The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-03-22
The Ear-Fairies.


There is o part of fairy-land where all
music goes, and all the sounds, good
q bad, which mortals make. The
ries there have more ears than any
ng else, and at a distance look like
thing but ears. They know a bad
Sc from q good one in an instant. If
in drops, they can tell from the sound
ether it is crooked or straight, and
" Judge all the world by it's noises.
e world, on the whole, is SO bad, and
ear-fairies are so sensitive, they can
pass many happy hours.
ditto and Greta lived very near the
rider Of this land, but while they were
~ little their innocent noises gave
thing but pleasure to their fairy
lghboEs. AS they grew older, how
er, they grew rougher, and, instead OF
lying together like little lambs, they
EN- snapped and snarled at each other
g the wild beasts of the forest where
2y lived If nobody but their old
qndmOther had listened to them they
gilt have grown to be as savage as any
them for she, poor woman, was so
af she couldn't tell the growing Of a
an from the cooling Of a dove.
1t was, therefore, lucky for those chill
en- that one day, after a most disgrace
| wrangle, made terrible by pinches
ID blows and screams, a little fellow
til cottonwood in his big ears and a
eat smell of laudanum about him
apped out from behind tree and or
red them to be quiet.
There isn't a man, woman or child in
Y kingdom, said he, Z" that isn't in
gony from your dreadful noises. We
ave borne with you long enough. Now
pme with me. =
They were too frightened to speak, and
lowed him to lead them on without a
ord. His path took them away from
lie grandmother's cottage, away from
i the scenes they knew, toward thick
4 part Of the wood than they had ever
antured into At first their guide looked
cry stern, and from time to time wagged
is great ears at them in a frightfullv
nnatural manner. They had never
cen threatened by ears before, and they
new not what to expect. But as they
rent on, always in silence, the little man
rev happier and his ears Gained down.
Before long he pulled the wool out and
brew it away, with pleasant smile at
he children.
You have given me a chance to get
yell at last, he said. 81 haven't been
0 free from pam for six months.
Still the children answered not word.
lie was growing more pleasant because
hey were quiet. Perhaps if they kept
.uiet he would grow SO pleasant as to
ct them go home again.
But when he walked them along fur
her and further, and gave no sign of
elenting, Otto lost courage and piteously
legged to be set free.
Cant let you CO." said the captor,
until you have been punished. You
,on't have to wait long, he added cheer
ully And they shook with terror at
is grim smile.
Already they began to love each other
etter, and now they walked along with
rms around each others neck.
Truly it was not long before their walk
anne to an end. They were in the deep
st recesses Of the forest and everything
vas strangely quiet, when they saw be-
ore them a great white gate, which dis
as their guide approached, and
again behind them as they
passed on into large open field. Their
made no noise on the thickly-
padded turf. Their own heart beats
we're the only sound they heard, and yet
he place was full of little elves tiptoeing
bout and In awful silence doing various
Kings. The children and their guide
paused and looked at them.
Many were employed in shearing the
heep, which were the only animals to
)e seen. Others took the wool and
pread it on the ground, and everywhere
t was needed to muffie sound, and occa-
ionally some would dance with pain and
fluff the wool into their ears with frantic
taste. Then the children knew some
BAD noise had been made in the world.
although they themselves could hear
Nothing with their little ears.
Suddenly every one Of them clapped
IN ear-trumpet to his ear (where they
anne from was mystery and appeared
o be listening with delight. It seemed
o the children as if they were drinking
n some sweet sound. The trumpeta