St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-02-22
THE LITTLE CHAMPION.

SAesASsASsASsAo
4 THE LITTLE CHAMPION. !
BY CARMEN SYLVIA.
4 Queen Of Roumanis.) ]
RARAeAssAbeA.AseAkAk
Copyright 1907
Real Queens Fairy Tales" published b,
Davis g Company. Chicago. It is vol
fitted writer Carmen sylvia, queen O
Roumania, in which a number Of pleasing
fairy stories are told. The following story
ser ana IS IS G hene %
special permission Of the publishers.
THIS was the nickname the othe,
boys had given young Arnold
because he could not see any creature
In distress without going to it's as
sistance. TIA fly fell into the milk he
held out blade of grass for it 10 es
cape upon, and when he one day saw
q snake about to swallow a poor lit.
tie frog he killed the cruel reptile just
in time to save poor froggy's life
though the little creature could
hardly believe itself to be safe, and
could only sit there staring at its
rescuer with it's great big eyes, whilst
its poor little heart still went pit-a.
pat, pit-a-pat!
Another time as Arnold was pass
Ing pond he saw three boys busily
engaged in trying to drown little
dog. They had tied rope with q
stone fastened to it round it's neck,
and threw the poor animal right into
the middle of the pond before Arnold
could come up to them. Quick as
thought he flung of his clothes.
plunged into the water, and swan
straight for the spot where the bub-
bles rising to the surface showed the
death-struggle going on below. He
dived and brought the poor little dog
up in his arms, quite limp and mo-
tionless, but yet alive.
You wicked boys!" he said, painting
for breath, and drying the little ami
NAL carefully with his handkerchief;
you wicked boys! will have moth
ing more to do with you. I will never
play with you again!"
1--WE did not want to do it," began
the youngest boy, and then the Sec
0nd one took heart and said: eve
really did not want to do tive all
cried, for we are very fond of Fluff,
but my father said'-and here he
stopped and hesitated, not sure
whether to go on.
my father says we are too poor
to keep a dog" the eldest boy broke
in defiantly, "and so we would rather
drown him ourselves than let anyone
else have him!"
"And you shall keep your dog, but
in future will feed him. It is little
I have, but will give it you that you
may get him something to eat at
once. have only these three pen
mics, but that will be enough to keep
of hunger for the moment
when Arnold pulled his pence out of
HIS pocket, to sec three gold pieces
three bright, new gold pieces, that
rang as only gold can ring! The
brothers stared at Arnold, who looked
Just as puzzled himself, and STAN
mered out: "What does it mean? I
never had piece of gold in all my
life!"
The others, who at first could hard
ly believe their eyes, now began to
feel somewhat in awe of him, and
said: 'Feel again in your pockets;
perhaps you have turned into a
goldman!"
But the pockets were both empty,
and the children separated. The pup
py, however, stoutly refused to go
with the little wretches who had tried
to drown it, and kept coming back to
Arnold and taking refuge between his
legs. "Well, them" he said at last,
''the dog must stay with me, and you
must keep the money in payment. I
shall take care Of him, and bring him
up. And as for the gold, you need
not be afraid; It was not come by
It must be fairy-money,
aud if I find any more, you shall share |
in it!"
Not long afterward, one of the
three brothers fell into the pond him
self. Arnold heard the screams long |
way of, and saw group of children
standing shoulder to shoulder round
the edge of the pond. on which doated
, big empty washtub.
HE has fallen in there! he is I'M
der the tub! he will be drowned!"
they all shouted at the same time,
while Arnold did the only sensible
of his clothes and swan
nut toward the tub. Giving it a lit
tie push, he dived, and reappeared
holding by the hair the already uncon-
,cious lad, with whom he swan to
shore. The children, who had looked
On breathlessly, now crowded round
hem.
SIS he dead?" they asked.
mo; his heart still beats feebly."
They rubbed him, turned him over
N his face that he might bring up
he water he had swallowed, and at
ength he opened his eyes. His
had stood by rather crest
allen, and dreading the beating which
hey might expect for their valiant
conduct.
But Arnold with a sudden resolve
,eld out his cap. "Who will give
title help to the shipwrecked sailor?
small contribution, beg, for the
.allant seaman!"
The children thrust their hands in
heir pockets and wonderful to re-
ate! each copper-piece was instantly
hanned into cold: even a button