Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-04-02

broad hearth. I occupied IN antiqus
chair I had found in the attir, and
which I was to carry home for my own
room. Carl and Francis sat on CID
fashioned crickets, while Arnt Celia
had her low willow rocker in front
of the fire, and Harry leaned against
her, with her arm around his neck.
We remained silent for somo mo-
ments, when grandfather quietly sa;d:
Cecilia, hadn't you botter tell the boys
the story Of the walnut rod?" We
looked mp in swift surprise. The wal
nut rod spoken Of was one that had
| rested, ever since we could remem bcr,
across pair of broad antlers over tho
fireplace. with an old sword and two
muskets that had seen service It
Bunker Hill and Yorktown. Often had
we, In boyish curiosity, asked what IL
was, and why it was kept there. tied
by . piece of faded ribbon 70 one of the
antlers, but had always been put of
with "by and BY" and when you are
Older" Now, when we saw q chance
TO know about it, we choruscd: .Ohi
yes, Aunt Celia, do tell. please" and
she. quietly saying: II suppose they
can learn its lesson now." began:
II was, % you know. the only girl Of
SuO AoAAAyS duu oASO ZIG yOuuRCB6
child. your father being two years
older. There were few neigh bors
when we 6rst came here to live; in
deed, our nearest was fully quarter
of a milo away, SO VIC saw few besides
our own family. Your uncles, John.
William and Elijah, were several years
older. and so were busy helping father
in clearing the land and In its care,
Accordingly Henry and / were much
together. We studied the same book
At our mothers knee played with the
same toys and wero together Sc much
that tho older boys sometimes called
us mothers two girls But your ia
thor, though tender and gentle in ap-
pearance, had brave heart under his
little jacket,Sand knew better than
they that he was no coward They
called him SO sometimes, thinking, be-
cause he seemed fearful about some
things they counted triles, that
he really had no courage. I'm e.fraid
boys have forgotten nowadays that
mere daring is no test Of true cour age"
Here, Francis and Carl felt their faces
grow hot, but Aunt Celia said no moro
and went on:
ut was one day in April, very like
to-day, that we all went upon the side
hill to pick May flowers. Henry was
nearly twelve years olo. his birthday.
Us you know, is next month, and was
ten. 1t had always been q habit, when
people went out in the spring for flow-
ers, to cut o stout stick. to be used
partly as a walking stick, and partly
Us q protection against snakes, which
were often seen. but which usually es-
capped before they could be reached.
Old people told Of rattlesnalses that
used to be seen, but they wero very
scarce, even then, and mono of us had
ever seen one.
"Iye all had sticks cut from a bunch
OF hickory saplings that grew beside
the path, and your uncle Elijah said,
as we were going along: I wonder
what Hen would do if he heard a rat
tlcsnake; turn pale and faint away,
guess Mt which the others laughed
loudly, but Henry said nothing, though
\ saw his lips quiver at tho taunt.
1--WE found the flowers, thick and
beautiful. just as you have this week.
We picked all we wished, ate the lunch
which mother had put up for us, and
were sitting on a large, fiat stone. talk
ing of starting for home. saw n bit
of pretty moss under some twigs at the
edge of the stone, and stepped down to
get it, when suddenly peculiar
whir-r-r, that we never had heard be-
fore, struck our cars. All the boys
started up, looking about eagerly. The
bushes at my side parted slightly, and
tho flattened head of large rattle
snake protruded, and again came that
dreadful sound Then the boys jumped
from the rock, each in different direc-
tion. and screamed, rather than cried:
Jump, Celia, it's a rattlesnake.'
81 could not move. l must have been
paralyzed by fear, for, though was
but 4 child, could not misunderstood
my danger OF course, what l am tell
ing happened in few seconds, but
remember hearing the swish that a
stick makes when it cuts through tho
air, and the horrible head, with it's
forked, vibrating tongue, was severed
from the writhing body. and fell at my
feet
Harry had quietly steppeddown by
my side, and with his stick the one
you see on the antlcrs yonder, had
saved me from a dreadful death. There
he stood, pale and trembling to be sure,
but with such n light in his blue eyes,
that none of his older brothers dared
ever call him coward, or girl. again.
We walked quietly home, bringing the
body with its horrible horny scales. to
show to father and mother. shall
mover forget how they claspcd us in
their arms as they listened to the story.
and how I wondered, as child will, il
every body. when they were grown up,
cried when they were very glad
Nothing was ever said to the older
boys They had learned what true
bravery was, the scorn of self-protec-
tion when another needed help and
they have been better for it ever since.
Your father has never had the story
told to you. thinking that sometime it
might elso teach yon the lesson that
true courage from its root word, the
Latin cor, and down through the