Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-11-07
TIE LITTLE MAUD;
THE FAIRY's GIFT.
BY AnnA II. FnILLIrs lnIE.LEs InvIEo.l

1
The slant evening sunbeams, warm and golden,
were gancing in through leaves that strayed III the
4 wind of summer, upon soft, white drsperled
i couch where baby girl lay sleeping. The room
| all huShed aud warm IN the golden light, was very
flair Beauty was everyw herein the heavy a
grant roses that droOred fIom Parlan vases IN the
pictured landscapes that setthe walls ngow, lnthe
furniture, of rare and tasteful device; aud IN the
| soft hued carpet, upon whose leaves and flowers.
lay Tiny shoes, lately dropped from baby feet, aud
glitt ring coral and silver bells silent now because
| The little hands that made them musicalwere fold.
ed tn their uightlyIeSt. Beautiful were all their
| household tTeusuTes-all, except that best and
| dearest of the whole, the baby face that nestled
/ on the pillow of that couch where the sunbeams
lfall. 30 if go
around her lighted up loyelineSS and grace, found
no answering beauty when it came 10 her. No I
clear, bright brow, no crimson cheek and lip, no
long golden, dark, sweeping IrinSeS 10 The eye
lids 1t saw only pale, dull-Lued, Irregular lit
tle face which even she who cherished II most of
all the world its mother, could only bless and love-
And above that little, plain lace bent the sweet
youug mother now, with passionate love and sad
ness in her heart, for many eyes that day had pass
| ed her baby UNDECIDED and neglected by Tor close
beside it. all through the long bright hours, (and
Isleeping now in the wavering shadows near her
| MaudD had been a child of such exquisite beauty
that every heart blessed it as it passed; golden
haired, sunny-eyed, rosy-lpPed child, on whom it
was Joy 10 look. There was no envy nor bitter
.
child was the orphan of her sister, and she joyed
that the boy's appealing lovelineSS would win for
him shelteTing tenderness in every heart; but her
mother tears fell fast that no one stayed TO give her
beauties baby girl one loving look. AM while
her heart was yel with the thought. the father
of her little Maud had come TO give to the children
as they lay in their first evening sleep, the good
night kiss, and her quick sad eyes had seen upon
his face, as he looked from his daughter 10 the
2 glowing brow o the slumberng boy cold look
of regret and disappointment, that had peIced to
her heart deeper than all the arrows OF the worlds
neglect.
she beet alone above her baby, "'muSt II be SO
Though all thy life, thou goeSt though this
world that no heart will incline to thlne-that all
will pass thee by, and give thee never one loving
: glance, because of thy plain, PLAIN face Oh how
would thy little heart sigh and greye ioI tender
words, if thy mother were gone from theeP' She
kissed the small hand she hell within her own, and
d she laid hr cheek down beside the sleeping cleek
i of her baby, and wished with deep, mournful
earnestneSs, that her own dear Maud had been also
fair. ooh, that some fairy power would transform
her into beauty''-and as the wish escaped her
ouiysTing lips there 10 her faint rustic
y rs of tiny wings, and looking up she poised
upon the edge OF the pillow, by her baby'S brow,
dainty little creature, ethereal and bright as the
, very SunbeamS. 1t was robed IN the blue OF the
" sky and round its brow circet of Jewels, SO
small and 81 intensely pure that they only seemed
of line of light. Its goSSamer, golden wings we've
e fodeI land in like the fainteSt whisper of
70 the evening wind II said
TFairy hearts are sad for the tears you shed, and
[ am come 10 grant you the dearest wish of your
h spirit Only once in the lifetime Of your child can
~ YOU wish for her. Speak now, aud It shall be
N granted. Speak and answer, quckly."
g. The light wirgS of the fairy quve:ed intensely,
It as though the air OF mortal home too heavy
% for its ethereal spirit and the mother drew
i'll and nearer TO her baby, and bowed her head so
close 10 its lairy-wached brow, that she felt the
ID touch of wings upon her forehead, quickly her
heart vsioned her child beautiful oh, beautiful
If only mothers wish would make her-all eyes
OF bent on her admiration, all hearts loving her
10 and the beauty of her presence making radiance
We everywhere. She saw her fathers eye gazing on
I'd her iomdly and she felt in her own heart new
lie deIight-but no tendeTer nos deeper love.
y ''AnSwer quickly said the fairy, and the mo-
I'd theirs heart pulsed on and the vision gOwed bIgh-
ID ler but suddenly came the thought, "w hat II the
Iy pift she loved should be to the child blessing
1t if with outward beauty should come none to tie
= inward spIIit-if eyes of rareSt form and color
NJ should chance 10 have no sweetness IN their SnIle
oil andlps moulded in crimson lovness should learn
ne to utter cold unlovng woIdS-If pride should come
b, and throne itself upon the brow she would have
n, more fair anu beautiful than any in the world!'-
sc chill passed over her as the dark thought pre-
w scented ITSELF and she opened her eyes and looked
i'll tenderly into the pale dark face Of her baby.
7 'tAnswer quickly said the fairy, al wait no
ly more-what IS the wish OF thy healt4, Ana The
I'd Young mother took her baby in her arms, and while
the tears fell fast upon It's sumbering bosom, she
ey whispered, "Giye her-oh, give my little Maud n
t. true and loving spritH' Then she heard the low
rush. and saw the CLEAN Of departing wings, and at
lie the same instant a strange new thrill passed
o. III ough her heart, and the child opened lis eyes
AT ulI upon her, and the light that gowed in them
ne was brighter than the SunbeamS, or the puneS o.
The yonIsing fairy; and II Shnne deep INTO the mo-
IL theirs soul ard filled with Joy imexpreSsGe; and
r she folded the child close 10 her heart murmurlng
l. SOFTLY al have chosen for thee, have chosen for
n thee, my beloved, will be sad no more!'
ne And the months passed on-and the little Maud
&c srew-and those who were with her had ever kind
N thoughts Of the gentle child, with whCm was al
s. ways sweetness and lovingnesS. And when the
world passed by and gave no thought to her quiet
ly unattTactve Maud, the mother sighed never noTe
Il but thought exuItingly OF the inner beauty winch
= should develop daily, and which years and chonces
* and changes should never dim.
And soon years were gone-and Maud, baby
T. no longer, could play the open fields, and roam
Of at will around her fathers noble hone aud come in
s. and out her pleasure To birds and flowers, and
a. all sweet and beautiful things, her loving spirit
ii went forth; and it seemed as if the sunshine in
to which she lived had lent 1t; radiance TO her face
lie deep and ever present sweetness IN her eyes,
ne which no one, who over looked earnestly into
a. them, soon forgot. "Dove-ike," she was called
D. in the household. and ''Dove" was the pet name
W 10 which her pleasant voice was wont to answer
lis quite as often as TO Maud Light itself seemed not
lie more essential to the happiness OF the home than
er she had grown 10 be. Her gentle heart, which
treasured no evil, and took home never an unkind
III thought, and thTobbed lovingly toward ALL had
made her already deaTer than words could tell to
the few who knew her we'll. She nestled at times
y tendery to her mothers bosom; and round her
!, Sterner colder father she twined herself fra
or grant vine No coolmess or repulSe wounded her
= gentle spirit, and whenever she saw dneSS on
n her fathers brow she would lean her little head
e softly against his knee and Groom in her low, de-
2 lcous voice her child songs and he would lift her
= to his bosom, and, kissing her gratefully holdher
e there with new Tenderness. And the mother
hos the spirit OF love working out Joy loftier
d than any that mere beauty could lave given, and
n her heart in its silent depths was grateful and
"a glad