Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-05-08


ON their way home they passed an
Ola curiosity shop, and stopped to look
IN at the window. Among the odds
and ends there was pretty little china
fairy, to which Rose took d great
fancy.
80 Tom, DEAR" she cried, "'look at
that little china figure. Isn't it pretty
That's just the sort of thing should
like on my unantel-shelf. 1 should
never be tired of looking at it. DO go
in and see how much it is.n
Iom went in and asked the price,
and returned with the information that
it was ten shillings.
''Oh, DEAR" said Rose, 'Athat's much
more than e>can afford: Come along,
Tom"
But though Rose said "Come along,''
she didn't move. She stood looking
lovingly at tho little china fairy. All
at once she gave a start. 80, Tom, y
she exclaimed; "looIz at that fairy's
lips, they're moving"
'What nonsense!" said Tom, laugh
ing; @'you've been staring at it; ':it's
an optical Illusion -
''Tom, would it be very wicked if we
bought it. I'd save tho money out OF
my housekeeping"
'Well, it's a lot of money, but dare
say it won't ruin us. l SEQ you want it,
dear, and you shall have it,
And before Rose could stop him Tom
had stepped into the shop. and pres
emily he came out with the little china
fairy carefully wrapped up in paper.
Rose put it in her muff-it was quite a
little fairy-and they bore it Off home
in triumph.
1t looked so lovely on the mantel.
shelf Rose couldn't take her eyes off it,
but kept going up to it all the evening
and saying: "Oh. you little dear!" and
she would have it that the fairy's eyes
were looking at her.
Tom laughed, but he confessed that
1t really was a very life-lilze little fig
ure. The face was quite real, and the
wonderful thing about it was that the
expression seemed to change.
Being Saturday. night, the young
couple sat up rather late. Tom smoked
his pipe while Rose read to him, and
they were so comfortable and so hap
Ply that they never noticed the time
till Tom happened to look at his watch,
and then he cried out: "Good gracious,
Rose, it's one minute to twelve!"
Rose closed her book-she had
reached the end OF the chapter-lit the
bedroom candle, and then Tom turned
the gas out. AS he did so the big
clock down stairs struck twelve.
just as the last stroke died away, a
sweet, soft, silvery voice exclaimed:
"Ihank you so much for buying me. -
Rose was SO startled that she dropped
the candle, which fell on the floor and
went out. Tom turned round with an
exclamation, and there, with a halo of
light round her head, stood the little
china fairy on the mantel-shelf. 1t
was the fairy who had spoken. Her
lips were parted, showing two rows of
pearly teeth; and the kindest, sweetest
smile was on her face.
Don't be frightened" said the fairy,
as Rose clutched Tom, and wondered
whether she ought to faint or not;
''don't be frightened, I am a good
fairy. I was turned to china by a
wicked enchantress, but every night at
twelve o'clock I recover the power of
speech, which lasts until dawn. I was
very unhappy in the old curiosity
shop. where I was taken by the
person who found me in a forest
and thought I was an ornament.
There was no one there. at midnight
for me to talk to except lot of Chinese
idols and brass figures and creatures of
that sort, and they didn't understand
me. was very pleased when you
brought me to your nice, happy home,
and you can't think how I've been
longing for twelve o'clock, to be able
to thank you."
I'm sure we're very pleased" stam-
mered Rose, "but of course it's very
odd. I don't like to ask you, but-er
would you like any thing to eat?'
The fairy laughed a silvery laugh.
"Oh, no." she said, ''fairies are never
hungry. Besides, I want you to be
kind enough to open the window for
me and let me fly away. If I can get
back to fairyland before dawn, may
find my protectress, who will take
away the spell that has been put upon
me-"
s'Oh, certainly" said Tom, with
PLEASURE" and he was proceeding to
open the window when he recollected
the fairy had cost him ten shillings,
and that the transaction would be a
dead loss to him.
The fairy evidently guessed what
was passing in Toms mind, for she
flew gracefully off the mantelshelf and
came and stood on the table beside
him.
II will not be ungrateful," she said;
Gas reward for your kindness, can
grant you one wish, whatever it is
go Tom!'' exclaimed Rose, who had
gradually shaken off her nervousness