Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-09-14
Real Fairies.

dolls wardrobe, though not faVoring MIS-
Dolly with much of her society in othel
form than that of seamstress.
But cousin Addie says there are no
any such things as fairies living in flow
ers, and up in the clouds, and talking t.
children, and giving them all sorts of nict
things said Della, conclusively; 'anC
cousin Addie ought to know, for she wen
with her father and mother to Europe
and so has seen a great deal of the world.
And our wise, fourteen-year-old Miss
Della, who was getting to think herself
young lady, drew very long sigh with
the thought of how much more cousin
Addie had to make her happy than she
had herself She lived in a plain, wooder
house, where it was half country a:
! Addie had called it, while her cousin ;:
father owned one of the most elegant stone
houses on the most fashionable avenue il
the city.
This was what aunt Hattie heard, a.
the two girls came slowly toward where
she was sitting, with her sewing, under
the shade of a great, old-fashioned apple
tree, one warm, quiet afternoon.
What is it about fairies and cousin
Addie p she asked, remembering the dis.
contented face of the little girl who had
I visited Della, few weeks before.
Nothing, aunty-much-only she says
there Is Mt any
Is MT any what 2 asked aunt Hattie.
/ Addie says there are no fairies, really,
/ but all these nice stories about them are
Just made up, to please little children who
are silly enough to believe them. l do Mt
| believe them, m sure ; with dignifed
air Of superiority, sitting down beside
her, while Amy doubled her little self up
on the grass at their feet, and asked, visit
/ fully:
But why should there be such nice
stories about them. if there isn't any thing
at all ike them in the world .
Now you are coming to the question,
little Amy said aunt Hattie. What is
your idea Of q fairy?
20, they are very, very little-at least
the stories make Us think So" said Della.
Yes, and so good, and kind, and beau
tiful and they love US, too, and like to
make US happy said Amy, slowly pick
ing flower, and gently playing with and
petting the fragrant blossom as if it were
human.
But there are bad fairies, too. in the
bOoks-they are not all good broke in
Della.
i don't remember about any bad ones,
said Amy, smiling to herself over her
flower, as if she were forgetting the talk.
You DO not say, either of you, how you
imagine fairies loOk-what sort of forms
they take
always thought they were little at
oms of creatures, Just like humans, only
80 very small-no taller than my finger
said Della, who could almost always an
swer q question while Amy was thinking
about it. What do you think they are
Ike, aunty2'
/ ike to think that there are fairies in
the world, aud that they give Us good aud
beautiful gitts-all oS Us; not only little
girls and boys, but grown-up people, too
O, aunty exclaimed Della, what do
you mean
Only that the gifts are proportional to
our wants, and little folks want toys and
piaythings, sc the books make the fairies
give those
But they never do in reality cried
Della, iucredulousiy.
Do Mt they? 1t is only bigger fairy
than your imagination pictures, in the
shape Of papa or mamma, uncle or cousin.
Is MT the gift just as good Then there
are visible aud invisible fairies-or rather
intangible fairics-those that you can see,
and those that you cannot describe, but
that come into your heart, so quiet and
still, and live there with you always; YOU
may never know they are there, but other
folks can see them shining out of your
eyes, and playing in the corners of your
mouth
But, auuty, you are talking OF some-
thing very different from the book fairies.
They sit in the flowers, and drink dew
drops; and when anybody picks the flower
they tell them some secret, and then fiy
away said Della, eagerly.
should think Amy had found one.
then, for she seems to get great deal of
happiness from the flower she has replied
aunty, glaneing at the little figure at her
feet
o, that IS because l love them so dear
ly, aunty,' said Amy, looking up quickly.
That Is just where we grown-up folks
things that God has given US. Just think
how many Things there are around us to
make Us happy, and whisper secrets into
our ears, if We Will only keep our eyes and
ears open, and our hearts warm with love
toward everything God has made. There
Is little bird trying to tell US his idea
about it, now
Do you think everything that is beauti-
ful, and teaches Us to love God, is like
fairy to Us, aunty?' said Amy, smiling
brightly.
That is what my fairies are. Every
beautiful cloud, every bright-tinted leaf on 1
the gay, autumn trees, all the sweet fow-
ers, and even the common green grass
common here with US, but not with those
who are obliged to live in the stone-walled, /
,ramped-up city-because they all tell US
l little different story of their own beauty
and Gods love. l said different story;
meant the same story in their own differ
mt ways
never ought of it in that way. at
ILL., said Della, musingly.'
am so glad, aunty, that you think
here are fairies, said Amy joyfully, pick
ne herself up, or at least something that
means the same. [ shall love the little
,osies better than ever I'm glad | live
lere with you, aunty.'
IT is nice, is MT it p cried Della, Jump
ng up suddenly and cheerily. Come,
Amy, let's play tag L want good run
And away they sped among the trees, their
Iappy shouts of laughter following Aunt .
Hattie, rs she gathered up her work and
vent to the house to see that their usual
upper Of bread and milk should he ready
or them.-MrS "a. Leonard, iR Little
corporal.