Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-11-25

clothes, but he cut and jabbed the poor
soldiers, who had only common clothes
on, which any spear or sword could go
through, knowing all the time, too,
that thev could MT cut and jab him
back. Tom Green told me all this"
III don't believe he was coward at
ALL" said Rowena. "Edgarda has
often read me stories about these old
knights, and they were always just rs
kind TO poor ladies and little children
as ever they could be. That isn't be-
ing coward"
"Bnt he didn't have to put on his
iron clothes to be nd" said Fitz. at
was only when he had them on that he
was coward" And the boy made an
other crack at the figures head.
IL don't believe he was ever any
thing of the kind" said Rowena, TAX
ing the great mailed hand atfectionate-
ly in her own, while the dog Tip shifted
around the knight feet in way he had
never done before.
"This glove feels exactly us il it had
fingers in it," said Rowena.
At this moment the figure spoke.
If am u coward. young man." it
said, Z" l should like to know what you
are.
At these words Fitz Eustace dropped
into the chair as if he had been shot,
while Rowena stood as if petrified by
fear.
"Here is boy" continued the fig
ure, "who comes and strikes person
who cannot strike him back, and then
begins to call people cowards."
81 didn' t know you was alive" said
Fitz, almost beginning to cry, while
Rowena ran and threw her arms around
her brother.
81 suppose not" said the figure, cor
you would not have struck me. DO you
know who / amp
"Yes, you are our 'cestor," said
Fitz, preparing to slip out of the chair.
"Well, then, you needn't run away"
said the figure. "You have seen me
all your lives, and you ought TO know
by this time that | will not hurt you
Would you like to hear storyp"
The idea of hearing story from any
body was delightful to Rowena, and a
story from the old ancestor was some-
thing she could not resist, frightened
as she was; so she whispered to her
brother:
Lets listen to his story. He can t
move. He can't hurt us''
Rowena now clambered into the chair
beside her brother, and the figure pro-
ceeded.
You think it is fine thing, do you
not" he said, "to have an ancestor
who has been very grand and has done
great deeds?"
"Oh, yes. SIR" said Rowena, speak
ing for herself and Fitz, who had not
yet recovered.
"Well, them" said the 'cestor. "I
want you to pay particular attention to
my story. Once their was fairy god
mother. She had been godmother to a
great many children, but at the time |
am speaking of, she was godmother to
only one boy and girl. Their names
were Ramp and Bramette. They were
not brother and sister, but they were
acquainted with each other. AT cer-
tain time of the year, the fairies used
to preserve and pickle n great quantity
of chipply-berries." !"
"What are they, sirp" asked Row.
ena.
"They were u kind of berries the
fairies were very fond of. There are
none of them now, so there is no use
telling you what they were like. They
were the fairies principal food during
the winter. and SO they needed q great
many of them at preserving and picking
time. Therefore, on certain dav OF
every year, the people of the country
roundabout used to give up everything
else, and go to work gathering chipply-
berries for the fairies, for it was consid-
ed great thing to be on good terms
with these little folks. When the day
for gathering chipply-berries came, at
the time i tell you of, the fairy god
mother called Ramp and Bramette to
her. Il am very anxious she said,
that my two godchildren should dis.
tinguish themselves on this day; and,
therefore, am going to offer a prize
for you to work for. Whichever of you
succeeds the better in the labors of to-
day shall have this diamond, which you
see is as big as the largest chipply-ber-
ry.' The children were delighted at
this offer, and ran away to the chipply-
fields. In the evening the fairy grand
mother came to see what they had done.
Bramette had bushel-basket full of
berries. did you gather all theseP'
asked the fairy. 'Oh, no. said Bram-
ette, they were nearly all gathered by
my father and mother, my grandfather
and grandmother, who are the best
chipply- berry gatherers in this district. )
But did not you gather any of hemp
asked the fairy. Il believe did pick
few at first said Bramette, but |
liked best to measure them as they were
brought in, to see how many we wele
getting Then they are not really
yours said her godmother. 'Oh,
yes, they are answered Bramette.
Father and mother, and grandfather
and grandmother, said that could call
them al my own, SO that / might try
for the prize
"And what have you donep' said
the fairy, turning to Ramp. Il have
only gathered these said the boy, pro.
ducing a quart-pot full OF chipply-
berries, but think they are all good
ones 'Yes,' said the fairy, turning
them out. they are Tine, sound berries,
but are these all you could getP' Yes,
ma am,' answered Ramp, / wouldn'
pick the little withcrcd ones, and il
was hard work finding these big fel-
lows. had to climb all day upon the
hill-sides and among the rocks The
diamond is yours, said the fairy god
mother What you have brought,
you have gathered yourself, and all the
credit is your own. Bramette owes
her berries entirely to her parents and
grandparents. She has a great many
more berries than you have. but she
gathered none of them herself. Lei
this be lesson TO you, Bramette.' she
continued. 1t is very we'll that your
father and mother, and grandfather
and grandmother, are the best chipply
berry gatherers in the district; but that
makes you no better, and gives you nC