The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-08-22
9or the gittle folk.
THE QUEEN OF THE RYE-FA1R1Es

that she could see all its motions.
Then she touched her brother very
softly, who took it very hard to be
disturbed in such a refreshing Sum-
Der. But when he saw the little la
dy which his sister quietly pointed
ut, he was just as much delight
ed at her as she was. How quick
ly she stretched out her diminutive
hands.-how light moved those lit
tie eei,:hat were clad in slippers of
the smallest muscle-shells! Now
she took her rake of a rose-twig,
whose thorns served for teeth, and
pulled all the weeds up into pile.
Then she layed her rake down and
directed her wagon up through the
high stalks ofrye to where the weeds
were. And such wagon as il was!
1t was drawn by two stag-beetles,
the reins and halters made of cob
web, and the driver SO small that his
blouse was a blue bell. A host of
such little figures, men and women
they weEe, surrounded the wagon.
They were all dressed in flower
ciolhing,and it was a glorious scene
TO behold them casting the weeds
into it, to he hauled away. Soon
the wagon was loaded, and the
horses began to pull;and they strug.
gled manfully without so much as
injuring single stalk Of grain. The
people who remained behind did
not lie down to sleep, but divided
their time between playing hide
and-seek behind pebble, and a
game of ball with a grain of sand.
| would give anything if you could
have seen how happy they were
while at play. They never lost their
temper lesson to US never 10 get
angry with playmate.
The little woman in the red dress
now appeared among them,a land took
off her hat to make a speech to them.
They Immediately collected around
her, to hear what she might say.
She pointed toward the wagon,and
informed them that in crossing a
furrow, it became SO deeply buried
in the sand that it was impossible
for the horses to draw il out. There
upon they all started Otto the scene
OF the difficulty, and,after great ex-
ertion, succeeded in laying a bridge
over the chasm. The trouble over
come, the wagon passed safely over,
and all the workers joined hands
and had joyful dance; just as hap
py were they as if they had never
worked a moment in all their life.
They danced and played until the
wagon came back empty again,
which they soon loaded with more
weeds. When it returned the third
time, singular circumstance took
place. Two little children came,
with a bucket of water for the tired
laborers. Did say a bucket of wa
ter! Yes, dew drop on a clover
leaf They were all very glad ia
get such refreshing drink, and af.
ter everybody had drank, the two
children took the dishes out of a hall
nutshell, (which served for their cup.
board, and after spreading the table.
clotli-it was a white rose-leaf-on
the ground, they made the dinner
ready. The queen of the company
for the little lady in the red dress
was the Queen-together with all
the fairies, who were her subjects,
ate heartily after their labor. Their
soup-dish was an acorn-shell; and
how sweetly did the food smell to
them; sweeter still was the eating Of
it. | know you would have been
delighted TO see that repast. Not a
dish was left untouched. Every
body had sharp appetite, and no
food was dropped on the table cloth.
1t was just as clean when they fin
ished as when they commenced.
And no one took up any unnecessa-
ry room at the table, or infringed
upon his neighbours rights,or talked
too loud, or too fast, or too much.
The Queen sat on sprig of moss
that the fairies had taken from an
old beech-tree. 1t was the size of
a canary birds bill, and all persons
called it the Queens throne. No
other fairy had such a seat as this;
they all sat on the ground.
ANNA touched her brothers
hand land said: "Those must Ike the
fairies that live in the rye-feld. and
that lovliest of little beings is Rog-
genmuhme, Queen Of the Rye Fair
les. Mother has frequently told Us
about them, you know; but never
thought they were so beautiful and
industrious Is they really are"
III supposed mother was only in
Jest when she spoke Of them. But
it is a fact;these little people with
their good Queen, work just as earn.
estly as the poorest peasants. And
after all their hard labor, they are
IS happy as morials can be. Such
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