Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-08

Such ogres are a great help to the fairies
sometimes, though think they often
display more authority than the fairies
have ever said they might.
The massive oaken door was slightly
ajar. Mary Jane gave it a push, and
crept softly in. She looked around her
in wonder and awe. Such great, high
room. with hard, shining floor, that re-
| Elected Mary James diminutive figure
and everything around her; with crystal
lamps shining like clusters of stars above
her
Mary Jane wondered if they were
"di' MONS" Her idea of how diamonds
looked was very vague indeed. In TIM
my's stories diamonds always figured
conspicuously, and these must of course
be some.
Straight ahead was wide staircase,
which shone just like the polished floor,
Mary Jane was quite sure that it led up
to an enchanted castle.
| AS she looked at the marble and
bronze statues scattered about, Mary
JAMES tender little heart ached with
pity. They had, doubtless, been poor
nnfortunates il search of Fairy-land, and
had fallen into the power of the ogre in
the enchanted castle.
But there was one which Mary Jane
| looked at for full five minutes without
the least pity in her heart 1t was
marble statue of a boot black, with his
brush in his hand.
"Ha. ha! | know who you BET" she
said, pulling the statues nose, and MAX
ing horrible faces. 81 guess you won't
hit me on the head with yer brush agin
fer nuthin', Jim Smith! Tn awful glad
the ogre got a-holt O. your
just then a step sounded upon the
staircase. and, with a stitled scream and
wildly beating heart, Mary Jane sank
down behind the statue of Jim Smith.
1t was an ogre in black, who looked ter
ribly stern, and had fierce, bristling
whiskers. With a sigh of relief,
Mary Jane watched him disappear in
one of the open doorways.
As she crept out again she felt very
penitent for having treated Jim Smith
so shamefully.
cit must be awful to be as cold an
hard as st,t'a,'' she said, with a shud-
der. ''Poor Jimmyr'
The music had begun again. Peep
ing in at one of the doorways, Mary
Jane beheld scene that fairly took her
breath away. There were fairies and
fairies, all about her size, but oh, so
beautifully dressed! dancing with as
many handsome young princes There
was tall lady fairy there, too, who
watched the other fairies dancing, and
looked at them, oh, ever so kindly!
Mary Jane decided at once that this
must be the queen OF the fairies
80, this IS fairy-land, sure enough!'
cried Mary Jane.
Oh i 80 ,,,oo-4 ,..- ,1o,,l
No, indeed; she had intended to only
think it. But the beauty and splendor
of it all had almost taken away her
senses. Her awed voice rose, sweet
and shrill above the music and the rust
ling of the dancers.
The music ceased with a crash; the
fairies and princes stopped dancing and
stared at the frightened little apparition
in the doorway. Then the queen-fairy
came forward, and, STOPPING down.
kissed Mary James scared, quivering
mouth.
Il came to visit Fairy-land," falt-
cred Mary Jane, IAN to get three wish
es from YOU
How the fairies and princes laughed!
But they were SO merry and gooG-na-
tured about it that somehow Mary Jane
didn't feel bit embarrassed.
What are the wishes, dear childp
Perhaps | can grant them," smiled the
queen-fairy.
80, thank you, MENU cried Mary
Jane. her blue eyes shining; but, some
how, the three wishes she had counted
on her fingers so often in Granny
o. Brien's hut were not so easy to emu
merate when she really was in Fairy
Ta1J Lob -
here forever an ever" began Mary
Jane, gazing about her in a sort of rapt-
ure, can have Lame Jimmy with me.
then-won' t you please AK the ogre to
change the slater of Jim Smith, out in
that big room there, back ag' imp
The boys and girls-I mean the
princes and fairies-laughed more than
ever at this; but there we're tears in the
queen-fairy's eyes. Mary Jane thought
they were diamonds, and softly touched
one which had fallen on her hand.
"They amt di' mons, arter allt' she
cried, much disappointed.
And at this even the queen-fairy had
to smile brightly through her tears.
l know you are thinking that l am
this story too long, so / will
hasten to the end.
Mary James wishes all came true.
The queen-fairy was a rich and kind
lady, who love children very much, but
who had none of her own.
You may be sure that Granny O. Brien
didn't want to part with Jimmy and
Mary Jane. They are both of the opin-
ion that the fairy threw spell over
Granny; and so am Ia spell OF gold.
A boy whose name is Jim Smith
BACKED my boots only the other day, SO
am sure Mary James third wish was
granted. Golden Days.
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