Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-18

with cross, disagreeable people, I look
wriukled and old, and my voice is shrill
and unpleasant; but with you I shall al
ways be as l am to-day. I shall serve you
when can, and play with you when Mar.
garet leaves you alone. How will that
please you?"
How glad am" said Mechtild, "for il
has been very lonesome since dear mamma
died, and now papa has taken brother Gero
travelling with him, and they will not be
home for a year. Do YOU think that Mar.
garet will soon bring me my supper? I am
getting very hungry
Margaret is too busy chatting with the
other servants to think Of you" was the re,
ply, "but 1 shall soon bring you something
good from the pantry
And Puck ran so close to the fire that
hIechtild cried: 80, do be careful, or YOU
will burn your pretty clothes"
The Brownie only laughed and in a mo-
ment disappeared. 1t was not very long,
however, until he again stood before the lit
tie girl. lie had his hands and pockets full
of cakes. To Aiechtild's astonished in
CUiries as TO where he got them Puck
laughed heartily and said: "Whenever 1
place this little green cap on my head 1 at
once become invisible and can be where /
wish. When l left you went directly to
The kitchen, where the servants are having
& feast. 1t was great fun to see them gaze
in surprise when l snatched these cakes lust
as they were about TO eat them. I wish 1
could have brought YOU some of the other
good things they had"
But Mechtild was very well satisfied with
the cakes, and the evening passed pleasant
" with her new friend until the little girl
began to grow sleepy, and then the Brownie
said: Curl up in that big chair, and /
shall sing you to sleep"
'When, late at night, Margaret returned,
expecting TO find her little charge in tears,
she found Mechtild sleeping sweetlv, while
the moon rays falling through the window
kissed her soft hair and rosv checks, For
several davs the nurse was very attentive
10 the child; but she grew careless again.
and ran off TO the kitchen, leaving Mechtild
alone. But Puck did not forget his little
friend.
''Now Mechtild, we shall have some fun
tonight" said the Brownie, 81 have
brought little cap for you, and we shall
help ourselves TO whatever we want"
The little girl was in high glee over the
thought, and putting on their caps the two
little people wished themselves in the
kitchen where the servants, seated around
a table, were eating and drinking Puck
and Nechtild went from one plate to an
other taking a piece Of meat here and some
bread there, enjoying all the time the
startled looks the thefts caused. Once, as
the cook was raising glass of wine to her
lips, Puck took the glass from her hand,
and, after drinking the wine, put the glass
On the table. When Mechtild saw how
frightened the cook was, and what a queer
face she made, she could not help laughing
aloud. At the sound of her voice Margaret
arose from the table and said: 81 think
Mechtlld is calling me "
When the nurse entered the room, she
found the little girl looking out of the win
dow, and laughing heartily.
Puck proved a faithful friend to the lone
" child. During the long winter he was
with her nearly every day, and BY means of
the green caps, the two made visits into dis
tant lands, where the sun shone bright and
warm and the sweet flowers bloomed. They
also went into the cold lands of the north,
where only snow and ice were to be seen.
When spring came Mechtild and her
friend wandered over the mountain on
which the castle stood, and many happy
hours they spent together. 1t was not until
late in the summer that Gero and his father
returned home. Upon the arrival of the
travellers, the nurse became so attentive to
little Mechtild that Puck ceased to visit the
castle. While Mechtild wondered that the
brownie did not come to her. she was not
lonely without him; for Gero was very fond
q his little sister, and was her constant
companion.
Several years passed by, and Mechtild