The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-09-18

IhaI you VIII cause the forest to be guarded,
and no one to enter save they have my writ
ten permission. Before the end of the month
the trees viii be ready"
Well, said Lord Wocdmount, cit is a
risk for me to run but from what you have
done already, it is possible you may obtain
enough woodmen to complete your task Yet
beware If you succeed, will not only give
You twenty thousand mobiles of gold but also
appoint you-if you can write, as you have
told me-the deputy ranger here and for
every day less than "a month in which you fin
ish year contract will add a hundred mobiles;
if you fail, will have you hanged on tree.
When will you begin ?'
Tomorrow morning." replied Rainier.
The next morning, before daylight, Rainier
took his way to the forest, leaving all his
money save three greats with his mother, and
after telling her that he might not return for
a day or so, passed the guard that he found
already set, and plunged into the wood
When he came to place where the trees were
thickest and loftiest, he whispered to himself
what he had to do, and said to the AK Ak!
ak chop chop and work for my profit
The AK at once went TO work with great earn
estness, and by nightfall over ten thousand
trees were felled, hewn, and thrown into piles.
Then Rainier, who had not ceased before
to watch the work, ate some of the provisions
which he had brought with him, and throw
ing himself under great tree, whose spread
ing boughs shaded him from the moonlight,
drew his scanty mantle around him, and slept
soundly until sunrise.
The next morning Rainier arose, and looked
with delight at the work already done then,
speaking again to the ak, it began chopin g
away as before,
Now, it Glanced that morning that the
chief ranger had started to see how the work
asked the guards if many wood.cutters had
entered. They all replied that only one made
his appearance, but he must be working Wig
orously since all that morning, and the whole
day before, the wood had resounded with the
blows Of axes. The Lord Woodmount there
upon rode on in great anger, for he thought
that Rainier had Knocked him. But presently
he came to great piles of hewn timber which
astonished him much and then he heard the
axes sound, which astonished him more for
it seemed as though twenty wood choppers
were engaged at once, SO great was the din
When he came to whore the AK was at work,
he thought he saw-and this was through the
magic power of the fairy-thousands of wood
cutters, all arrayed in green hose and red
.5erkings. some telling the trees, some hewing
them into square timber, and others arrang-
ing the hewn logs into piles of hundred
each, while Rainier stood looking on. He was
so angry at the guards for having msinform-
ed him, that he at once rode back and rated
them soundly on their supposed untruth,-
But as they persisted in the story that but
one man had passed, he grew angrier than
ever. While he was still rating them, Ran
ier came up.
" Well, my lord" said the latter, if you
will go or send to examine, you will find that
twenty thousand trees are already cut, squar-
ed, and made ready to be hauled to the king S
palace-ground.
The ranger at once rode back into the for
est, and having counted the number Of piles,
was much pleased, and ordered Rainier to
come that day week, when the timber would
be inspected, and if it were all properly done
he would receive the twenty thousand mobiles
agreed upon.
Excuse me, my lord, suggested Rainier,
"but the work has been done in two days in
stead of thirty and twenty-eight days off at
a hundred mobiles per day makes twenty-five
thousand eight hundred mobiles as my due"
d" True, !" replied the ranger "and if you
want money now -
ooh mol" interrupted Rainier, 81 have
three greats in my purse, and ten more at
home which will be quite sufficient for my
needs"
At this the ranger laughed outright and
then rode away.
At the end of week, Rainier sought the
rangers castle, and there received not only
an order on the kings treasurer for the money,
but also the patent of deputy-ranger of the
kings forest, and the allotment of a hand
brought his mother, and as he was now rich,
he bought him fine clothing, and hired him
servants, and lived In grand style, performing
all the duties of his Office as slough he had
been used to it all his life. People noticed,
however, that the new deputy never
went out without his ak, which occasioned
some gossip at first but some one having sug
gested that he did SO to show that he was moi
ashamed of his former condition, folks were
satisfiede-though the truth was that he car
ried the AK for service only.
Now it happened that Rainier was walking
along one evening in the forest to observe
whether any one was trying to kill the king 8
deer, and while there he heard the clash OF
swords. On going to the spot whence the
noise came. he saw a cavalier richly clad, witt
his back to tree, defending himself as he
best might, from half dozen men in armor
each with his visor down. Rainier had nj
sword for, not being a knight, it was forbid
den him to bear such a weapon but he be
thought him of his ak, and hoped it NIGH
serve the men as it had the trees. So he
wished these cowardly assailants killed, ant
when he uttered the prescribed words, the az
| fell upon the villains, and so hacked and hew
ed them that they were at once destroyed
| But it seemed to the knight thus rescued tina
| it was the arm of Rainier that guided the ak
for such was the magic of the fairy.