The Red Cloud chief., 1881-12-22

100 httSF IVA SAs 49, ls' tAssss
back. Tom Green told me all this"
II don't believe he was Toward at
ALL" said Rowena. "Edgarda has
often read me stories about these old
knights, and they were always just as
kind TO poor ladies and little children
as ever they could be. That isn't be-
ing a coward"
"But he didn't have to put on his
iron clothes to be kind" said Fitz. at
was only when he had them on that he
was a coward" And the boy made an
other crack at the figures head.
81 don't believe he Was ever any
thing OF the kind" said Rowcna, tax
ing the great mailed hand a~flectiOnate-
ly in her own, while the dog Tip smiled
around the knights feet in a way he had
never done before.
This glove feels exactly as il it had
fingers in it," said ROwena
At this moment the figure spoke.
Of / am a coward. young man." it
said, al should like TO know what you
are"
At these words Fitz Eustace dropped
into the chair as if he had been shot.
whilo Rowena stood as if pctrilied by
fear.
Here is a boy," continued the fig
ure. "who comes and strikes a person
who cannot strike him back. and then
begins to call people towards"
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. ''or
you would not have struck me. DO you
know who | ann"
"Yes, you are Dur 'cestor," said
Fitz, preparing 10 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 a story?"
The idea of hearing a 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 usir
Rowena now clambered into the chair
beside her brother. and the figure pro-
ceeded.
You think it is a fine thing. do you
not" he said, "to have an ancestor
who has been very grand and has done
great dcedsP"
"Oh, yes. sir" said Rowena. speak
ing for herself and Fitz, who had not
yet recovered.
.sWcll, then" said the ~'cestor. 81
want You to pay particular attention TO
my story. Once their was a fairy god
mother. She had been godmother to a
great many children, but ut the time |
am speaking of, she was godmother to
only one boy and a girl. Their names
were Ramp and Bramette. They were
not brother and sister, but they were
acquainted with each other. At a GER
tain time of the year, the fairies used
to preserve and pickle a great quantity
of chipply-berries."
What are they. sir?" asked Row.
ena.
They were a 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 a great
many of them at preserving and picking
time. Therefore, on a certain day 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 a great thing to be on good terms
with these little folks. When the day
for gathering chipply-berries came, at
the time l 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, l am going to offer . 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 c~hipply-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 a bushel-basket full of
berries. Did you gather all these?'
asked the fairy. 'Oh. no. said Bran
cite. they were nearly all gathered by
my father and mother. my grandfather
and grandmother, who are the best
chipply-berry gatherers nthis district
But did not You gather any of them?'
asked the fairy. Il believe l did pick
a few at first said Bramette, but l
liked best to measure them as they were
brought in, to see how many we weIe
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 1 could call
them all my own, 50 that l might try
for the prize
land what have you done?' said
the fairy, turning to Ramp. Il have
only gathered these said the boy, pro
ducing a quart-pot full of chipply-
berries, hut AAu
ones stss' said the larry. turnine
them QUIT tAey are 6ne, sound berries,
but are thSesl you could getr Yea.
ma'am.' apgeered Ramp. Il wouldn'i
pick the tittle withered ones, and II
wasl6cd work lnding these big fell
l0kk lad % climb al day upon the
4illsides and amoag The rockAf The
diamond b yours.s Sid tie fairy god
mother. What goa havo brought,
you have gathered yoursen. and III The
credit Is your own. nramette owes
h0r berries entirely to her parents and
grandparents She he's Z great many
moro berries than you have but she
Gathered none Of them hezBeH. Let
this b . lesoon 70 ron. Bfauette.s she
continued. 1T b very welI that your
1 father and mother. and grnndfsfher