Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-21
FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
What Fairy Prue Saw.


Mydear child fairies, again I entreat
you cease watching sidewisc that poor
little frightened white butterfly, and
come listen to the story of my journey.
alas you will be cross-eyed in spite OF
all my painstakingD
When went to Tarrytown Prairie to-
day, to get that knot of fluffy threads
from the clothes line Elevated Road l
bcthought me to call on some young
friends thcre-thc Golden Hearts. When
last / saw them, on "NIay-day," they had
Just begun housekeeping, and so happy
were they that even the hearts of grim
giants passing were warmed from tho
sunshine in their faces
To-day l few all down the grass alleys
and found them not; went up stairs
among the great sweet, white horse
chestnut flowers, calling them, and looked
as far through the maple leaf blinds as
eye could see among the Pantain vii
lagos, and saw them not; and then went
to the very garret even of "King Elm"
on the corner that ovcrlooks all larry
town, and called as sweetly and as dear
ly as could think to do: Golden
IIearts-Gold-cn Hearts-an-swer to my
calls and no answer came back to me.
And then bcthought me to ask lit
tic wandering West Wind that was pat
ting around among the leaves in the tree
tops, where my golden haired friends
had gomez And he whispercd-ncver
shall / forget how sadly-"Dear Fairy
Pruc, two days ago Father Time came
this way in his cloud chariot, and told
all our golden haired young friends that
werc-though now must admit they
arc in middle lifc-thcy must make
ready to sail unto a far country, to the
land called Sunny Somewhere that
their souls might be made perfect, and
they return another springtimc in all
their youth and beauty; and that
younger generation would soon awake IN
all the grass valleys, and keep their
memories golden, and their hcorth-stoncs
green"
And then he rode away on a thunder
cloud, calling to me as he passed King
Elm to see to it his day, when the sun
rides high, that the fairy ships set sail
with the Golden Hearts all aboard.
at is near the dread time now he
:huddercd; "comc Fairy Pruc, come
YOU with me-" And l descended, trcm-
bling, by the side Of West Wind, to bid
my friends goodbye; and found-ah,
woe to mc.-thcy had grown thin and
TALL and their once golden heads had
turned whitc-so white with gricf-and
they all stood pale and mcckly still,
waiting for the fairy sail to come and
bear them away from sunny-loycd larry
town.
That moment, then, wandering West
Wind whistled softly oncC-twicc-and
with one universal sigh the white souls
--wavering one long minute in mid-air
when they heard many small sweet
voices calling from all among thc'grass
valleys, "Good bye, dear Grandmama
Dandcions, goo d.byc"-rosc and
hoated upwards and far away to the
land of Sunny Somewhere
And-and-thank you dcars, but III
not take even an apple blossom for my
dinner to-day, my heart is so sad With
thinking.
(And then, when Fairy Pruc settled
herself YEARLY in her coy new sitting
room, she MOugM she heard little fair
haired boy down among the lilac bushes
whisper: 81 dc1 would like to know
rLerrer that's Mr.. Robin Red breast or a
fairy, an what hc's-shc's-talkin' about
way up therc!")
| MRs ANNA ID, MIDLER.