Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1859-12-30
A Fairy at Home.

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Goa, nothing much, papa" said Lillian,
starting from her reverie, and taking up a
book Of fairy tales that had fallen upon
the carpet.
"Such quiet time fer thinking should
hardly be wasted upon nothing much, u"
said the father, kindly. "But try for a
momen, if you can not recall the train of
ideas which interrupted. Your book, |
see, vas Of sort which stimulates the
imagination. l would like to know what
way its influence tends"
"You will think me very foolish, papa.
| was jast imagiuing how should like TO
be fairy"
"What is fairy ?" inquired the faith
er, innoGcntly.
why, You know, papa, just as well as
l do. Little mites Of people, that wear
mantles made Of tulip leaves, and tina;
ride in snail-shell coaches drawn by dra-
goD flies"
"Would you really ike to be SO very
small z"
ooh, that would be rather cunning,
papa; but the best of it is, they have
power to do such wonderful things, aud
always use it for such good purposes"
"Do they, indeed!' said Mr.. T., in 4
serio. comic tone.
"Thefe now, papa, you are laughing at
me. Now you know don't believe all
this; only the stories say SO, and | al
ways like to imagine that such stories are
true"
81 should not have the slightest objec-
ton to believing in fairies, if there seemed
to be any need Of them; but really l
think all the good and most Of the beauti-
fa! works attributed to them, can be Just
as well effected by human agencies. Tell
me, now, what you would do if you were
a fairy? ?"
"Oh, thonaand things, papa. In the
frst place, you need not 60 down town any
more to that dingy old offiee; for, when
ever you wanted money, could tap with
my wand, aud up would come heaps Of
gold and silver. Then, you know, |
would make mamma well, and keep her
80. Oh, there's no end to the good things
| would do -
"WOuld it not be better, my dear little
,irl, to make the utmost use Of all the
power you have, instead of Spending these
oug hours Of musng in wishing for more:'
"All the power have is precious little,
'Ou know, papa"
Every precious, certainly, but not so
title as you may suppose. Your father
would much rather have his own little
laughter here to welcome him home at
light, than to possess all the gold and sill
'er that fairies were ever fabled to pro
luce. And the gentle, quiet influence of
loving sister, in the household, is worth
more to your dear, sick mother, than the
ouch Of fairy's wand upon her brow
Depend upon it, my lear child, God has
iven to you a work, which, well accom-
lished, will be more beautiful in its re-
uts than any romance of fairy land
Lillian sat for a few moments in the
eepening twilight, and then the summons
0 tea prevented any further conversation.
The first thought that entered her head
he next morning was, "FH be a tdiry To-
'ay.' But the winter air was chilly,
nd, by the gray morning light, Lilian's
lir work seemed not quite SO easy aud
eautiful as the evening before by fire.
ght. At this moment, however, she
card little Ally's voice in the next room,
ute wide awake, and sure TO disturb his
ck mother. Lillian slipped softly into
ne room, and persuaded Ally to come and
e dressed by her, and, as the little fellow
ad no objection to change of attendant,
ie nursery toilet was very quickly COM
leted. Then she carried him to the
that be might be out of
caring distance from his mother.
Bridget had jast completed the break {
st arrangements to her own satisfaction,
3ubtless, but, as Lillian knew, to the ;
-eat discomfort of her father; for every
lrtcular article stood cornerwise to its {
eighbor, and the whole effect was as if a
lshing wind had brought cloth, service, {
ID eatables, and deposited them on the I
bic according to its own sweet will As
ou as she had established Ally with his
hiding blocks in the corner, Lillian neat.
and quietly re-arraDged everything up
the table, so that an artists eye could
lrdly have suggested an improvement.
"Motber always did this" said Lillian
herself. "How careless | have been
It to think of it beforev'
At this moment, Willie burst into the
ON.
81 wish mother wasn't SICK" he e1-
,;rnod ftTboro,s M ooo 20 t;o INV oaol, |