The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-17
Our Youn9 Benple.
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
IRETTA, THE FAIRY.
BY ELIZABETH CAKES SMITH.

good or lovely = having bad hearts,
which kill out all beauty, and then they
take pleasure in making everybody
around them unhappy.
Iretta was properly Flower-angel,
but all fairies being related to each
other, cousins as it were, they can each
visit the domains of the other Fairies;
and indeed they are a gossiping little
race, liking to CAD about great deal.
Iretta had been noted from her earliest
days for thoughtfulness, and some
thing not just like the rest of her kind,
and when she went about with them they
did not quite like the solemn way she ask
ed questions OF the Fairy King and Queen.
She knew all that is to us, hidden and
mysterious in the creation Of the world,
and could tell why the coal did not be
diamond, and the clay a sapphire and
the oyster pearl.
She could fly at will from the bloom
ing rose or lily and sink into the deep
caves of the mountain, where the little
sprites were turning gems from side to
side, 80 that they might have all their
angles perfect; and they were glad to see
her, and liked to hear her talk, for she
was sort of poet amongst them, giving
them new, rare thoughts. Sometimes
she went with her sisters to visit the
great caves OF the North, where for thou
sands of years, the Fairies had buried
their treasures down deep in the sea.
They would meet together at the Giants
Causeway, and from thence sink to the
depths of the ocean, and there, under ba-
saltic columns piled with gems, the
tricksy creatures enjoyed their gorgeous
and fantastic lives, content in the blazing
ght of palace of diamonds.
Iretta, as have said was Flower
angel. It was her duty, as Che shadows
of evening came on, to remind the bios
SONS that it was sleep-time, and so she
folded the petals over their wee hearts and
sang song of love to each one as she
tucked it up from the night air. Then
she slept in the mimosa till the moon
was up, for the fairies like to dance in
the moonlight.
The flowers of Iretta were always love-
ly, and gave forth delicate perfume.
They did not wither from her neg
lect, nor pine from her forgetfulness for
her soul was filled with duty and lowell
ness. The good angels who are near us
at all times, saw the goodness of Iretta
and praised her at which the little Fairy
would say
"You are blessed with spirits, for you
go beyond the boundaries of this world;
and when this earth shall be burned up
and and all the Fairies will perish, you
will live and be blessed forever"
Then the angel said to her, "You will
be immortal, Iretta. All who are born of
earth, and go to another world must first
embrace the dark angel"
One bright starry evening, Iretta felt a
deep sadness, such as mortals feel when
some duty has been neglected, or when
they are stirred by immortal longipgs.
She had kissed and curtained her sweet
blossoms for the night, but she still ling
cred near them, listening to the happy
twitter of unAedged birds, and the CHEEKY
pipe of the cricket, from his grassy covert.
At length she observed great number
of lovely sprites lowering near rose
tree in full bloom. She saw that they
rested awhile and then rose upward, as
cending and descending, thus making a
ladder from earth to heaven, such as the
patriarch saw at Bethel
Iretta drew pear and beheld little
child which had wandered away from
home and fallen asleep under the rose
bush, and the angels kept the owl away,
and the bat and snake and spider and
earwig, that nothing should harm the
tender little one.
AS Iretta came near and caressed the
child, the angels loved her for her
thoughtful tenderness, and they felt an
angel sorrow for one who belonged to
the earth, and yet longed for heaven.
"Happyl happy child" Iretta exclaim-
ed, "to have an immortal soul, soul Of
more value than ali the riches and grand
eur of earth, for all these will pass away,
but the soul will endure. When the
earth is rolled up-a burning scroll, and
Iretts and her sister Fairies shall perish
with it, thy life will be onward, forward!
happy childp'
The light wind stirred the blossoms
and wakened them from their slumber,
wondering why their dear guardian thus
bemoaned herself, and Iretta, fearful of
giving pain, rocked them to sleep again.
God gives to none of his creatures any
desire without imparting, also, some
thing to crafty the desire, and bright
spirit was sent to talk with Iretta, and
learn the deep wishes of brave, pure
heart.
Accordingly an angel said to her, "Re-
member, Iretta, to live forever, you must
first embrace the dark angel, who speaks
not, and comforts not"
81 know it all" she replied, "but the
dark angel will open our eyes in a
brighter world than even this, and then
we shall behold such as thou art and ap-
prosch nearer to the Most High God"
"Thou hast thy WISH" said the spirits
and then the dark angel embraced the
sIaanino child uhosa faca hacapa noar