The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-12-21
THE CHRISTMAS FAIRIES.


Aunt Ruth sat thinking. 1t was only
a week before Christmas, and, as vet, |
no gift had been decided upon for her
pet niece, who lived in a distant city
1t was hard to know what to give
Bessie-she seemed so well supplied
with everything little girl could want
ior comfort or pleasure. She was such
good child and so unselhsh, that she
was general fayorite. and her friends,
young and old. were always sending her
some pretty trinket, until her own room
was kind of museum OF love-tokens;
every corner was full, her bureau
loaded, the table covered, and the walls
adorned; in fact, it had almost become
aproverb in the family that 'fWhateyer
Bessie wished for always came.''
Now she was ten years old, had de-
clared herself tirei of Christmas trees,
and announced that to hang up stock
ing for Santa Claus to fill was too child
lsh-she should like to keep Christmas
some new way. This was what Aunt
Ruth was p zzling over. At last. with
look of relief, she exclaimed: II have
an idea! | know it will please her.
She Immediately went to her writing
desk, wrote long letter to Bessie's
mamma, and folded into it crisp bank
note
On Christmas morning Bessie opened
her eyes upon a bright silver quarter
which lay on her pillow. Beside it was
tiny note. She opened il and read:
DEAR Bessie: lam one Of fifteen silver
"a iss res which are to. appear to-day. with a
ahrslmas greeting from your Aunt Ruth.
rake us all together down to some big store
,9-m9rrow, .II re, and we will turn, into whatever
small thing you may wish for"
''Oh, how nicep' said Bessie. "What
a,.innny auntiel always doing something
different from other people. / dom t
quite understand what it AL means, but
am glad enough of this bit of spend
ing,money, for ! hadn't one cent left. I"
And, wide awake, she jumped out of
ped and began pulling on her stockings,
when, to her surprise and delight. she
found shining piece of silver in the
1901 Of each. Two of Aunt Ruth fair
ies had taken possession of her shoes,
another faced her in the wash-bowl and
awee one was in the box beside her
brush and comb. s770f
These will almost fill my poor, little
empty purse, she thought, rs she took
~ from drawer and touched the spring
but there, right between the red lin
ings' was the biggest fairy that had yet
Oh, h merry time as she had dressing
mat morningl Mamma was called in
continually. And how they laughed
over every new discovery! fil- r. in
AT breakfast, she was served first TO n
nl1pn ci
the same size, shone in the bottom OF
1ne glass OF water Bridget brought her.
ltWas really enchanting quite like the
svoryot Midas she had just been read
ing, only whatever he touched turned
llto gold. She wondered if the
vhcken, potatoes and rolls would turn
hto silver when she tasted them; but,
Ho' Although she looked very suspi.
cously at everything on the table, moi
another fairy showed itself.
now many times that morning she
counted her ten silver fairies, / cannot
eeh But what fun slfc had hunting
%.ler me other five, upstairs and down
s.'drS' from attic to cellar underflu6s,
nh,Nl ~ h,wlor,k-oaskets, and in every eonceiv,
Sye place! Searching was all in vain
nyweVer; fairy numher eleven did mo-
spPear until dinner time, when it flew
euh most unexpectedly, as Bessie wa,
ulrolhng her napkin, and its silvel
nlale lay temptingly among the nut.
when the dessert was brought in. 's
pes le spent unhappy. afternoon sit
lmg IN the midst OF her many presents
anu planning how to spend her littl,
.IIrtune, Some OF her fairy piece
should turn INFO pair OF warm mitten
ior poor Johnnie Davis; many times i
hau maize her heart ache as she hat
watched him trying to shovel snow witt
sueh re hands. She would carry .
basket full OF fairy cakes, frosted Will
,sS ms ana white sugar, to old coloreC
susan susan he, had overheard her tellin,
ule cook that it was many long da'
sn s,nce she had tasted ANYTHING nicel
sue would change her biggest fairy int,
pretty doll for that distressed -loekin,
ernIppled girl who lived around m M
ahey, ard would carry out many othe
plans OF the same sort. y 81 s3
Dut mamma was calling her to ore
iealy ior walk, and. rather reluctant
y, sne turned away from her new treas
ares TO put on her wrappings, and fel
~. ~ .ne pocket other cloak for her glove:
1ey were missing, but there she foun
'airy' aud another csme sticking ou