The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-11-03
A FAIRY.


May Riley Smith
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A FAIRY.
'.And that paths leads-?"
"Oh, nowhere at ALL" answered Maud
Rae. hastily-so hastily that her COM
panion let the bride fall upon his
horses neck and halt-turned in his sad
die, gazing up that narrow, winding
break in the dark woods as if he expect
ed to see some mysterious secret peep
ing out of it.
But Maud had turned her horses
head in the opposite direction, pointing
with her whip.
See what glorious view down the
hillside, Cousin Mauricer' she cried.
1t was glowing and brilli' Mt and
beautiful in the sunset, but not half so
beautiful, not half so brilliant, as the
graceful woman at his side.
When he answered, Superb Mau-
rice Desmond's eyes were on her face,
and not on the fair valley scene below
them.
Perhaps she was conscious of that
fact. Her lovely color deepened. and
she struck her horse smartly with her
riding-whIp, wheeling hIm round sud
denly to hide the blush.
Now for race home.n she cried
gaily.
And then. whether it was the sharp
turn or the sudden flick of the lash, or
something stirring in the underground,
her horse plunged, and the next instant
Maud was lying on the roadside, with
the lovely color all fled out of her face.
1t did not come back when Maurice
Desmond stopped over her, lifting her
head on his arm, speaking to her, try
ing TO recall her to life.
There was no sign of life.
The young fellow looked around him
desperately. What should he do? Her
home was far away, in the valley-too
far to think of carrying her for help,
too far to think of leaving her here alone
till he should 90 for help.
And there was no house in sight upon
this lonely. mountain-crest.
As he east his eyes forlornly around,
there came to him, like an unexpected
answer. faint waver of blue smoke
above the low fire and the alders close
at hand.
All at once it struck him-that merest
path, winding through the underground,
which Maud had told him led nowhere
at all.
Might there not at least be wood
cutters hut-some shelter-some one
to send down TO the great house on
message?
He caught Maud up, gently and swift
ly, in his arms. Her fair head dropped
upon his shoulder; her light form lay.
heavy burden, on his heart, which was
full of pity for her and dismay.
Now and again putting out one arm
to shield her from the overlapping
branches, he pushed on through the
winding path into the midst of the
overgrow1.w .wood-into the very midst
where, suddenly, he came upon the
hut he had been looking for.
A woodcutter's hut, whose rude walls
were covered with the climbing clematis
honeysuckle; clumps of wild sweetbriar
were blooming about the doorstep.
"a fairy bower" said Desmond to
himself; ''and-yes, yonder is the
fairyr
She came out under the trailing vines,
singing like a nightingale, wild song,
which echoed the notes of the birds fly
ing homeward in the sunset.
She stood in the doorway, shading
her eyes with her hand from the red
rays of the sinking sun-a sylph-like
figure crowned with hair in which those
rays were cleaning, as if they delighted
in lingering there.
At Desmond's rustling movement
through the branches, she dropped her
hand, and looked straight into his eyes
across the narrow patch of cleared
1 ground between the hat and the sur
rounding wood.
| Straight into his, with the prettiest
mutt brown eyes, Maurice Desmond
/ thought, that he had ever seen; out OF
the prettiest, wild-rose face-for she was
blushing like any rose under his inyol-
untary stare.
Then, when she saw the burden in
his arms, she started forward.
Something has happenedn' she cried.
..An accident. If / can do anything
She broke off sharply, as she came
nearer and caught full view of the face
upon his shoulder.
.sMaudr Then, correcting herself
with swift glance askance at Maurice
| Desmond; Miss Rae. Has she tainted
| Win you bring her indoors, and let mt
try to help you?"
Indoors it was as without-a rude in
| terror as exterior. but made beautiful b,
| the fairy touch of the girl, who wa
| soon down on her knees beside the rus
tic bench on which they had laid Maud
She had brought a flask of cologne
from the inner roonl-a tiny closet, hal
| seen through the opening door-ane
she was bathing Maud's wrists ans
temples.
| she is coming to, she said, after /.
moment. looking up at Desmond.
Thanks to YOU he said, eagerly
s.You have been her good fairy Of ths
woods. II had not chanced upon you
bower here
But she looked up at him with grav
smile.
You do not know, then, that ever,
one shuns our hut-that it has an evi
name, and all the country people wouls
go mile round to avoid it after dark
! Why, Maud-Miss Rae would tell you
She stopped
i Miss Rae's eyes were opening. an,
gazing straight up into hers.
Some one else was gazing now-s
: bent and worn and feeble figure In tht
doorway. who stood there with his darl
looks riveted upon the group
No one saw him.
i The girl upon her knees, the youn
man STOPPING toward her, were bot
! watching the flame OF Ike fickerin,
/ again in Maud's wide-opened eyes.
, They stared up at the fairy-lik crea
ture, bewildered. half-dreamy.
.Am I asleepT said Maud, in slow
confused tone I've often dreame
Nab came to me just So
IL s.Mabr' the queen OF the fairies! Th
! girl on her knees beside the couch, looI
, | ed q very fairy-queen to Maurice De:
: mond And this was midsummer-day
the fairies day
She seemed to read his fancy, an
flashed him up laughing glance. a
she knelt there; then laid her small
brown hand upon Maud's white an
jewelled one
do mo-. talk yet she said Il
wastes Four strength And besides''-
this % low. SIS she bent over her. ths
!. Maurice Desmond barely caught wor
or two you might say something 70
2 might not choose to say afterwards.
But Maud suddenly raised herzo