Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-07

We remained silent for some mo- ments, when grandfather quietly said: Celia, hadn't you better tell the boys the story of the walnut rod?" We looked up in swift surprise. The wal nut rod spoken of was one that had rested, ever since we could remember. across pair of broad antlers over the fireplace, with an old sword and two muskets that had seen service at Bunker Hill and Yorktown. Often had we, in boyish curiosity. asked what it was, and why it was kept there, tied by piece of faded ribbon to one of the antlers, but had always been put off with "by and by," and "when you are older" Now, when we saw a chance to know about it, we chorused: "Ohl yes, Aunt Celia, do tell. please" and she, quietly saying: 1T suppose. they can learn it's lesson now," began:
 'I was, ss you know, the only girl of the family, and also the youngest child, your father being two years older. There were few neighbors when we first came here to live; in- deed, our nearest was fully quarter of mile away, so we 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 I were much together We studied the same book at our mothers knee, played with the same toys and were together SO much that the older boys sometimes called us mothers two girls But your fa- ther, though tender and gentle in ap- pearance, had a brave heart under his little jacket, ard I 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 triAes, that he really had no courage. I'm afraid boys have forgotten nowadays that mere daring is no test of true courage" Here, Francis and Carl felt their faces grow hot, but Aunt Celia said no more 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 old, his birthday, as you know, is next month, and was ten. It had always been habit, when, people went out in the spring for flow CTS, to cut stout stick, to be used partly as a walking stick, and partly as protection against snakes, which were often seen, but which usually es- capped before they could be reached. Old people told of rattlesnakes that used to be seen, but they were very scarce, even then, and none of us had ever seen one.
 "We 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 tlesnake; turn pale and faint away, I guess at which the others laughed loudly, but Henry said nothing, though l saw his lips quiver at the taunt.
 "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 large, fiat stone, talk ing of starting for home. I saw a bit of pretty moss under some twigs at the edge of the stone, and stepped down to get it, when suddenly a peculiar whir-r-r, that we never had heard be- fore, struck our ears. All the boys started up, looking about eagerly. The bushes nt my side parted slightly, and the fattened head of large rattle snake protruded, and again came that dreadful sound. Then the boys jumped from the rock, each in a different direc- tion, and screamed, rather than cried: Jump, Celia, it's rattlesnake'
 II could not move. must have been paralyzed by fear, for, though was but child, could not misunderstood my danger. Of course, what am tell ing happened in few seconds, but I remember hearing the swish that a stick makes when it cuts through the 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 stepped down by my side, and with his stick, the one you see or the antlers wonder, had saved me from dreadful death. There he stood, pale and trembling to be sure, but with such 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 it's horrible horny scales, to show to father and mother. I shall never forget how they clasped us in their arms as they listened to the story, and how l wondered, as child will, if 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 peeded 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 also teach yoo the lesson that true courage from it's root word, the Latin cor, and down through the French occur, is both below and above any outward manifestations, and be- longs to the heart.
 ''The snake must have come out in- to the sun from his den under the rock, and was not as active as in warmer weather, or the bite would have fol- lowed the first alarm. There has never since been seen another in this l..