The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-12-29
A FAIRY STORY


I FOR LITTLE FOLKS
5 Once there was a little boy named Al
i fred, and he had heard 50 many FIN
stories about Fairyland that he fanciet
he should like to 90 and see it. 1t hap
pened, too, on one Of his birthdays tha
his fairy godmother sent him 8 fairs
, picture book for present-a wonderful
little book, Just the kind you would like
for it had not only blue silk cover, with
golden clasp, but within was fun ol
lovely pictures that were continually
changing. Now Il was brook in Fairy
land, in which little fairies with rainbow
wings were chasing each other; and now
it was room in the Fairy Queens
palace, where you are sure to find just
the toy or book that you wish; and now
it was great bank of flowers, that grew
again as fast as picked and now it was
the splendid rose-colored palace of the
Fairy Queen herself. or the great golden
gates, with merry little sunbeams hang
ing on the bars.
All this made Alfred ten times as
anxious to go to Fairyland, and of every
one he met he asked the way. But the
big. bustling grownup people only said,
Pho! pho get out of the way? There
/ isn't any Faieylanals
And so Alfred was no wiser than be-
fore.
But one day it happened that Alfred
caught a sunbeam hiding away IN a
fiOwer-cup, and though the little bright
winged fellow tried hard to get away,
Alfred held him fast
"You shant go till you tell me how
to find Fairyland," he said to the sun
beam.
That's easy enough. You must buy
a fairy spy-glass and then you will find
it fast enough" answered the slippery
little rogue, sliding out of Alfred's in-
gers.
Alfred went home quite charmed, and
getting all the money out of his box went
to the shop to buy fairy spy-glass.
The man smiled at him.
"We don't keep fairy glasses here, my
boy," said h..
SO Alfred was no better off than be-
fore, till one day he caught an old brown
grasshopper, when straightway he heard
small voice squeaking: "My little boy,
don't you hurt my poor old pony.
brought him out for q little exercise.
He is getting very feeble"
Alfred looked all about him, and saw.
sitting on a toadstoOl, a bright-eyed little
lady, about as long as his thumb. She
was wrapped from head to foot in large
cloak made out of butterflies wings, and,
by way ofimproving her time, was knit
ting stockings out of ball of spiders
web, on diamond needles that few 80 fast
YOU could scarcely see them.
''I won't hurt your pony said Alfred;
''but if you are fairy, madam, as /
think YOU are, should Ike you to tell
me how to get to Fairyland."
And then he told her the story about
the sunbeam.
"You must get fairy spy-glass, true
enough" said the fairy "but you can
not buy it except with fairy money"
"But how can get fairy money!"
asked Alfred.
"You must earn it, answered the
fairy, ''by doing good and kind deeds.
Here is little box" taking a tiny black
box out Of her pocket. Every time
you keep your temper or do something
Kind and generous you Svil1 Bud AN a n
bit of fairy gold, but when you forget
and are bad you will find one less in the
box. When the box is full take it out
into the forest, and you will find an old
man who has fairy spy-glasses for sale.
And now, will you please give me my
; pony, as it is time we were off.
Alfred set down the grasshopper, and
the little lady, jumping on his back, was
off in a twinkling; but he went home
with the box in his pocket, happy indeed,
for he fancied it wouldn't take week to
fill SO small box. Just as he reached
home he met veiy pitiful-lookiDg boy.
He was ragged and barefoot, and so weak
with hunger that he could scarcely drag
himself along; but Alfred was going TO
pass him by without giving him even a
penny, because he had decided to buy a
new boat. with the money in his pocket,
when he happened to see his uncle John
looking out Of the window. Now, uncle
John was always very good to the poor,
and liked to see Alfred doing generous
act. Hs a.e
"And, perhaps" thought alfred to
,, himself, The viii give me the money
back besides" a''
So he emptied all the money in hi
pocket into the poor boys hands; and
! when he got into the house, his unel'
patted him on the head, and called him
s.good boy" lie gave him, besides, (.
gold piece. But Just then Alfred remem
bered his fairy box. esa. pz4f.
"There will be something in it,
: thought he. 81 have been 80 generous
= !" perhaps, there will be two pieces"
But, to his astonishment, there wa
!. . nothing and when he shook and raj
8 tied t, to hear if anything would clink
: little voice said in his ear, "You can
i earn fai..' money, li.Ie boy, by goo
: deeds which are already paid for." 4,
: Alfred was quite sulky; but he begaI
81 to think about il, and made up his min
that perhaps it wasn't so very good {
. him after all, to give away money that b
!, might be prss / and it back again
= !, on which, quite mortified, he went
= bed.
: On the next day, as he was playing
!. MS little brother came to him to men
: his cart. Alfred hated to stop, for i
. had his soldiers drawn up in row b
!. !, hind wall made out Of q box-c an
: he had just brought up two lin cannon
: and a wooden est for an ambulance
He was, you see, in the very heat of IL
20 20 battle-and / don't suppose any gener
g would like to be disturbed just then
= mend carts. He was about to send h
Il little brother off with cross ''get away
! when he happened to remember what /
a mother was always telling him abo
:. being patient and obIiging and, {
!. that, he put down his cannon, and men
< ed the cannon as pleasantly as possibI
: Clinki went something softly in the ]
,e- tie box in bis pocket He pulled it o
an in such hurry that his hands fail
- trembled, looked, and there true enouI
was bit Of fairy gold
The next day, going to see little 81
friend, who was not so rich as he,
ia, found him lying on q poor little bed,
bis cheeks red with fever
He 81 wish, said the little sick boy
.en ssOh, do 20 wish for some grapes.
= Il