The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-17

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and knightly prowess. Husband and wife
smiled at this childish enthusiasm, but they
also we're interested in Herry' reading.
Right so, began the veracious chron-
iele, the good knight Sir Amyas Taw-
leigh departed, and lightly rode through
the land of Heatheness, and then was he
ware how there came riding Paynim Of
great stature, richly Digit in armour Of
proof Which when Sir Amyas spied, he
set lance in rest and commended his soul
to the keeping of Christus our Lord.
Herewith the Paynim dressed him to the
joust, and ayentred his spear on Sir Amy
as, and Sir Amyas smote the foul Paynim,
that horse and man bare he to earth, and
heing brast in pieces, the Paynim yielded
him captive to Sir Amyas. With that
the Paynim mourned passing sore, saying,
Lackaday, sir, that my little child should
lose father Then Sir Amyas bethought
him of the child of his body which abided
in Angleland, and saith he }: 'Peradven-
ture the like may befall me- Go in peace,
thou infdeI Right SO the Paynim gat
him hence eagerly, and Sir Amyas rode
full soberly to Hierusalem. And when it
was come noon he layed him to sleep, and
so sleeping he was ware Of IS. Peter and
Paul, all glorious in heavenly light. And
said they, 'Forasmuch as thou has learnt
the saying of Christus our Lord, that men,
the one to the other, are brothers, this
wilt we give thee for sign Safe will thou
fare to thy roof tree, and there wilt thou
raise fair chapel to our names. Sith ye
ask a boon at the altar thereof upon the
eve of the Holy Day, to thee will the
boon be given And sith it liketh those
who are born Of ye to beseech likewise,
the boon shall be to them also With
that IS. Peter and Paul departed, and
Sir Amyas gat him to his own country,
where he raised fair chapel. So this
gentle knight and those of his loins who
came after, even to this day, have gifts
from IS. Peter and Paul, so be it, as they
crave the same upon the Holy Eve Of
Christmas our Lord, to Whom be all praise
and glory
There, father" cried Herry, closing
the book, ''if you go to Tawleigh Chapel
tonight and pray to the good saints they
may give you back the Court. .
II am afraid not, child, - replied her
father, with a sigh "our Christmas Luck
is thing of the past.
"Did you ever try, father 2
"No, child, there would be no sense in
trying
This Herry did not believe, and Won
dered why her father had not implicit trust
in the two chief Saints of the Holy Church.
To call upon them for aid, to remind them
of their promise to Sir Amyas, and to ask
for the desired boon at the foot of Tawleigh
chapel altar-these things, in Herry'
opinion, we're necessary to avert the threat
ened calamity In her little bed that
night the child wept at the thought of
leaving the fair green country for smoky
London, and prayed to IS. Peter and Paul
that they would perform the miracle of the
Christmas Luck. But at the present mo-
ment there seemed to be no hope that her
prayers would be granted. Nevertheless
Herry continued to offer supplications for
the occurrence of the impossible.
Unexpectedly most astonishing idea
entered her mind, and she sat up in bed
with throbbing heart and quickened pulse.
Tonight was Christmas Eve, when, ac-
cording to tradition, the boon should be
asked. Traleigh Chapel was no great dis
tance away; and, as Herry knew, there
was midnight celebration of the Mass.
Why should she not slip out Of the house
unknown to her parents, and when the
service was ended remain behind to ask
that the Christmas Luck should be given
to the Tawleighs in their present straits
Then-Hery had small doubt-the good
saints would so influence the heart of John
Kilvert that he would give back the court
to her father There would be no need
then for the migration to London, and the
cares and troubles of the family would be
at an end. So Herry considered in her
childish faith, and, with heroism worthy
of an older person, she proceeded to put
her plan into execution. She looked upon
this midnight petition as cure for all
evils.
In silence, and without waking her
brother and sister, the little heroine dress
ed herself with trembling fingers and put
tins on cloak and hat, went downstairs
The clock in the hall chimed l l as she
passed by the door of her parents bed
room, and paused for moment to listen
to their tranquil breathing. In her stock
iDged feet Herry stole through the dark
passage, feeling her way to the kitchen.
Here she unbolted the back door with
noiseless haste, and soon found herself
trembling on the snowy road and fully
committed to the adventure. The distant
bell of Tawleigh chapel seemed to invite
her to the quest, and Herry, with beating
heart, ran down the road in the direction
of the Great Park ''For father sake!'
said she as she sped along; ''for fathers
saker' The snow lay white upon the
ground, but overhead there was no cloud
in the sky, and like diamonds the stars
scintillated in the frosty night. No one
was abroad, and Herry, dark little figure,
tripped lightly along the snowy highway.
A chill and wintery moon scared over the
hills and flooded the Artic landscape with
pale radiance The park gates, by reason
of the midnight Mass, were open; and
through them ran Herry, turning to the
right, where Tawleigh Chapel loomed
amid the leafess trees. 1t was an archi-
tectural gem, built by Sir Amyas in honor
of his vision and at the altar thereof was
the request of his small descendant to be
made. Surely never had so tiny pc
titioner gone on so strange an errand, and
with such profound faith.
As many of the Tawleigh tenants were
of the true faith, there was quite con-
gregation in the little church, Henry
slipped into an empty seat near the door,
and saw the glories of the high altar, at
which Father Vaux oficiated in splendid