The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-27 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS FAIRIE 7.

(From Notes and Queries.)
My grandmother has often told me of fairies
dancing upon our green, and that they were very
little creatures, clothed in green ; they would do
good to the industrious people, but they pinch the
slnts ; they would steal children, and give one of
their own in the room ; and the moment any one
saw them they were struck blind of one eye. All
this I have heard, and my grandmother, who was
a very tall woman, said she had seen several of
them, which I believed because she said so ; she
said, moreover, that they lived underground, and
that they generally came out of a mole-hill ; ',hey
had fine music always among themselves, and
danced in a moonshiny night around, or in a ring,
as one may see at this day upon every common in
England, where mushrooms grow. But, though
my grandmother told me so, it is not unlawful to
inquire into a secret of this nature, and so I spoke
to several good women about it.
When I asked one whether there were such things
as fairies, " Ay," says she, " I have seen them
many a time ;" another said, " There's no room
to doubt of it, for you may see thousands of their
rings upon pur common," &c.
I found, however, , another way to be satisfied of
the matter, and heard the following story of fairies
from a person of reputation ;
A gentlewoman and her husband were going into
the country, and thought it best to retire out of
town four or five miles the night before, to receive
the stage coach, and avoid the ceremony of taking
leave of their friends, who are generally more
troublesome than welcome on that occasion ; and
being gone to bed in a country town where fairies
walked, about 12 o'clock tip comes a little woman,
not much bigger than one's thumb, and immedi-
ately follows a little parson, also a great number of
people, and a midwife, with a child in her arms ;
and I suppose by their power chairs were set for
them ; but it happened they wanted a godmother for
their child, for it was to be christened that night; so
says the good fairy, " Father, the gentlewoman in
the room will do us that favour." "Ay," says the
rest of the company, " it is a good thought ;" and up
brisked the fairy father to the bedside, and called
theiady, who did the office; for which the father
gave her a diamond ring. All this while the lady's
husband was as fast as a church, and knew nothing
of the matter. But in the morning, good luck, the
case was altered; he espied the fine ring upon his
wife's finger. "How came you by that, my dear 9"
says he. " Why, my love !" replies she, " the fairies
have been here to-night ;" and told him the story
of the christening. " Zounds," says he, " the
ring is Sir John's ring ; I know the stone ; I
have often seen familiarities between you
and him, and now I am convinced of your treachery."
And so I suppose he took his wife for a wanton.
The fairies were very necessary in families, as
much as bread, salt, pepper, or any other such com-
modity, I believe ; because they used to walk in
my- father's house, and if I can judge of the matter,
they were brought into all the families by the ser-
vants ; for in old times folks used to go to bed at
nine o'clock, and when the master and mistress
were laid on their pillows, the men and maids, if
they had a game at romps, and blundered up stairs,
or' tumbled a chair, the next morning every one
would swear it was the fairies, and that they heard
them stamping up and down the stairs all night,
crying " Waters locked, waters locked," when there
was no water in any pail in the kitchen.
Ss from what I have said, the hobgoblins, the
witches, the conjurors, the ghosts, and the fairies,
are not of any value, nor worth a thought.

ADVICE.—Be and continue poor, young man,
while others around you grow rich bvfraud and dishonesty ;
bear the pain of defeated hopes, while others gain the ac-
complishment of theirs by flattery ; forego the gracious
pressure of the hand, for which others cringe and crawl.
Wrap yourself in your own virtue, and seek a friend and
your daily bread. If you have in such a course grown grey
with unblemished honour, bless God and die.—Heinzel-
manii.
[ADVERTTSEMENT.]—To the hectic, the consumptive,
the dyspeetic, the emaciated, and the debilitated, Du Barry's
delicious health-restoring Revalenta Arabi -a Food restores
sound lungs; perfect digestion, refreshing sleep, and ner-
vous and muscular energy without any of the uncertainties,
annoyances, and ruinous expenses incurred by medicines,
cod liver oil, or visits to distant climes. We quote a few of
the many thousand cures effected by this delicious food.
Cure No. 39,618—Dr. Wurtzer, of consumption. Cure No.
54,812—Miss Virginia Zermers cured of consumption, after
her medical advisers had abandoned all hopes of recovery.
Cure No. 3,9o6—Thirteen years' cough, indigestion, and
general debility have been removed by Du Barry's excel-
lent Food. James Porter, Athol-street, Perth. Cure No.
51,618—Miss Gallard, 17, Rue du Giand St. Michael,
was in the last stage of consumption, of which two sisters
had died, and (iven up by her medical attendant, when, as
a last resource,'her father gave her Du Barry's Revalenta
Arabjca, and in about three months she was perfectly free
from cough, expectoration, nocturnal perspurations, and
every other symptoin of this dreadful disease, and
is now perfectly well. Cure No. 46,270—Mr. James
Roberts, timber merchant, of thirty year s
spittingdisetsed
lungs, of blood., liver derangement,
toifal
pdioe:ktnza Cure No. 52,087 Field-Marshztl Duke
Packed withw, '
of
full gastric
mmation
of the stomach.
ru
ns,.in canisters, 11b., 2s. Pd. ;
21b., 4s. Gd.; 191 b. 225. Super refined quality, 101 b 3"
Also Da Barry's 'Revr.denta Arab:ca Chocolate. Powder,
contains the greatest amount of epaiirlio,lassur,nlated nourish-
ment fin- strengthening delicate
or nerves,s, children and in-
fants of 'weal; stomach, cliest,at 3d. per
meat, aitOrds a delicious breakfast, lunch,oransupuer. It is
the best dietetic hotucepathic preparation, mid may be
eaten either alone or fluxed with Du Barry's Itevalenta.
Arabica Food. Admirably adapted to rear infants with.
In tins, at ls. 6d. ; 11b,, 3s. ; 21b., ss. Od. ; 51b., 125.; 121 b.,
265. The 101 b. and 121 b. tins carriage free, on receipt of post-
office order. Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London.
Fortnum, Mason, and Co., 182, Piemdilly • Abbis, 60,
Gracechureh-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63, and 9150, Oxford-
street; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and GO, Bishopagate-
street ; 85, Tottenham-eourt-road. Also tendblin
Bewley ana Draper ;at Edinburgh, Raimes eo.;
at Liverpool, Nixon and Thew; at Manchester, Sharp and
Scott ; at York, Relines, Blanchard,
.and. Co. ; at South-
ampton, Randall and eon.