, 1889-01-10
KAISER IN CLOUDLAND.

Tho following charming fairy tale, which the
author has consented TO have published. wns writ
ten for the amusement Of the great grandchildren
Of Sir Walter Scott while the author was visiting
the family at AbbotEford n year ago. Thu Gyear-
old Kaiser, the hero OF the story, is drawn from the
eldest child, Walter, who on coming Of age will DO
knighted and thus revive the name and title of his
great grandslrc The touches Of description in the
story are suggestions OF Abbotsford and Its
grounds Sc Home Journal
Gusts Of wind were sending the
dead leaves whirring along the sodden
ground, rafting the easements of the
old English manor, whistling round
corners and down the huge chimneys
like some evil spirit. To 6~-year-old
Kaiser the day had been a long one.
His pretty mamma was i'll up stairs,
his papa far away in South Africa,
fighting Zulus, and he had wandered
about by himself all day, wishing the
rain would stop, and the bright sun
appear once more.
For there wero so many things to
be done in the garden and park sur
rounding his home. His home was a
very beautiful one. The house was
hundreds of years old, and its stone
walls and towers were mantled with
ivy that clustered round the doors and
windows, and ran riot to the very
caves of the gabled roof. Around it,
as far as the eye could reach, stretched
velyety lawns, dotted with grand old
trees and shrubbery, among which
rabbits and spotted deer roamed at
will. From the great stone steps one
could hear the ripple of a brook that
hid itself among ferns and bracken at
tho foot of thn rncn rorjnD
His parents, who were very proud
of their little boy, had given him
the name of Kaiser, which e 1.-THE
king" for, being the only child on
this great domain, he was apt to rule
those around him by his pretty, loving
ways.
Just now he was curled up in the
window seat, watching the rain pat
tering on the trees and foliage. For
an hour he had watched the freight
flicker on the polished floor, dance on
the tapestried walls TO lose itself in the
dim corners of the great hall, till he
felt quite lonely and sad.
THE raindrops seem to have q much
better time than l do" he sighed, as
they whirled about in the wind and
danced on the garden walk. "How
AliSO II OLC COulu pLdy Will LHeIn, DuJ
they are not a bit of use" he grumbled
as he watched them run races down
the window pane to join together at
the bottom and lie still rejecting the
freight.
As he watched he suddenly rubbed
his eyes and stared. What was hap
peningl He must be dreaming. A
big raindrop was stretching itself,
and, wonder of wonderl a pair of
blue eyes, dainty hands and feet, q
mass of waving hair, and, lol a tiny
creature met his bewildered gaze
where the raindrop had been.
She tapped with u tiny finger on the
glass and Kaiser FASTENED to let her
in. She hoated around and stood on
the cushion where his head had lain.
Kaiser was rather frightened at this
strange visitor, and all he could think
of to say was to beg her to take a seat,
as his mamma had told him to do to
strangers.
"Of course you are surprised to see
me-" she said, ''for we raindrops
rarely have tho time to talk to NOR
tails, but / heard you grumbling, and
thought you should know that we are
of great use and Importance"
Are you a r%aindrop7' asked Kaiser
in establishment.
Eyes, she replied, 'all raindrops are
fairies like me. We are sent from
Cloudland by our queen for the bene-
fit of m~ortals, but we rarely get any
thanks for the good we do"
A sigh heaved her tiny breast and
her sea blue eyes grew misty. Kaiser
fastened to apologize, for he felt
guilty.
II didn't know raindrops were pref.
ty fairies like you. But where is
Cloudland, and how did you get hereY'
IF you will come with me" she an,
swered, Il will show you our house
it is far prettier than anything on
earth"
She took his hand and suddenly Kai
ser saw himself lying on the easement
seat, while he, his real self, went quite
lightly up, up through the air, moi
feeling cold or dampness, but buoyant
and joyous.
His dainty guide kept by his side.
and together they floated out and up
ward, till he could see the gabled roo,
of his homo, q small brown spo
among the trees.
you sec those clouds in the west,
sIlS Sdlu, llldl Is our NOME VIC rail-
fairies are thousands of years old, anC
in fact we shall not die till tho worlC
does. And we arc great travellers.
have been far up in the north to tn
ice kings palace, where the whit
bears and seals live among the SHOWS
l tloated down rivers overshadowe,
with the rich verdure of the tropics
where the lion and tiger have thei
home. But we rarely stay long OIL
earth; when u work is done on
queen calls us back to Cloudland Il
await further orders"
Kaiser thought her voice the sweetes
thing he had ever heard, and her teetl
and lips like pearls and red cora
Meanwhile they had neared Raindrop'
home. What had seemed to him I
DO clouds on earth proved to bea grea
and beautiful city. Towers rose her
and there, and fair palaces of soi
pearl, through the windows of whicI