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　　真正的男子漢

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

　　“媽媽，別動，快坐下，讓我來。”弗雷德·里斯克姆，一個開朗活潑的十二歲男孩這樣說著。里斯克姆夫人看起來臉色蒼白、十分憔悴，她正試著慢慢把她都沒怎么動過的早餐拿開。

　　她笑了一下，說道：“你來洗碗嗎，弗雷德？”

　　“是的，媽媽，”弗雷德說，“我已經(jīng)看您洗過太多次了，如果我還不會的話，我就是一個太差的學生了，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。弗雷德洗干凈了盤子，將它們放進了碗櫥。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。

　　弗雷德的父親出門在外，好在儲藏室里有一些凍肉，里斯克姆夫人準備晚餐還不很困難。放學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。

　　一天，醫(yī)生不經(jīng)意地說道：“夫人，在我看來，如果您不是保持靜養(yǎng)的話，你可能會病得很重。”弗雷德覺得自己的付出得到了最大的回報。醫(yī)生并不知道靜養(yǎng)背后的故事，他也無法知道，聽到他的話時男孩的心曾怎樣地跳動。

　　弗雷德為了幫助他的母親，放棄了許多男孩子的樂趣——這個時候正是滑雪、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。原先他總是習慣很早就去學校，放學后也還要在學校多玩一會兒。

　　男孩子們都很想念他。而他總不肯說出為什么不能早到學校或是放學后再多玩一會兒的原因，他只是說他想待在家里。所以，孩子們的好奇心也被勾了起來。

　　“我會告訴你們的，”湯姆·巴頓宣稱，“我會查出來真相的，伙計們，看我的吧！”

　　一天早晨，在上學的路上，湯姆去找弗雷德。他悄悄繞到弗雷德家的邊門，緊貼著靠近廚房的窗戶向里看。他看見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告給了學校的其他男孩。于是在課間休息的時候，迎接弗雷德的是各種各樣的“問候”。

　　“嗨，你可真行啊，在家洗盤子！”

　　“娘娘腔。”

　　“你的圍裙呢，波莉？”

　　弗雷德既不缺乏勇氣也不缺乏斗志，他極想回擊這些侮辱他的人，并與他們打一架，但是，他的是非觀和他對母親的愛阻止了他。

　　正當他努力控制自己的時候，他的老師出現(xiàn)在了門口。他看著弗雷德，好像是在說，“不要泄氣！要做到真正的勇敢！”他知道老師已經(jīng)聽到了他那些沒心的同學的嘲笑與奚落。

　　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，火警警報也立刻響了起來。弗雷德被警報聲驚醒，紅色的警燈照進了他的屋子。他迅速地穿上衣服，輕輕地敲著母親的臥室門。

　　“是巴頓先生家的房子著火了，媽媽，讓我去看一看吧，”他急切地說。里斯克姆夫人猶豫了一會兒，她想，弗雷德還太年輕，但是她相信他會照顧好自己，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，“但是要當心，我的孩子，如果你能幫得上忙的話，盡量幫忙，但不要莽撞。”弗雷德承諾會遵從母親的叮囑，然后急匆匆地趕往著火地點。

　　巴頓先生和太太都不在家，房子留給仆人在照管。火勢以可怕的速度蔓延著，因為風非常大，挽救房子是不可能的了。仆人們四處亂跑、哭叫，但卻什么事也沒做。

　　弗雷德在外面發(fā)現(xiàn)了湯姆，“凱特在哪兒？”他問湯姆。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。”

　　“哪個房間？”弗雷德問。

　　“那個。”湯姆說著，用手指著二層的一個窗戶。

　　沒時間說別的了，重要的是行動，立刻、迅速的行動。樓梯已經(jīng)著火了，只有一個辦法可以接近凱特，但那也太危險了。第二層的樓板隨時可能倒塌，弗雷德清楚這一點，不過他相信上帝一定會幫助指引他的。

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

　　弗雷德費了好大的勁才把凱特叫醒，他把她架到窗口，放到窗臺上，她立刻就被一雙強有力的手接住，送下了梯子。弗雷德也飛速跟下。他們剛剛到達地面就聽見一聲轟響，他們知道他們差一點就無法逃生了。

　　湯姆·巴頓永遠也忘不了那個晚上，他意識到真正的男子漢是和高貴、愛心和自我犧牲聯(lián)系在一起的。從那之后，他一直以此作為自己行動的準則。

　　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。

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