The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1889-01-18
THE FAIR CUPBOARD.
BY JULIA c~LARK-cHAsE.

btoOu ID piS hidpit ticV, SicCh ohu
thrifty with u square hole in the
trunk, about three feet from the
ground, and about two feet deep.
OF course il was dark as night inside,
and it was followed out of the body
of the tree to thesize of half a bushel.
The children had n superstitious
awe of the dark hole in the tree and
various stories were told of it. No
one knew how the hole was made, or
how long it had been there, but it
was called the FAIRY Cupboard"
The school house was built a quar-.
ter of a mile away from the village,
in q beautiful maple grove, and the
nearest house was that ofMr. Stanley
the only druggist of the place. He
had three children a baby z
years old and twins of O.
Nell, a girl and Dell, a boy.
Now their names were SO mucn
alike that it might have causedsome
trouble, only forthe reason that the
twins were always together. They
never could bear to be apart for a
moment, and their parents had SIM
ply to shut them up in separate
rooms, for any misconduct and they
were sufficiently punished. But l am
happy to say that they didnot often
need to beparted.
1t was the vacation between the
summer and winter school terms and
the children had plenty of time for
play; but they could not romp or
shout or make a noise about the
house, for their papa had been very
i'll for several weeks, and was only
just out of danger, the doctor said.
and it would be a long, long time be-
fore he would be able to go back to
the drug store again.
Their mother was.in close attend.
ance upon him, so the children had
tc depend upon themselves for amuse-
ment. They were very sad, too,
sometimes, for if their dear father
should die they felt that they could
nes.r be happy any more. He had
always been so kind to them, and
they were so comfortable in their
pretty home, but with sickness, and
trouble and expense and death so
near, the sorrow and worry had en-
tered their young. heartsand Swallowed
their young lives. We are always so
careless of the blessings that fill our
lives until they are hidden from us,
that sorrow and trouble are very
good things. once in a while, to teach
us to appreciate our everyday happi-
ness.
The children were wandering about
the wood, one day, picking up the
first bright leaves that had fallen to
the ground at the touch of
Autumn's fingers, when Dell said:
''Oh dear, l wish We could do some
thing We have never done before
something that would make us for
get about papa."
Nell looked up with honest surprise
in her big brown eyes: 81 don'twant
to forget about papa"
"Well, l mean forget about his be-
ing sick and having to suffer So" said
the boy.
Il think we ought to feel just as
badly as We can, and not let mamma
have it all to do" insisted Nell.
She rarely differed with Dell, but
the sight of her dear mothers tears
and pale, tired face made a great i'm
preston upon her tender heart.
"Well, [ wish there were real fairies,
and l would get n fairy god mother
to come and nurse papa, and make
him well, and then mamma could
rest"
Let's go to the Fairy Cupboard"
said his sister, "maybe we can find
something there"
So off they went hand in hand, and
peered into it's sable depths with
OolCIlI, Y lCItCo.
eff there were fairies we couldn't
see them by daylight, they only come
out at night"
Nell put her hand cautiously into
the hole and drew it back exciaiming,
"There might be something in there
to bite me-"
Dell laughed, and with o boys
bravado thrust his arm into the tree
only to draw out with a startled
scream.
What is it, DeI?"
81 don't know; something with fur
and it moved"
"Oh, Dell, it's a SQUIRREL"
"May be it's let's see;;" and he put
his hand in, very cautiously this
time, soon to be followed by the 9TH
er, and then he brought out, not a
squirrel, but a young rabbit.
The children were delighted with
their prize, and laughed and shouted
until they frightened the poor timid
thing nearly to death. They took it
home and made a house for it of an
old birdcage.
After they had provided it with
food and water, they went into the
house. remembering for the first time
in half an hour that they had both
actually forgotten their poor sick ia
ther- Nell was remorseful at the
thought of it; but her brother declar-
ed that the fairies had put the rabbit
there for them, intending theEa to
have something pleasant to think
about.
''And mamma told US to enjoy our
selves and not worry about papa, or
xUa would oof cicE Too don't won ro-