper story。

　　It was no time for words, but for instant, vigorous action. The staircase was already on fire; there was but one way to reach Katy, and that full of danger. The second floor might fall at any moment, and Fred knew it. But he trusted in an arm stronger than his own, and silently sought help and guance。

　　A ladder was quickly brought, and placed against the house. Fred mounted it, followed by the hired man, dashed in the sash of the window, and pushed his way into the room where the poor child lay nearly suffocated with smoke。

　　He roused her with some difficulty, carried her to the window, and placed her upon the sill. She was instantly grasped by strong arms, and carried down the ladder, Fred following as fast as possible. They had scarcely reached the ground before a crash of falling timbers told them that they had barely escaped with their lives。

　　Tom Barton never forgot the lesson of that night; and he came to believe, and to act upon the belief, in after years, that true manliness is in harmony with gentleness, kindness, and self-denial。