The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-09-14
THE FAIRY SISTER.

Will JuTtt
in the middle of her forehead.
Il wish was a fairy god-motherr
she said, listlessly, picking up one o.
Baby Harris little dresses and drop
ping it again in another wrong place
for mother to hunt after.
"What for?" asked Aunt Helen
laughing to think of fourteen-year-old
Sallie being fairy god-mother.
''Oh, why, lots of things! just now
I'd wave my wand and this room
would be swept and busted, and Baby
Harris would stop his screeching, and
the boys would find something else to
do besides plaguing him, and I'd have a
little peace of my life"
"Why don't you try being fairy sis.
terP" said Aunt Helen, smiling.
"What would 1 do?n cried Sally,
eagerly. The idea struck her fancy.
"Everything Her Royal Laziness
wants a fairy god-mother to dor
laughed Aunt Helen.
Sallie laughed, too, with little
blush. She wasn't too stupid to take a
broad hint like that. She tucked on
her little blue lace-trimned sweeping,
cap, and soon appeared with the broom
for her wand. After some vigorous
fiourishes the floor was clean as new
pin, and Aunt Helen was sneezing with
The dust.
Next. Sallie exchanged the broom for
another magic wand called the buster,
and presto!-all the dust had vanished,
the mantel ornaments were speckless,
the books stood in orderly rows, the
window shades were snapped up TO Just
the right height, and the sunlight, look
ing in with an approving smile, came and
stretched itself contentedly on the rug
like great yellow lap-dog. Aunt
Helen looked up and gave her funny
little nod which meant $50 far, so
goodr' and Sallie took broom and dust
pan into the kitchen. to look for further
labors. You never heard such hub
bub as there was out there. Not unless
you have three boys and two babies in
your family.
"Pity sakes!" cried Salle. trying to
put her fingers in her ears, and so drop
ping the broom and spilling the dust
pan. In the minute that it took to
pick it up she thought of her new char
acter.
"Billy's ben an gone an tummled
wight in the fow bal, head firstn' said
little Paul, solemnly, STOPPING over to
look in her face as he bent over the dust
pan. "Spoilted all the fow to make
bikkits wivr'
"Ain'tr spluttered Billy, in a hol-
low voice fvOm the bottom of the
barrel.
"Ain't! Hear him, Sallie!" cried
Johnny, doubling up with laughter at
Billy's antics in trying to get out.
"P'raps 'tisn't Billy's legs sticking
out; oh, no! P'raps it's some other
boys legs; oh, yes! Long may they
waver'
Sallie couldn't help laughing, but she
went into the pantry and gave the emp
ty -four barrel q little tip that sent Billy
out squirming Oh the floor.
i"Wanted to make some paste, that's
ALL" explained Billy, sheepishly.
''Let's mix him up in some cold water,
them" said teasing Johnny, 'Tm sure
there's plenty of flour in his hair"
mo such thing" said Sallie, laugh
ING. "Let me brush you, Billy, and
then I'll scrape some flour off the boards
for your paste. Didn't do any hurt to
the .bikkits,' Puss-cat, cause there
wasn't any there"
She comforted him so well that he
was soon able to be around and tending
to his usual occupation-thar of bother
ing the babies.
"Boys!'' cried Sallie, suddenly,
" 'sposin' there was a fairy should
come right in and say she'd do any
Identical thing you wanted her to
what would you ask her?''
"Cut tags for my kite" said Billy,
promptly.
snake some 'lasses candy" from
Johnny.
'.Put the pockets in my t'owsers so
the marbuls will STAY" pleaded Paul.
The twins placidly sucked their
thumbs, for wonder, as if trying to
decide what they did want.
"Twould need three or four. fairies
to 60 around" said Sallie. ..I'n do one
of the things"
sMy kiter' cried Billy.
''Candy!' shouted Johnny.
'.Pockets!' piped Paul.
'.Draw lots" said Sallle. The trow-
sers were in luck. Sallie went and
begged Aunt Helen for '.sheet iron to
make pockets out Of" and sat down
on the bottom stair to work while
Paul clustered around her, as Johnny
said.
II could show you about the kite
while I'm basting," said this very oblig-
ing fairy sister.
s'And couldn't you. 'spose, tell me
how to do the candy?'' put in Johnny.
'.If mammals willing, l guess So"
said Sallie. Mammals taking a nap.
Ask Aunt Helen.''
Auntie said: "Yes, indeed" so
Johnny went to work. He obeyed
orders like a soldier, and Just as the
candy was going to burn. the pockets
were done, and Sallie could hop up and
''tend to things"
"What has my little girl been doing
to keep the babies so still the whole
afternoon?'' asked mamma, coming
down from her long, sweet nap, with
rested face and shining eyes.
'Just playing" said Sallie, blushing
20 think she hadn't played this beauti-
Jul game before.
''She did just exactly everything any
body wanted her to-" cried Johnny and
Billy, who were trying" the candy in
sticky cups of cold water. played
she was afairy."
Better nat" cried Paul, standing,
as Johnny said, three feet '.in his pock-
ets." "She's frs ate, sfeet, fat girlr'
Sallie accepted this compliment
'.from whence it came" She knew it
expressed unbounded admiration. The
fairy sister came so often after that first
visit that mamma said she should have
to believe in the stories of changelings.
Al fo, Callia / heard her aauinnr 70