Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-09-27
stItrt Gale.
r II Il Tn r + r al N + S
A STORY roR me CnmnREN.

of milk for the itile household; and IN the sum
mer time the widow aud her children gathered al
most enough wool from the thorn bushes aud gorse
plants to supply them with thick warm garments.
You may imagine there was no school near.
What the children learned, their mother and ma
ture taught them. Many happy hour did they
spend by the river side, when their mother had no
special work for them 20 do, watched over by the
noble Scotch sheep-dog that had belonged TO their
father; and many a wonderous tale did they in
vent. as tu what the river said, and whore tbs
clouds were going. and why the flowers only came
IN spring Then they knew a whole troop Of fair
les who lived in the glen by the dripping we'll, and
all the crags and mountains round we're inhabited
by giants. II they were poor, they were very hap
py children
But a dreadful winter came, longer and more
cruel than usual aud sweet Gvendoline dropped
aud faded, and Reece had 10 90 alone 90 the fair
les we'll to look for " conkerbells as their moth
or had taught them 10 call the long iccles that
hung from every spray, the widow was not Welsh
woman. or she would not have called the icicles
" conkerhells;n ~ in truth she DevOnshire
tisherman's daughter and Reece felt very lonely
and poor little Gwendoline was very, very ILL.,
One day the widow looked on the pale face Of
little Gwenny, aud then at the bold bright boy at
her side
Recce." D." she said. you must 60 to Llansaul,
to the doctor, and bring some medicine for Gwen
doline.n
Now Reece knew the doctor we'll. though Liam
saul was miles of, for the doctor great fish
erman aud often came to the famous trout stream
that ran through the valley whore the widow lived
and he never turned homeward without leaving a
plentiful supply OF fish az the little cottage.
Llausaul, mother can't go to Llansaul, Tn
afraid
Afraid. Reeee! Afraid Of wbat?7
'Of the giant, mother
Giants, Reece Why there are no such be-
ings as giants.
"OA. motherl how can Won say sol when there's
Goliath of Gath, and Giant Despair; and If there
were no such things As giants continued Reeee,
waxing bold, pray what was the use OF Jack the
Giant l,iller.'
The widow hardly knew what to say, and the
boy continued: " There are three giants who
live between this and lIansaul, the Giant OF the
Bog, Of the Fog and Of the Crag. Gwenny and
| call them Boggy and Foggy aud Craggy when
at play
The mother was puzzled for a moment, and then
she caught the chil1's meaning.
"Oh Reece! ! understand now. But know
giant far more powerful than your three giants
put together Go and fetch Gwenny's medicine.
and will give you a letter to my giant and he
will surely help you even If Boggy aud Foggy
and Craggy all came upon you at once
So the widow took a sheet OF paper, and printed
on il in large letters, such as Reece could read,
Duty
Then she wrapped up the boy as warmly as she
could gave him a letter for the doctor ana pinned
the message to her giant on his breast That
done she called the old sheep dog, Scot and said
" Nv faithful friend, You know Giant Duty. and
have learned many lesson from him When
your master fell dead on the mountain, did You
not bring all his flock home safely, even to the
weakest lamb z Go, good dog, and take care OF
my son
So little Reece and the dog started, and the
4 a. q. el,tasa ont of xf.rhf squ
back. and busted herself about her house.
Gwenny's cough was troublesome and she
missed Reece and was hdgety, aud the widow was
anxious about her boy; so the day was not very
happy one.
Towards afternoon fog settled on the mount
aims, aud Gwenny muttered, Giant Fog will
catch hold of Reecen
Many times did the widow 90 to the door and
look out, in hopes of seeing Reece and the dog
coming up the valley; but each time she was dis
And where was Reece all this while Such a
road as that little boy had 10 travel few little boys
have ever seem much less had to traverse alone.
Centuries ago. when that great people the ko-
mans. came to this island they made road IN
those parts and bad it, in spite OF all their
cleyerness in road-making, that they gave II the
| name of " The Stony Mile" (miles more trulyO
and 70 this day the Welsh people, in their own
language, call it by name which means the same
thing
Reece thought little of the road he walked
along bravev, quite proud Of his errand, and,
above all his message TO the great Giant Duty.
As he and Scot climbed the hillside and looked
down many a stony slope, he almost laughed. and
said Il wonder If our three giants really 10 live
in the mountains and It there really are such
things as giants Still though his mothers words
had to degree shaken his faith IN giants, he kept
looking out at every turn, in hopes OF catching
sight OF the giant.
/ lie rave his letter 70 the doctor, received a
packet of medicine, had a famous dinner with the
doctors houskeeper, and started in high spirits
homeward.
/ He mounted the steep hill above Llansau safe
/ ly and found himsellon the broad almost painless,
moor that lay on the top OF the mountain between
/ the bill above Llansau and the precipIce leading
down to his mothers cottage.
~ hope Giant Fog won't catch us here, Scot, -
! said the boy But the words were hardly out Of
/ his mouth when they were enyeoped ia deep
mist, whrling aud eddying round, hll the poor
child was quite giddy and terrified. He put his
hand 20 his breast, pressed the tasman hts
I mother had given him, and cried out "Duy!n
The fog seemed TO clear for moment, and his
faithful companion stumbled on but 1t soon be-
come evident TO the child that all shadow of path
was lost. Still bravely he pursued the way, al
ways, when his spirits tagged. crying, " Duty
Duyln
<Ai lAfi Ilt1 tdAHt w a lhbiN i'NNf I'''Nt htN''
they had hitherto encountered, and the log before
them looked inky black, The boy paused, and
Scot rubbed herself against him, and looked up
whimpering in his face. "Neyer mind, good
dog said Reece " Even if this were the very
castle of Giant Craggy, am not afraid; we are
trying TO do our duty, as the good giant would
have us. On, good dog, onln
The dog drew back the boy pressed forward
and in a moment he felt he was falling rapidly
through the air.
How long he lay at the base Of the High Crags
none can say but when he recovered his CON
sciousness Scots cold nose was against bis cheek.
| IL was some time before he could rise from the
ground, and then he ionnd ono arm hung useless
at his side and sharp pains darted through every
limb. The tears started 10 his cyes-he was but
little fellow - but pressing his mothers charm
against bis aching breast, be and Scot started
again on tbeir travels.
"Giant Foggy and Giant Craggy have done US
a bad turn said the boyi but with Giant l'utys
help, we will conquer Boggy, and then we shall be
all right
But he had a weary way before him yet. lie
/ guessed he was A. the bottom Of the deep valley
instead of on the terraeed hillside and he know
1 that in the valley Giant Boggy reigned supreme.
On they went, The fog cleared liitle but dark
night came down, and the poor child had hardly
strength to keep on his feet Numbed andweary,
be made false step after false step, I'LL he was fair
ly in the bog, and had neither strength nor spirit
| A., httnaaiI