The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-02-28
for the >
doung folGs.


| moro gloomy than ever; the old oak
tree is sadly blasted and torn; and some
odd folks, am sure, nre lurking about
| there, but who they are nobody knows
| The woodman, however, could not say
that they brought i'll luck, whatever
they were; for every one said that the
fields looked gnycr and grcCncr, that
even the sky was Ofu deeper blue, and
that the moon and stars she'd Il brighter
light. So, not knowing what to think,
the good people very wisely let the new
comers alone; and, in truth seldom said
or thought anything ut all about thc",
That every evening, the wOodmun's
daughter Rosckcn, and her playlcllow
Martin, ran out TO have game Of hide
and.seek in the valley. "Whcrc can
he be hidden - said she; "hc must
have gone towards the grove; perhaps
he is behind the old oak trec:' aud
down She ran to look. just then ,hr
spied little dog that jumped and risk
ed round her, aud wuggcd his tail, and
| led her on towards the grove, Then he
ran into il, and she soon jumped ur
the bank by the side of The Old oak To
took for him; but was ovcrjoyed to scen
| beautiful meadow, where flowers and
shrubs of every kind grew upon turf nl
the softcst green; gay butterflies ilew
about:thc birds sang sWcetlN; and Wha,
was strangcst the cprcttic,t itte echildycn
sportcd about like fairies on all sides
some twining the ilowors, and other,
dancing in rings upon the smooth turi
| beneath the trees. In the midst of the
| grove, Instead Of the novels of which
Rosekcn had heard, she cOuId STE a
palace, that d0zzlcd her eyes with IT,
brightness.
| For While She gazcd OH the fairy
scene. til nt last one of the littie dam
GERS ran up to her, and said, And 50,
! pretty ROscken, yun are come at last
to see us? We have often seen you play
about, and wished to have you with u.s.
Then she plucked some of the fruit
| that grew near, and Rosekcn at the first
! taste forgot her home, and wished only
to see ami know more of her fairy
friends. 81 she Jumped down from the
bank and joined the merry dance.
Then they iod her about with them,
and showed her all their sports. One
while they danced by moonlight ou the
primrose banks, at another time they
skipped from bought to bough, among
the trees that hung over the cooling
streams, for they moved rs Lightly and
easily through the air as on the ground;
and Roscken went with them every
where, for they bore her in their arms
wherever they wished to go. Some
times they would throw seeds on the
turf, and little trees would spring up :;
and then they would set their feet up
on the branches, aud rise as the trees
grew under them, till they danced up
on the boughs in the air, wherever the
breczes carried them, singing merry
songs.
At other times they would go AID
visit tho palaces of their queen: and
there the richest food was spread be-
fore them, and the softcst music was
heard and all around grew flowers,
which were always changing their hues,
from scarlet 10 purple ana yeIIo"' ana
emerald. Sometimes they went to look
ut the heapS OF treasure Which were
piled up in the royal stores; Tor iitt i'
dwarIS were always employed IN search
ing the earth ior gold. SinnIiaa thIs iairy
land looked from without 1t seemed
within to have no end mist hung
hung around II 10 shieid IL irom Inc
eye OF men an0 some OF the little
elves sat perched upon the outermost
trees, to keep watch lest lle step oI man
should break in and spoil the charm.
And who are youT' said Roaekcn