The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-27
THE WOODEN CUP-A Fairy Tale.
BY NINA CLAUS.

1t was almost midnight; the full
moon looked down on the German hills,
covered with vineyards, on the broad
fields of corn, on the little village just
at the out skirts of the Black Forest
and the old well-the haunted we'll
Just within its shadows.
The old well had once been the vii
lage well but it had long been dry:
and had become, so said the villagers,
the pathway through which the gnomes
who dwelt beneath the earth went to
and from their abode. This particular
race who frequented the well came at
last to be distinguished from the other
gnomes and fairies, so abundant in Ger
many, and were known by the name of
spirits of the Well. They were kind
and obliging. If a poor man lost his
money, he need but go near the well,
and he would find lying there, per-
haps not exactly what he lost, but
something that would in in some way
compensate him for it; and if any one
missed his way in the forest by night
he had only to look straight down be
fore his feet, to see little hoppingscrea-
ture, hardly distinguishable in the dark
ness, but which if follwed, would
guide him arlght.
lit was almost midnight, as I said,
when Crispus, and his brother, and his
sister Nellie-three golden-haired, blue
eyed children creeping across
the field toward the well. They had
stolen out of their fathers house, after
he had shut up his shop, and packed
away his boots and shoes and avis,
and gone to his bed, believing the chill,
dren safe asleep i'll theirs. They reached
the well, and looked down.
"Wel must wait till the moon rises
higher and shines down there,' said
Crispus '.then we will see the gnomes,
and hear them sing. perhaps"
AS he spoke, the moonlight began
slowly to creep down the sides of the
stone walls, lower and lower, until it
glimmered far down in their depths.
AS the children gazed, they were star
tied by laugh behind them. They
looked round there stood an old-look-
ing little brown man, no more than a
foot high.
"Yon are bold children,'' said he,
" but you are good. 1 know you. You
never tease the dog or the cat you like
to give carrots to the horse and have
seen you carry water to the poor thirs-
ty COW. Such tenderness men some
times laugh at but the day will come
when these hard-hearted men, who scru-
pie not to inhict pain even on the poor
dumb brutes, will cease their laughing
and laugh no more forever!'
His eyes kindled like fire when he
spoke but he smiled again benignantly,
and proceeded in a soft tone:
Sc If xryi11 i,fo ho hnoI1of on1
come down the well with me, [ and my
brother gnomes will 40 our best to en-
tertain you; and, moreover, make you
present of whatever you choose"
o, yes" cried Crispus eagerly, for
the benevolent face of the gnome, added
to his own curiosity, banished fear.
Yes, let US go.''
His brother and sister hesitated mo-
ment; but, assured by his fearlessness,
they nodded their heads in assent.
But the bucket will not hold US
all " said Crispns; "and the chain is
old and rusty it might break
Never fear!' answered the gnome {;
and he laughed heartily. "Only get in !;
you would be safe with me were you
held up by nothing but a spiders
thread" So they climbed into the tall
IRON bound bucket, and down they
went.
1t was quite dark when they stopped,
with jog, at the bottom, and the
gnome helped them all out but in an
other instant they were dazzled with a
purst OF light like noonday-the little
Drown man had opened a door in the
side OF well, and led his companions
INTO magnificent hall. The ceilings
arched upward higher than the tallest
forest trees, the walls seemed made of
gold and precious stones, and it was
hlled with thousands of little men and
women, all busy at work.
In one place they were making gol-