The broad ax., 1896-08-15
HEART OF HARE.

each corner was tower and nom these
many a flag waved in the wind. A bridge
connected the island with the river bank,
and on bridge and tower and rampant
HUNDRED sentinels kept guard and called
to one another with hoarse voices.
In this castle lived a knight, q brave
and famous fighter. Whenever he returned
from victory, great wagons laden with
booty rumbled over the bridge into the
castle, the trumpets along the battlements
blew fanfaral fanfaraI and all the peo-
pie who dwelt along the river bank shook
/ In their shoes
| There were deep dungeons beneath the
castle, and In them many prisoners were
shut up. Every day these prisoners were
led out to work, some to keep the ramparts
| In repair, others to dig in the castle gar
den. Among them was an old woman
who was q soroeress. She had sworn to
be revenged on the knight for his i'll treat
mept Of her and waited year after year for
her opportunity.
One day as she was working In the gar
den the knight came walking along and
sat himself down on Q bench. he was
tired, for he had just returned from toll
some campaign. So presently his eyes
closed and he fell asleep.
The old witch, who had been watching
him, went 20 q bed Of peoples, and gather
ing some poppy seed In her hand crept up
10 the knight. She scattered the poppy
seed over his eyes to make him sleep the
sounder, and then she took an aspen
branch and struck him on the breast over
his heart. At once his breast opened, so
that you could look In and see his heart as
Il lay there and beat. Then the old witch
laughed an evil laugh, stretched out her
bony arm, and with her hooked fingers
drew out the knights heart so quietly that
he never even stirred. Next she took q
hare's heart, which she kept hidden upon
her cloak, put Ii into the breast and closed
mp the opening. Creeping away on tiptoe,
she hid herself behind q clump Of bushes
10 zee the effect Of her wicked work.
The knight was not long In finding out
the change the hare's heart was making
In him. He began to shiyer In his sleep
and turn uneasily from side to side, for
be, who had never known fear, was begin
ming to dream horribly. He woke with q
shudder and sat up. His forehead was
damp with sweat, and he felt as If his
armor were crushing him. Over the wall
came the voices Of his hounds barking In
their kennels. Once he had delighted in
the sound and dearly he had loved their
deep baying as he followed them through
the forest after the wild boar. But now
he quaked from head to heel and fed out
Of the garden for his life. As he ran up
the stairs TO his room the clang of his ar
NOR, the jingle Of his silver spurs, the |
CHATTER Of his sword, possessed him with |
such terror that he tore them of, and, |
dtnging them from him, sank upon his |
bed.
Fear followed him even in his sleep. |
Night after night the challenge Of his |
sentries upon the ramparts, the barking !
Of his watch dogs in the court, kept him |
shuddering as he lay on his bed, and ne |
buried his face like a frightened child In |
the pillow. Night after night he wept to /
think that he was such a coward and /
paused in the midst of his tears to shudder |
and shake at the wind that sang around |
the castle roof, or the sound of the rive.
Is 1t Tapped the foundation walls far be- |
low.
At length a body of his enemies took
heart and came to besiege him in his cas-
tie. The knights soldiers eyed their mas
tar and waited for him to give the word
and lead them forth. They could not IN
oerstand why he delayed. But he, whose
heart had used TO swell at the sound, when
he heard the clash Of arms, the shouts Of
men and the tramp Of horses hoofs, fed
up and up to the topmost chamber Of his
castle and from there looked down upon
the enemy's force. And when he remem-
oered his deeds in time past his campaigns
and combats and victories, he fell on his
knees and clasped his hands together and
cried out aloud:
Oh 49, Il
Give me the old strength and yiRor of
heart Already my men have taken the
neld, and j, who used to lead them. now
peer out upon the enemy, like a Girl.
through the highest loophole. Give INV
old self back to me and send ma forth a
man again"
A he prayed he seemed to awake from
> dream. He ran down to his chamber.
ouckled on his armor, leaped upon his
horse and rode out at the castle gate. Hi
soldiers shouted as he came and sounded
The trumpets- The knight spurred his
horse and dashed forward with fury. But
N his secret heart he was afraid. and
when his men pressed after him and ral-
Izntly engaged the enemy, his fear grew
md grew, and he turned and fed.
Even when he was back In his fortress.
lAfe behind the thick walls, the fear did
not leave him. BE tottered down from
~ horse. ran TO an inner chamber and
'nere quite unnamed, sat down and
waited for q shameful death.
But a. it happened, be was safe. for his
nan had turned the foe and CHASED them
q the Held The guards oheered as they
ssurneo victorious, and the trumpets
ouneed along the battlements. But when
hey came to look for their chief. they
ound him hiding, half dead, In a deep
ellzr.
The unhappy knight did not live long
fssr this During the winter be tried TO
Earm his limbs by the big fireside of his
astis, but they shivered and shook all the
lme- When spring came. he would open
ID windows 30 the sunshine and fresh air.
nd one day q swallow that had built its
sst under tie caves Of the roof came
wooping By and brushed the knights face
Itth its wing. As II struck BY lightning
b poor man fell down upon the ground
nkiRA short while died.