Read the excerpt from "John Burns of Gettysburg” by Bret Harte.Brief is the glory that hero earns,Briefer the story of poor John Burns:He was the fellow who won reknown,—The only man who didn't back down When the rebels rode through his native town

The excerpt says John Burns was “the only man who didn’t back down” when the rebels came through his town. Not backing down in the face of danger shows courage, so the passage describes him as famous for fighting bravely. “Brief” refers to how short-lived his glory or story was, not that he was famous only briefly.

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