The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-06-08
WHOLE NO. 399.

They were all very glad to get such re-
freshing drink, and, after everybody had
drank, the two children took the dishes ou
of half nutshell, which served for their
cupboard, and after spreading the table
cloth-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 sweetly did the
food smell to them ! still sweeter was the
eating Of it. know you would have been
delighted to see that rcpast. Not q dish
was left untouched. Everybody had q
sharp appetite, and no food was dropped
on the table cloth. 1t was just as clean
when they finished as when they com.
menccd. And no one took up any unneces.
sary room at the table, or infringed upon
his neighbors's rights, talked too loud, OF
too fast, or too much. The Queen sat on
sprig of moss that the fairies had taken
from an old beechtre 1t was the size
of canary birds bill, and all persons
| called it the Queens throne. Other fairies
had no such seat as this-they all sat on
the ground.
Emma touched her brothers hand and
! said:
''These must certainly be the fairies that
live in the rye field, and that loveliest of lit.
tie beings is Roggenmuhme,, Queen of the
Rye-Fairies. Mother has frequently told
us about them, you know; but never
| thought they were so beautiful and indus
trious as they really are"
II supposed mother was only in Jest
when she spoke of them. But it is fact
these little people, with their good Queen,
work just as earnestly as the very poorest
peasants. And after all their hard labor,
they are as happy as mortals can be. Such
a thing as that had never dreamed Of"
"What beautiful games they played, and
not one Of the fairies got angry! Neither
did see any of their clothing soiled or
torn when they came to the table. They
all looked as if they ha2 just sprung out Of
band5ox. Their food was so sweet to
them, too, though there was but very
little of it."
ut cannot be possible that labor makes
a good appetite ?"
"Well, let US try it, Franz, when We get
home."
Dinner was all over, the dishes washed
and put away in the cupboard. Then the
fairies started off to their work, and on the
way sang the most beautiful song that
ever heard. 1t was not so loud as birds
sing, but then it was far sweeter music.
Emma and Franz did not fellow them to
their labor, but were anxious, by this time,
to return home. As they rose, the fairies
saw them and they all ran away. They
did not know that there had been any spec
tatoIs at their business, duties, dinner and
play.
Suddenly storm arose, and Franz de-
clared it would catch them before they
could get home. The lightning flashed so
much that they were much frightened,
and from the bottom Of their hearts did
they regret that they had left the garden.
The storm came on violently, and almost
an hour had passed by before they reached
home. They were wet through and stood
trembling with cold. Their mother, all
pale from anxiety, met them. She did not
reprove them when she saw their i'll con-
4at ss Same lfsf tight, frahz ha betams t sH very
sick, and long, severe fever came on in
consequence ofthe cold he had caught from
being wet. Many weeks he had to lie in
his bed !; and often he was heard to say
"Oh if were only well again it is so
tedious to lie in the bed sick do wish l
could 60 out and do some little work, for
as often as l think of the little fairies, and
that they are not compelled to do it. must
think there is real pleasure in activity and
toll. Now | can lie here and sleep the
whole day, but don't enjoy it in the least;
and just as soon as am we'll again, I will
be as industrious and happy as the Fairies
Of the Rye field"
Emma had told her mother all that had
happened to Franz and herself and prom
ised to take the fairies for an example OF
industry and contentmeDt. From that day
forth she could sit quietly and attend to
whatever duties her mother assigned her:
and never had she been so happy in all her
former life
When Franz had recovered and went out
into the garden for the first time, he found
the peas had been bearing, and he sorrow
fully reflected that they had been cared for
by other hands than his. Afterward, he
labored every day in the garden, and took
the greatest pleasure in training the flower
beds, and keeping the walks free from
grass. In the evening he would sit, in
company with his mother and Emma, and
read aloud to them, instead of sleeping on
the sofa, as he used to do. Nobody would
have taken either him or his sister for the
same children that were so dscontented
and idle. 1t was lovely scene to see them
at their work; and, would you believe it,
they never forgot word of the song the
fairies sang after dinner, and often sang it
themselves. They lived to be of great age.
Emma became distinguished authoress,
and Franz became an honored senator.