Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-01-29


thimble dancing on the tip of her little
round finger, and she would peep into a
shell for hours, pining to catch glimpse
of the little singing sylph which she was
almost sure was imprisoned there, for
had she not distinctly heard it murmur
ing sad, low, plaintive song, about its
far-of home in the sea
Now it so happened that close by her
side as she lay asleep in the woods grew
great Aloe tree, which the Oldest man
in the village where she lived had once
seen bloom-but that was almost hun
dred years ago. This old man had often
told her that there were plenty of fairies
in.his time, and that once, just at sun
rise, he had seen whole troop of them
tripping round that very tree when it
was just shedding its wonderful bios
sons He had heard that daylight was
fatal to the elfn race, and he had watch
ed to see what effect the sunshine would
have, for they had rashly prolonged
their dance to a later hour than usual.
Sure enough, at the very first gleam OF
light he heard faint shout or rather
moan of dismay and sorrow from the
troop, and they gradually faded from
his view like stars at the dawn of day.
They were never seen or heard Of after
ward
Mary thought of all this as she lay at
the foot of the tree, and she said to her
herself-"If l had been there l would
have told the dear, little FAIRIES that the
great sun was coming up the hill, and
that they must all run away quick before
he saw them, and then he would not
have killed them with that dazzling,
burning eye of his!' While she was
thus reverieing- do you know what rev
erieing means Kitty? 1t means sOlilo
quising-that is, meditating-that is,
think-well! while Mary was thinking
thus, and still looking drowsily up at
the tree, all at once one of the buds be-
gan slowly, very slowly to unfold, and to
her wonder and delight she plainly saw
pair of luminous rose colored wings
Auttcring softly up from the flower
and then-can it be?-yes 1T is-it
must be fairy!-a real fairy flying
like sunbeam personiHed to her feet,
and there it stands gracefully poised
upon one little dot of foot which res
ted on a violet, gazing earnestly up in
her face rs if asking her how in the world
she came there.
Mary was not the least frightened
good children seldom are. She held
out her dimpled hand with smile of;
invitation, and the cunning and beauti
full creature sprang at once to her little
finger and said in voice light and clear
and delicate as the faintest tink!e Of
IEolian harp-'sThey arc all gone but |
i am all alone now when that cruel
and unexpected beam of daylight pierced
them with its fatal heat only escaped
for [ had hidden in sport in seed OF
the Aloe flower But that destiny
which doomed my sisters to death, doom
ed me to fate as sad. It sealed the
seed where l had rashly crept, and for
nearly an hundred years, for not till
then could the blossom bloom again,
have bidcd my time in darkness but in
hope Now once more [ am free, but
on! how lonely! Will you take me,
Mary; and let me live in your thimble or
the top of your silver pencil case. |
will sing to you every night if you will.
Hear how sweetly L sing
Like :he st IRIS from the sky,
Like the dew from the rose,
Like Loves latest sIgl
Did ths:r sweet life close,
Exhaled they flew,
And lameutiGg moan,
Oh. sisters of air;
I'm alone, all alone!
There that was fairy impromptu, Mary.
But will you let me come? l shant
trouble you much-I shall only want a
fresh rose leaf every day for bed-a
tender smile or tear of love for ny
breakfast, dinner and superior love is
spirits food-but you must let me
come out at night, for then the flowers
and stars will expect me. VIII you,
Mary?"
Yes you precious, lovely, little dar
ling, indeed L will Il will take you home
and intro luce you to some other pet fur
les have that live in my beautiful rose
colored shells-Iss call them sylphs ofth
shells. They have never shown them
selves to me, though they treat me to
bit of music somctimes-but L AIN sure
they will let you creep in and play with
them. Come, let me see if you can sit
comfortable in here" and SO she un-
screwed her pencil case, and the fairy
had Just settled nicely in when alas !
something unforeseen happened-a great
disappointment Poor Mary awoke !
and found twas all dream. Should mt
YOU like to have such dream, little
Kitty?"
Our heroine was so intent upon anu
sing little Lucy, that she never once
raised her eyes, and did not dream that
she was watched-that young cadet,
on visit to his aunt, Mrs. Wilton, hap
pened to be crossing the lawn when he
saw her light form in the act of spring
ing through the window, and that ire
sistibly attracted by the grace and spirit
of the action, he had followed her and
stood concealed by the jessamine that
shaded the lattice, smiling witness to
her little stratagem, and an enchanted
listener to the fairy romance.
But yet another and less indulgent
auditor had been in the adjoining room,
the door of which was partly open, and
after enjoying the story, had hastened
to Mrs Wilton with the tale of Juliet's.
disobedience. It was Margaret Mans