Part 31 (1/2)

ButHis ould note or know, And often with a weary heart He waded to and fro

One night, as wrapped in sleep he lay, He sudden heard a call,-- ”O Christopher, co, looked out, but all

Was dark and silent on the shore, ”It ain; But instantly there seeain the feeble, distant cry,-- ”Oh, coain No living thing could see

The third time came the plaintive voice, Like infant's, soft and weak; With lantern strode the giant forth, More carefully to seek

Down on the bank a little child He found,--a piteous sight,-- Who weeping, earnestly iood will he picked him up, And on his neck to ride He tossed hied into the tide

But as the water closed around His knees, the infant's weight Grew heavier, and heavier, Until it was so great

The giant scarce could stand upright, His staff shook in his hand, His hty knees bent under hi, set the infant down, And turned to scan his face; When, lo! he saw a halo bright Which lit up all the place

Then Christopher fell down, afraid At , And drea

Until the infant spoke, and said: ”O Christopher, behold!

I alad and bold!

”For I have seen and noted well, Thy works of charity; And that thou art ood A token thou shalt see

Plant firmly here upon this bank Thy stalwart staff of pine, And it shall blosson”

Then, vanishi+ng, the infant siant, left alone, Saw on the bank, with luscious dates, His stout pine staff bent down

I think the lesson is as good To-day as it was then-- As good to us called Christians As to the heathen th for others, And saved his soul by working hard To help and save his brothers!

HELEN HUNT JACKSON

WILLIAM TELL AND HIS SON

The sun already shone brightly as William Tell entered the town of Altorf, and he advanced at once to the public place, where the first object that caught his eyes was a handso pole Soldiers alking around it in silence, and the people of Altorf, as they passed, bowed their head to the symbol of authority The cap had been set up by Gessler, the Austrian co those ere not submissive to the Austrian pohich had ruled the people of the Swiss Cantons for a long tireat severity He suspected that the people were about to break into rebellion, and with a view to learn ere the most discontented, he had placed the ducal cap of Austria on this pole, publicly proclaiht of it, should bow before it, in proof of his hoe to the duke

Tell was e atteazed scornfully on theth observed thiscrowd carried his head erect He ordered him to be seized and disarmed by the soldiers, and then conducted him to Gessler, who put sohtily that Gessler was both surprised and angry Suddenly, he was struck by the likeness between him and the boy Walter Tell, whom he had seized and put in prison the previous day for uttering some seditious words; he immediately asked his name, which he no sooner heard than he knew him to be the archer so famous, as the best marksman in the Canton

Gessler at once resolved to punish both father and son at the same time, by a method which was perhaps the ined As soon, then, as the youth was brought out, the governor turned to Tell, and said: ”I have often heard of thy great skill as an archer, and I now intend to put it to the proof Thy son shall be placed at a distance of a hundred yards, with an apple on his head If thou strikest the apple with thy arroill pardon you both; but if thou refusest this trial, thy son shall die before thine eyes”

Tell iht perhaps kill his beloved boy with his own hand The governor would not alter his purpose; so Tell at last agreed to shoot at the apple, as the only chance of saving his son's life Walter stood with his back to a linden tree Gessler, some distance behind, watched every motion His cross-bow and one arroere handed to Tell; he tried the point, broke the weapon, and deht to hi tiirdle

After being in doubt a long ti in his face, his love for his son rendering hith roused himself--drew the bow--aimed--shot--and the apple, struck to the core, was carried away by the arrow

The market-place of Altorf was filled by loud cheers Walter flew to e to the ground, thus exposing the second arrow to view Gessler stood over hi place, Tell rose, and turned away froovernor with horror The latter, however, scarcely yet believing his senses, thus addressed him: ”Incomparable archer, I will keep my promise; but what needed you with that second arrohich I see in your girdle?”

Tell replied: ”It is the custom of the bowmen of Uri to have always one arrow in reserve”

”Nay, nay,” said Gessler, ”tell me thy real motive; and, whatever it may have been, speak frankly, and thy life is spared”