Smyrna times., 1875-10-27

hef daughters industry, and sprang up eX
claiming, My daughters spun sa'en, sa'en
zen !" laird who was riding by heard
her cry, and interested to see the guide
wife's joy, asked if he might look at the
yarn. Then he inquired for the fail
spinster. The blushing girl came forward
and her grace and beauty so won his heart
that he took her for his wife. After tho
wedding the bride trembled with anpro.
henslon lest she should not be so deft at
| esplnnlng-Wheela as her rhusband.eXpected
once more Habetrot came to her aid
Whether the good dame was as indulpant
TO all idle damseis does no appear, but this
little maiden must have been an esnecioL
pet. Habetrot said, Bring your bonnie
bridegroom to my cell. He shall SOC what
comes OF spinning; and he will never flo
you to the spinning-wheel." The bride le,l
her husband to the knoll where ITabetrot
ana numerous company of elves sat spin-
ming. They We're all bent and distortod
by bending over their wheels. and
Their lips were long and hung down
over their chins. "Why are We sac lane
hplt? asked the laird. One after another
they answered him, each with different
twist of their mdeous mouths, ave mann
wet our thread as we spin; thus are we sac
lang Epit." Then Habetrot slyly limited
that if the little bride were allowed to
SPIN, her pretty mouth would grow ont Of
shape too So the bridegroom protested
that the little wife should never touch =
spinning-wheel. And he kept his word.
She wandered with him in the meadows.
and road with him over the hills. and
all the fax grown on his land was sent
to Habetrot to be converted into warn.
But bonnie Scotland is losing all her elves
and fairies, her COLLINS and her bories
Education is making war upon the LITTLE
inhabitants of the hills and moors. The
brownie can not wash dishes or sift flower
III the house whose inmates can all read
and write and cipher too. The little fairy
folk are vanishing away. Their merry
dances on the green are seen 70 more bv
the young people who wander over the
Scottish hills.
once amid the hills and moorlands
Where the fairies used to play,
Holding there their merry dances
Came a solemn form one dav
knowledge was the name they gave her
And her stern, determined face.
Hard, unyielding, cold, and snile!ess.
Frightened all the fairy race.
And while they were gazing on hor
Startled by her warlike nicn
In voice whose accents trembled
Spoke the gentle fairy queen:
We must stop our mirth and music
Oh my fairies gnomes and elves:
II we would escape destruction,
Hasten now to save ourselves
Strong and mighty is the stranger
That invades our hills to-day.
ana when knowledge claims the moor-lanJs
Fairy folk must fee away
Science comes with warlikc weapons
Strikes at Us with ruthless hand
We must so, my little people
Driven from our native land"
silenced was the merry music:
knowledge wears changclcss face:
Looks with chilly eyes upon them.
And the fairies yield their place
Slowly in sad procession.
They have left US one by ono
Elf and brownie gnome and goblin.
All the fairy folk are gone.
Now we miss the little people.
And their fitting leaves US sad;
Lost the mystery and the romance
That the Scottish moorlands had
But the elves that knowledge banisbcd
With the sternness Of her looks.
still we keep their memory with us.
Ever living in our books
-Harpo'8 Htctly.