The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-08-16

MI. fhlIltb uIt young huu u ]
You are an old fright"
Dipsy, hush !" said Della.
won't hush I" said Dipsy.
The old woman, however, paid no at
tention to the little girls impudent
words.
you are in Enchanted Land now,"
said she. "If you go on straight up
this path you will find great rock, all
hung with vines, on the edge of stream.
Knock at it. and say, 'Open gates,
Della waits You will see what you
will see r.
"How do you know my name is
Della ?" said the child, in amazement.
81 know everything" said the old
woman, with wise nod of the head.
Didn't tell you / was fairy? But
there are three things you must OBJ
serve"
"What are they |" said Della.
"Don't look behind you; that's num-
Der one. Don't touch anything; that's
number two. Don't laugh; that's num-
Der three. Now, go on your way"
Hand-in-h hand the little girls once more
set off, their hearts beating so fast at
the prospect of entering Fairy Land that
they could hardly breathe. At the top
of the hill they found the big rock ali
overhung with vines, just as the old
woman had said, and Dipsy, crowding
forward, knocked first, crying out as she
did so:
| Open gates;
| Dipsy waits, fu
| And 30 does Della
The vines swung aside, like green cur
tains stirred by the winds, and great,
glittering doorway, with pillars OF solid
crystal ON either side, appeared, while
beyond you could see lovely garden
with the trees all hung with apples,
pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, april
cots, and every sort OF delicious fruit
that ever was heard of. Beautiful foun-
tains sparkled in the sunshine, toys of
all sorts were scattered about, and the
air was filed with delicious music, as if
a military band were playing somewhere
in the distance.
And this was Fairy Land
The little girls rushed through as If
they had wings on their feet; the crystal
gates closed behind them; and Dipsy,
springing forward, began to fill her
pockets with the beautiful toys and
tempting fruit.
"Stop, Dipsy," said Della. "Re-
member what the fairy said"
"Oh," said Dipsy, "she won't know r'
And then an old man with a gilt
crown on his head came hobbling toward
them.
"Oh, what funny old man |" cried
Dipsy, bursting out laughing.
"Aha |" said the old man. Break
ing the rules of Fairy Landa Come to
the dungeons quick"
And as he spoke all the toys and fruit
in Dipsy's pocket changed to living
creatures and bounced out, turning som.
ersaults as they did so, and crying, "She
filched us-she stole us Stop thief
Stop thief !" while the old man with the
gilt crown, who was the Chief Watch.
man of the Garden of the Fairy Queen
dragged Dipsy along, kicking and strug
Cling, toward huge building in the
rear. Opening door, he pointed to 6
heap of round things.
Please, sir, what are those2" SAID
Dipsy, trembling all over.
"Little girls heads" growled the
} Chief Watchman.
But this was said only to give Dipsy
a good fright. They were cecoanuts K
make cocoanut buildings for grand din
ner party that the Fairy Queen was going
TO have the next day.
At this Dipsy fell down on hel
knees and began to shrek and cry fol-
mercy.
, "Tell me-" said the Chief Waterman
very srernly, whether you would rather
be little girl without any head, or bt
/; turned into broom to sweep the pave
J ments of the Fairy Courts ?"
Oh, please, sir, BROOM" piped on
poor Dipsy.
} And so, in the twinkling of an eye
she found herself transformed into |
| broom, standing up in the corner, will
red string passed through the plac
where her eyes used to be, to hang her
self up by
Then the Chief Waterman turned t.
: Della, with gracious smile.
"It's for you, little girl, said he. Z"
3 am to take you to the Fairy Queen
, when you will get leave to pluck all tn
fruits and flowers, and play with all tn
toys you like"
"But, please, sir" falteredDella, VIII
e was very tender-hearted, "can't Dips
come too?"
y "She will sweep the garden-walk
sometimes" said the Chief Watchmar
" "Brooms have nothing to do with toy
o and plums and roses"
e The Fairy Queen was sitting on he
throne, all spanglcs and precious etone
" and green gauze, with diadem of dew
d drops on her head, and holding silvt
l. scepter tipped by star. She receive
/" Della very kindly, and adopted he
!" among the fairies at once.
"What favor have you to ask2" sal
she, smiling, as Della fell on her knee
s on the glistening pavement
t. Please, your gracious Majesty,
sobbed Della, envy little mate Dips
d has broken the laws and been turne
d into n broom. Could you be so vel
{. good as to turn her back into lit
!" girl9"
g care you willing to take her place f.
month 2" said the Fairy Queer
re gravely.
Della hesitated a moment, and the
n said:
% Yes, your Majesty, am"