The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-11-25
BESsY's FAIRY GODMOTHER.

Little Bessie believed in fairies, al
though her mother smiled and shook
her head when she asked: Ibid Vou
ever see fairy?"
AT the time my story begins Bessy
sat on the window-sill with great book
open on her knee, straining her eyes
TO catch the last words of the most de
lightful story she had ever read. 1t
was all about fairy godmothers, shoes
filled with gold. and other wonderful
things to be found IN such books.
AS the light died out of the sky, and
a soft purple mist settled down upon
the hill-tops, she sighed and closed her
book, for the story was done.
Bessy's father and mother were away
from home, and she was alone that
evening. The sound of voices and the
rafting of dishes came from the kitch-
EN-. The crickets had begun their
evening song; the lanes were growing
dark and mysterious. Bessy could i'm
agine fairy head peeping from every
tall flower by the garden gate, and the
Queen of them all seemed to bow to
her from the tall white lily in the pansy
bed
Bessy thought if ever fairy appeared
to mortal child, it would be on such a
night as this. And now, to crown all
Just at the end of the lane appeared q
light, moving backward and forward.
FIRST 1t would bob down, and then up
quite high, among the bushes.
At last Bessy could bear it no longer,
and made up her mind to solve the
mystery. So she stepped out of the
window on the porch, and then softly
over the grass, for she was afraid Ann
would hear her and call her back.
She said to herself "If it should be a
fairy glow-worm lighting the fairies to
their dancing ground Ann would
brighten them away, she is so big and
heavy"
So down the path she went on tiptoe.
Hardly daring to breathe, she pushed
open the gate, and looked down the
lane.
Bessy thought the light had disap-
peared. But by-and-by it came again,
moving in the same strange manner.
Although she trembled great deal, she
went bravely ON. 1t was only short
lane leading to the ma road, and shut
in on one side by large clump of trees.
1t was at the foot of one of these trees
that the light seemed to be standing
now.
At first Ressy crept softly on, keeping
IT in sight. How dark it had grown!
The light shone from the bushes like a
fallen star. When Bessy was within a
few feet of the light, she was aston
ished to see face peering out of the
darkness, its eyes fixed on her with
anything but pleasant expression.
The Light went out, and Bessy, wish
ing >he was safe at home, turned to
scamper back, when a heavy hand was
laid on her shoulder, and the light
flashed in her face.
She now saw it was lantern car
ried by a very small and disagreed
BILE old woman dressed in black, and
her head covered with a red handker-
chief. In one hand she held the lam
tern, and under her arm was crooked
stock.
Now, when Bessy saw the stick, she
was sure it was fairy godmother, for
the old woman was exactly like the de.
scription of the fairy in her new book.
The ugly black stick was her wand. So
she whispered, timidly:
care you a fairy godmotherP"
"a what?'' growled the old woman.
"a fairy godmother," repeated Bessy.
"Oh, yes, yes; TO be sure Pm a
fairy. If YOU tell any one you saw me,
I'll bring bad luck ON your house."
"Please, please don't" sobbed Bes-
'sy. "Pll never, never tell any one"
swell, shut up. then" said the fairy,
Fr'nd don't make such noise"