Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-14
THE QUEEN OF THE RYE FAIRIES.
A STORY FOR THE LITTLE FOLKS.

Franz" said a mother to her boy. who
was lazily walking into the garden, to pick
handful of berries, 81 have something for
you to do. just see how high the peas are.
GU will find some rods in the summer-house
take them and stick them for the peas to
grow upon. They will then become a great
deal larger, and garden will look much
more handsome"
But can't get some one else to do that
for me ?" asked the idle boy
Shame on you, Franz-you seem to shrk
the very slightet labor"
But, MOTHER" replied the boy, to excuse
himself, we are not so poor that we are
compelled to work for our bread What are
all the poor people for? You could benefit
them by giving them work One moment
you must make me do one thing and the next
| must do another. The sun is hot TODAY
too, and | would rather go and sit under our
shady elm"
Ii man" she answered, "would neither
labor with his mind nor hands, he would then
be no better than the dumb beast"
Franz went reluctantly to his assigned task,
Tor he dlslked to put his hands to any work.
His sister Emma had heard all that was said.
though some distance off, and she came with
her work basket and sat down on the grass
near were he began to stick the rods along
the rows of peas. She took her knitting
work from her basket, though she liked labor
about as little as her brother Things did
not continue long in this way: and Franz
came and sat down beside Emma-to rest out,
as he said, and wipe the Precipitation from his
face. Meanwhile his sister let number of
stitches drop, and did not take the slightest
interest in her knitting.
g If MOTHER" she said had not appeared
n | boy ID ho,
sion for us to take a walk along the meadow
Franz answered, COIL would it not be
more quiet and shady out yonder in the rye
field? We cannot get moments rest here
III the garden. | would like to sleep here a
little while, but the birds would 90 to singing
around me, and the bees would be buzzing
about my ears. Only think, those trouble
some bees are the same little animals that
mother says are useful example to us of in
dustry. Now, you Will not find one of these
pests in the tall rye. Indeed, ] never saw or
heard of one there Let US go out there a
little while. Fortunately for US, the garden
gate is not locked"
ooh that would be fine. | would be in
the greatest glee in the rye-feld for there
could catch the glistening beetles, and pluck
the bright flowers"
"And l could have little while for Sleep"
said Franz. Come on-mother will not be
here again till afternoon, and we will be back
long before that. Any time of the day is
good enough to attend to pea-vines Ha !!
ha! nobody can ever make me believe there
Is any enjoyment in work, for invariably get
tired Of 1t as soon as | get at it."
Do you know what | would rather be,
above everything else?" said Emma. 81
would love to be fairy, for it is about the
fairies that our mother has told us so many
nice stories. They always live like queens
IN the greatest happiness; and they dwell III
splendid castles, built of gold and diamonds,
and surrounded by gardens, where spring
never ends. That would be the right kind Of
life for me. Then l would have no STOCKINGS
to knit, or dictionary-lessonst to learn"
While this conversation was passing, the
two children were going ont of the garden
gate into the meadow. Emma skipped about
after the great dragon-fies, and plucked
many flowers of the lovelest hue and sweet
est fragrance. But Franz after an hour or
more, climbed over the fence into the rye
field, and, when he had found cool place in
the high grain, he lay down without troubling
himself as to whether or not he was breaking
aft some fine stalks. Although it was only
midday, he was soon fast asleep.
By and by, after Emma was tired Of her ex-
ercise, she went into the rye-feld, and sat,
resting her head upon her hand. near her
sleeping brother. All at once, she saw, but
few steps from her, beautiful little figure,
hardly as long as her finger 1t wore a dress
of bright-red poppy blossom which had a belt
around 1t on single blade of ribbon grass.
The hat that 1t wore was snow-white flower
which, on closer inspection, proved to be a
lilly of the valley. Such 4 fascinating object.
Emma had never beheld before; and al
though she had good many little porcelain
people on her table at home, the best of them
could not compare with this living figure
She rubbed her eyes very hard, for she thought
it must be dream But the little form did
not vanish, and she pulled away the grass, 50
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
slumber. But when he saw the little lady
which his sister quietly pointed at, he was
Just as much delighted at her as she was-
how quickly she stretched out her diminutiye
hands how lightly moved those little feet
that were clad in slippers of the smallest
muscle shells Now she took her rake of
rose-twig, whose thorns served for teeth, anC
pulled all the weeds up into pile. Their
she laid her rake down and directed her wag
on up through the high stalks of rye to where
the weeds were. And such wagon. as it was
1t was drawn by two stag-beetles, the rein:
and halters made of cob-web, and the driver
so small that his blouse was blue-bell. 4
host of such little figures, men and womer
they were, surrounded the wagon. They
were all dressed in fower-clothing, and it was