Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-11
The knight of the
Coasting Hill

81 wish I'd lived in the time when
there were Knights said Eric. as
mother finished reading the children
a story of the olden time when knights
in armor rode about doing brave deeds
and even little boys were trained to
be knights when they grew up.
81 wish could have been knight"
repeated Eric, going to the window
and looking out at the snow-covered
scene.
"You can be a knight now" an
swered his mother, going to look out
the window at his side. "a knight,
you know, is one who does brave
deeds, who helps those who are small
err and weaker than himself, who de-
tends the right. I see the need of a
knight just now" She looked at the
hill in front of the house, which was
covered with merry coasters.
What do you mean?' asked Eric
curiously.
81 see those girls and those little
boys with their sleds off by themselves
because those big boys have pushed
them out of the way so they can have
the hill. They're being so rude and
rough that the girls and the little fell
lows are afraid to try to coast. It's
a shame!" Mrs. Curtis looked indig-
nantly at little group of small boys
and girls huddled off to one side Of
the coasting hill.
Gall right exclaimed Eric, resolute.
ly. "rll go out and try to be a knight!
It isn't fair for those big boys to have
the whole of the coasting-just be-
cause they're bigger and stronger than
the others"
He hurried into his heavy coat and
warm cap, drew on his mittens, seized
his sled, and ran out to the hill.
He was welcomed gladly by the
boys.
"Ho, Eric! Come on. the coasting's
fine!" they shouted, as they skinned
down the hill past him.
Instead of following their example,
however, and flying down over the
frozen hill, to their surprise he went
up to the little group of girls and small
boys.
"Why don't you go down, too?' he
asked pleasantly.
ooh, those big boys are so mean!
They push us and they won't make
room for u.s." answered the girls, in.
dignantly.
"They won't hurt you. I'll see that
they don't. You go ahead" Eric
helped one of the little boys drag his
sled to the top of the hill. Several
of the bigger boys, running up, pushed
back against the little fellow. He
drew back, frightened.
II say, fellows cried Eric, hotly,
at isn't fair! It isn't right to push the
little fellows and the girls out of the
way. They've as much right on this
hill as we have. We ought to take
care of them and be kind to them, be.
cause they're not as big and strong
as we are"
The boys gazed at him In amaze.
ment, their sleds appraised.
"Sure," responded Bob Wilson, the
biggest of all the boys. 1--WE didn't
mean to push them out Of the way.
OF course they've as much right here
as we have. Let the girls and the
When Bob Wilson took stand for
there were always sure to
be plenty of followers. It ended In
the big boys helping the little ones
to the top of the hill, starting them
off so they could have a good coast,
helping the girls, and seeing that no
one pushed or hurt any of the smaller,
weaker ones. 1t was a happy after
noon for all-the big boys, the girls,
and the little boys. When Eric came
in to supper, his cheeks red, his eyes
bright, and as hungry as a hunter,
his mother looked up, smiling.
II think the knight has done very
good afternoons work." she said. II
hope you'll always remember that you
can be just such knight every day
of your life
"Ill try, mother" answered Eric. Il
want to be a brave knight, even il l
didn't live in the days when they wore
armor and rode fiery steeds. Besides,
it's such fun--being knight"