Seed Sentence: It’s true that you should carry out your duty with a diligent and stern

approach, but it’s also true that showing a little compassion can go a long way in benefitting
others and one’s own self.

Dear Marshal,

Reading ‘Hearts and Hands’, I was starstruck by your ability to act shrewdly both in

your capacity as a civil servant and a fellow man. From the moment your character was

introduced in the story with a hint of mystery, I began following your dialogues and actions

with a mixture of intrigue and fascination. Perhaps I saw a bit of my own self in you. As

someone who is quiet by nature, and prioritizes empathy above all emotions, your endeavors

to avoid an awkward situation really resonated with me. People often comment that I have a

distorted view of heroism. While many consider firefighters and army generals to be real-life

superheroes, for me, it’s the individuals who go out of their way to help others voluntarily.

Going by that perception, you, Sir, are a hero in my eyes and I thoroughly enjoyed reading

about how you managed to handle the seemingly uncomfortable situation that had arisen.

It is with a sheepish grin that I must admit I had deciphered the fact that you were

pretending to be the prisoner, long before it was masterfully revealed by the author. Perhaps

that says more about my detective skills than your acting! Having said this, I remember

poring over your words repeatedly and being more and more impressed each time. As a

marshal, it was, of course, your responsibility to handcuff the prisoner and escort him to pay

for his crimes. That you seemed to be doing dutifully, and this in itself is worthy of praise. In

this day and age, corruption seems to be running rampant, particularly among the upper

echelons of the law, and it is refreshing to see a good old authority figure, carrying out their

duty as they are supposed to do. Call me old-fashioned but I believe people tend to

overcomplicate things nowadays, hence what you did greatly appealed to me. It’s also worth

mentioning that you kept duty in mind throughout the whole pretense that you put on for the
actual prisoner’s sake. This statement might raise a question in your mind. How does duty

come into all this? Well, my good Sir, the answer is quite simple. Having allowed the

prisoner to impersonate you, you did not let him ramble on indefinitely but cut his

conversation with the woman quite abruptly at some point under the guise of needing to

smoke, (which in itself was ingenious I might add) with the following words: “Say, Mr.

Marshal....This isn’t quite fair. I’m needing a drink, and haven’t had a smoke all day. Haven’t

you talked long enough? Take me in the smoker now, won’t you? I’m half dead for a

pipe”[CITATION Wil02 \p 2 \l 1033 ]. You did not let Mr. Easton get carried away with his

act, for he was your prisoner after all and there is only so much leeway one can give. This

shows adherence to duty and says more about your character and integrity than mere words

can.

It must seem bizarre to you, that I appear to be heaping praise upon you for doing

something you might deem to be utterly ordinary. However, I feel this is but a testament to

the tremendous fascination and admiration I felt, as I eagerly devoured page after page of the

story. That said, it is time to address the crux of the story. When Mr. Easton revealed his

handcuffed hands to his acquaintance, you had absolutely no obligation whatsoever to

provide an explanation or any assistance. He was the prisoner, the party who had done wrong

and it would have been just as well had you explained the real reason behind the handcuff.

Yet, out of pure compassion and empathy, you cleverly extricated the man from a rapidly

deteriorating situation, degrading yourself temporarily in the process. “You’ll excuse me for

speaking, miss, but, I see you’re acquainted with the marshal here…. He’s taking me to

Leavenworth prison. It’s seven years for counterfeiting”[CITATION Wil02 \p 2 \l 1033 ]. I

recall doing something similar once when I vouched for a friend, who would otherwise get

into great trouble. What you did was much braver and sets you apart from the rest. It made

me ponder over all the times in life when I could have shown kindness, but didn’t. All those
times, when a few soft words could have resolved a situation better than a harsh sentence.

Even more admirable is the fact that when you ended the conversation, it was done so in

stride and without breaking character. In the words of the passengers who overheard what

was said: “That marshal’s a good sort of chap. Some of these Western fellows are all

right”[CITATION Wil02 \p 3 \l 1033 ]. Reading these words towards the end of the story really

did seem to encapsulate everything that had taken place, and left me contemplating it for

some long quiet moments.

Life is a journey that is filled with joy, heartache, and surprises at every turn.

However, what most of us do not realize, is that others are on this same journey with us. That

our lives are so intertwined, that a single act can go a long way, like a ripple in a pond

extending to the very edge of observation and perhaps even further. ‘Hearts and Hands’

taught me, overall, that while we should diligently carry out our duties, our thinking and

actions should not become narrow-minded; rather their scope should be widened to benefit

others. Showing compassion and empathy as you did, Marshal, even though it is not what

duty dictates, may seem counterintuitive, but it can brighten the lives of others. This is not

something that can be taught, but a part of us that must be embraced as we all trudge on

through this journey one step at a time.

To you, Marshal, I can only offer the most profound expression of gratitude, for

opening my eyes to this truth, and perhaps urge you to continue in the same manner, for the

world needs as many people like you as it can get.

Yours truly,

(References on next page)

Bibliography
Porter, W. S. (1902). Hearts and Hands. New York: William Sydney Porter.