Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
that can easily catch it. Do not wait fol-

that can easily catch it. Do not wait for
me; 1 shall follow you soon"
Meta ran away, and Harry, stealing be-
hind the butterfly, threw his cap over it,
and ran forward to secure his prize. But
the butterfly futtered further. Harry re-
peated the attempt again and again; but in
vain. The butterfly always kept just be-
youd his reach. In the middle Of the forest
stood a hundred-year old oak. Toward
this the butterfly flew, and slIppirr into
small knot hole disappeared from e.tht.
"Now you are caught nv little friend,
cried Harry; 81 shall soon have you"
But the hole was so small that he could
not put his hand in it; and after thinking
moment he decided to hang his cap over the
hole, and thus make the butterfly his Dris-
oner. Being warm and tired from his long
chase, he sat down under the tree and leaned
against its trunk. Gradually he became
unconscious, his eyelids began to droop,
and while the birds sang lullaby, he fell
fast asleep. The sun sank below the hills,
throwing a veil of darkness over the forest;
but the silvery moonbeams soon penetrated
through the leafy branches and fell on the
face OF the sleeping boy. Then the cap fell
softly from the tree, and the butterfly came
forth. But how changed in form it was.
The transparent wings, with their golden
border, which little Harry had so much ad-
mired, had become a glittering veil, and
was thrown over the shoulder of beautiful
little girl, who, smiling, bent over the little
sleeper, and in a silvery tone cried:
Caught, nv little friend, caught. How
delighted our Queen will be with this work
of her faithful subject"
At signal from her tiny silver trumpet
hundreds OF little elves, beautiful as her
self, came floating on the moonbeams
through the forest, and alter them in her
chariot of pearl drawn by butterflies, came
the fairy queen, having on her head Jew
eled dad m. The fairy who as a butterfly
had allured the boy, now approached the
chariot, and bowling low, said:
Dear Queen, your commands have been
obeyed, and your summer palace is now
ready have also secured treasure for
you, and one for which you have often
sighed, and pointing to the sleeping boy
she cried: "See, now we shall have king"
The Queen having rewarded her servant
with warm words of praise said: "Now we
must carry our treasure to a safe place"
Hundreds of little hands lifted the still
sleeping Harry and placed him in the
Queens chariot. The butterflies futtered
their wings, and softly and silently the
chariot and the entire company sank into
. the bosom of the earth, and no one but the
moon looked on.
The joyous Easter, with its flower and
song, was day of sorrow and mourning in
the castle. Little Harry, the pride and pet
of the household, was lost; and although the
forest had been searched throughout by
willing seekers, no trace of the missing bow
was found. The months passed by, and
still the heart-broken parents grieved for
their only son; and little Meta still mourped
for her lost brother and playmate. Easter
was again approaching, and sad and lonely
Meta wandered through the forest seeking
the sweet spring flowers and thinking of her
brother. Stopping to rest under the great
oak tree she tell asleep and dreamed that
Harry was with her.
"Oh, Harry, is it really you," she cried;
"and do you still live?"
"I indeed live" replied her brother; "but
/ can never come TO you again. Ny home is
under the earth with the fairy queen, who
carried me to her kingdom that spring even
ing when followed the butterfly, and on
Easter eve they will crown me king of the
fairies"
Dear brother" cried Meta in distress,
sis there no way TO rescue you?"
"Do not grieve for me" said Harry; at
10 very beauti ful in the fairy kingdom, and
il it were not for my great love for you and
ny dear parents 1 could be very happy.
There is but one way to save me, and that is
much too difficult"
''Tell me-" cried Meta; "I shall willingly
endure all suffering for you"
'on Easter eve" said Harry, when the
sun has get and the moon 10 shedding her
light through the forest, we shall come forth
from our home under the earth and wander
among the trees and flowers. / shall ride
on small white horse near the Queens
chariot, and as we pass here, II you will
without speaking, lift me from the horse,
and in spite Of all the changes that the
anger Of the Queen shall produce, silently