National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-04-25

lndlStlnct ana lnhIcu. JuSt tHcil, us
she began to feel tired and little
frightened, white house came in sight.
"Come,' she thought, ~ can't be 50
very fur from home, after all, for here
is house. I'll go in and ask them to
give me drink Of water, and let me
rest little, and then III soon run home
with my pretty flowers"
So she rang the bell. 1t was such a
beautiful place, all built of white mar
BILE, situated in the middle of lovely
garden. She admired it as she waited.
The door was opened by pretty girl,
about Elsie's age.
ooh, here you are at last !" she said,
before Elsie could speak. "We have
waited for you such along time Come
in :" and she held out her hand.
Elsie stared in amazement.
You must be mistaken" she an
swered, 81 have gone little too far
beyond the edge of the wood, and am
tired"
"No, no." interrupted the other,
there is no mistake. know you very
well you are called Elsie. My COM
panions and ! have been waiting for
you very long time, and wishing You
would come.
As she spoke she drew Elsie into the
/ hall-a beautiful place, full of marble
statues that seemed to grow out OF beds
Of flowers and ferns. Elsie was so daz-
zled by all the loveliness she could not
speak. and let the other child lead her
| on.
They entered large room, whore sat
n beautiful lady. Her long golden hair
rippled in waves to her knees she was
dressed in a white robe on her arms
and neck shone crystal jewels and her
face wore fascinating smile. She sat
on raised throne Of ivory. The whole
room was inlaid with gold, silver, and
mother of pearl, and on the floor lay
wrought stuffs of Indian design.
When the beautiful lady saw Elsie
she rose, and smiling still more sweetly,
held out her arms toward her.
Welcome, dear child.
/ Elsie hardly knew what was happen
ing to her but after the beautiful lady
had embraced her, and kissed her on
brow and eyes, she seemed to have for
gotten every thing about her lost way
and her home.
you must call me Winnabelle," said
the lady call your little companions
call me so. But forget you have not
seen them yet.
She clapped her hands three times,
and one Of the ivory doors opened. ad-
hitting a whole troop of boys and girls.
The girls were all dressed in white,
with blue sashes and crystal beads F.; the
boys in blue velvet, with white leathern
bands and boots. Elsie glanced first at
them, then at her own plain gray frock
and dirty shoes.
1T does not matter" said Winnabelle
divining her thoughts you shall have
Just the same.
She had hardly said so than Elsie's
clothes had disappeared, and she was
dressed just like the others.
The children all crowded round to
welcome her. Elsie thought they did
not look quite happy; still that mi ght
be fancy: only they always looked so
anxiously at Winnabelle after they had
said anything, as though they feared
her dlsapproval.
"Show youi new friend her room,
girls, said Winnabelle at last.
What beautiful room it was, all
ivory and light blue velvet. Each child
slept in an ivory bed with light blue
hangings, and had an ivory dressing
table with silver ornaments. Then the
little girls instructed Elsie in her duties,
and told her that she would have to
wait upon their fairy mistress, but that
was easy work and the rest of the day
they might play about and do what they
liked.
"You must lead happy life said
Elsie, who had forgotten everything in |
the dazzling excitement.
A cloud fell over the girls faces, but |
they did not answer, and looked nerv- |
Gus when Elsie repeated the remark.
"Hushl" they said, "or she will be
angry, She will punish us if we tell"
"Tell what ?" asked Elsie. "You puz-
zle me-"
At that moment Winnabelle entered,
frowning.
"You must not ask questions, Elsie"
she said "little girls who ask questions
or rebel are made miserable here. And
you would not like to be made miser-
able in this lovely house, would you?"
she asked, once more smiling her old
sweet smile.
"Oh no, " said Elsie "it is too beau
tiful for that"
She had forgotten all her misgivings
at the sight of that wonderful smile.
SO the days went on, Elsie did not
know how, she had lost all count of
them, but she was by no means happy
The fairy was not SO kind as she APP
peared to be; the services she demand
ed were exacting she was often hard
to satisfy, and, worse than all, if dis
pleased she would punish the children
by showing them their distant homes,
making all appear so real that they
strove vainly to get there. Many a one
had attempted to escape out of the
fairy's grounds, but though they might
run a long while. their homes remained
ever distant. When at last, utterly ex-
they sank in despair upon the
ground, they always found themselves
at Winnabelle's porch, and she would
stand on the doorstep, smiling that
smile which made them forget everything
again.
Meanwhile, what had Elsie's parents
been doing?
When the sun began to lower in the
west, and the child did not come home,
hey grew uneasy; and when it set, and
still Elsie had not returned, their
anxiety knew no bounds. They search
I'd the garden and hamlet, they secured
he wood. In nvain; no Elsie was there,
10 voice answered their calls. They
lad to abandon the search in despair
when night closed in. The next day
lad hardly dawned before the count set
,ut into the wood to look for his miss.
al, H. |
,e explored every path and y-path, in