Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-12-31

play by this time, while now your
/ stitches are all standing in a crooked
row, and half your seams are yet to be
hnished9"
\ 'gYesc~ said Lefty, and She AoOSe5
: AsO tnOroUgnNy sorry and ashamed ths
the fairy must have relented, for I
I cried quite cheeEiIY, "Weu, vel
what's done can't be undone. but one
can try to do better. Come, now, II
yOu and were to take hold together I
think you might finish your work and
have whole hour to yourself before
dinuer.a
L "'Ehsnk you very much but won
der how you are going to help me, Mr.
t-What Is your name ?'' stammereC
Lefty.
Never mind my name dare say
you couldn't pronounce it. But I am
one of the himble-fairfes- Won
never heard of them 2-and live in
your thimble, as I told you. 1t is a
very idle sort of life that I live com
pared with some Of my brothers and
sisters. Do you remember that dav
when you went to play at hide and
seek with your cousins in the barn ?
our th1mble was on your finger and
you laid it of on the dusty window
sill, and while you were gone a care
less mouse on his way to the eranarv
Whisked it off in trice. 1t rolled away
on the floor and lodged in a crevfce
anu bnGE6 II SLt1U All summer. until one
day when Jake was sweeping the floor
for the thrashers and saw it shining
among the straw. Those were the
longest months ever knew, never
thought to come Quito the light again -
'tYOu spoke of your brothers and sis
ters, said Lefty; ''are there many of
you 2''
so, yes, . said the fairy, 'more than
you could count. We have not quite
so much to do as before sewing ma
chimes came into fashion: but there
are many thousands of US, especialIv
in the great cities, who are stfll yerv
hard workers. But we only help nil
ling fingers, you know" with a siv
glance at Lefty which sent the blood
into her cheeks. "a little tap with the
nlallet just at the right moment sends
the needle quite through, and the
working fingers never know that they
have any help but their own -
How funny 70 cried Lefty.
eve sometimes see very sad sights. ,,
the fairy went on. zone of my BROTH
ers lived with a poor widow in New
York. She had one Wretehed room IN
six flights of stairs, with no pure air.
and hardly light enough to sew BY
even at monday. She had one little
eurly-headed boy, just as sweet svour
own little brother. o, how Willingly
the mother worked to buy bread for
the little rosy mouth She and the
fairy got on bravely for a time; but bv
and by sickness came. The fairy mall
let pushed and raped, but the poor,
wiling fingers could scarcely hold the
needle. The rent was unpaid. and
there was no fire, and often nothing to
put into the baDy's mouth. One dav
the work fell quite down upon the
floor, and when the baby climbed up
and put his hand on his mothers face
ne cried because it was so cold"
g hn e1o 9 2
She was dead.''
nAnd the baby ~ sobbed Lefty.
Ihe baby" answered the fairy,
was found by kind lady from tie
she made him warm clothes, |
and gave him good food, and found q
nome for him with some good people |
VINO learned to love him dearly. The |
little boy goes to your school now"
., 1 know ]" cried Lefty, 'tit is VIII |
The fairy nodded, and something |
pulled hard at Letty's dress. She gave |
! great start and rubbed her eyes.-l
There was nobody there bat Rover. |
who sat looking up into her face, wag-
glng his bushy tail and making queer |
little jerks with his long ears. One Of |
her spools had rolled away in the /
grass. There We're teeth marks on il. |
and the thread was soiled and tangled. !
Lhe clock in the church tower was
ten.
80 !" said Lefty, drawing long |
breath, 81 thought it was half an hour |
lgo!"
Her little gold thimbIe had dropped
from her finger and lay shining in the |
little basket. Lefty was almost afraid |
70 touch it. She looked inside care |
nothing there.
At eleven o'clock the patchwork was
lone. Lefty had never sewed anv
seams so neatly before. Perhaps the
airy helped.