Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-06

them bring badies they want very soft mos
| to lay them on"
DO they bring their children some
| times?" asked.
Ihey do just now. Roseleaf and Bios
som both have babies, and fairy babies are
so Tiny they don't leave them alone because
the least breath of wind might blow them
away"
We left the fairy swings and went to the
OAK at once, and began to work in the most
earnest manner
First we cleared away all twigs and fallen
leaves and bits of pebble from under the
tree, and made charming smooth place to
dance ON. Then we made a fine moss carpet
and bordered it with fresh leaves, and as a
ihlshing touch we made moss seats to rest
on between the dances. The supper room
required much more work. First we had to
hnd piece of diamond stone," as Birdie
called 1t, which was the right shape and
size and white enough and sparkling enough
to make table. She said the sparkles were
really diamonds, and the fairies did not like
chairs or tables without diamonds. The
plates and dishes were made of small curled
rose petals, and the cups for the fairy wine
(Which was dew, Birdie told me) were the
cups of the tinIest flowers we could find.
1t was very pretty when it was all
finished, and then we prepared the
bedroom in the hollow of the tree. That
was carpeted with leaves and had moss beds
and pillows for Roseleaf and Blossoms
babies. Indeed, it was all so charming that
1t made me wish to be a fairy myself but
that was nothing new, because had always
wished was fairy: Birdie was quite sat-
1sfed when We left the tree, and on our way
back to the house we talked in the most
animated way of what the fairies would say
when they saw our preparations for them,
and what they would do, and how much they
would like us for being so friendly.
1t was charming morning which. shall
never forget. I had many charming morn
ings with Birdie. Our friendship grew more
and more intimate, and at the end of the
summer her family left their homes in the
country and took house in town, which
was just on the opposite side of the street
from mine
But before that had delightful visit
from Miss Anna. Birdie and 1 pretended
that she was obliged to visit some fashion
able mineral springs after her measles. So
carried her to my house in town and kept
her there. I think wrote one or two let
ters from her to her mother describing her
gay life at Montvale or White Sulphur.
But the truth was that Miss Anna was
'eally with me and was making her some
lew things to wear l remember there were |
'ome pocket handkerchiefs among them,
Ind when she went back to Riverside she |
was neatly dressed and her mother found |
Ter looking very we'll and much improved |
~ the mineral waters. 1t was after her |
amily had taken possession of the town |
house that I nearly made fearful error in |
peaking of Miss Anna to her mother.
Birdie was sitting in swing in the gar
len and was on low seat near her, and |
n speaking of Miss Annals many accom- |
,lishments, said: "She is the incest doll |
ever knew"
The most startled expression came into her |
ensitive little face, and she put up her |
land as if to stop me.
ooh, don't, Mrs. Burnett" he exclaimed |
'Oh, please hush Never say she is doll. |
never mention the word before her. It
would hurt her feelings sop
''Would it really?" said 'I'm so sorry |
said it She didn't hear it, though. She |
S in her room asleep"
Miss Anna doesn't know she is DOLL"
aid Birdie. ''She never dreams it. She |
kinks she is just like us, and I could not |
ear to have her find out that her head is |
nade of china-or that it seems like that to |
eople who don't love her. Itisn't china to
le-and neither are her arms kid-but then |
m her mother
Never again was guilty of inferring that
llss Anna was doll-never SO long as I
new her. I should not mention it now
My know she never reads papers, and
~ dear little Birdie, who must be grown
p Young lady by this time, would under
land how far I am from meaning any dis
sspect to her dear old china memory.
1t interested me very much to read after.
ard in one of Miss Phelps books of a little
irl who expressed exactly BRIDES idea,
nd 1 wondered if perhaps Miss Phelps had
OF heard it from a real child as did,
1t was very absorbing when Boy was in
'oduced to Birdie and Miss Anna and N.Y.
If Brides experience as q parent was
cry useful to me in my first venture, and
lie had verv good opinion of Boy, though
think We were both quite frank in admit
ng that just at first he was more big
ian exactly beautiful. L went abroad
lie next spring, and when I kissed
irdie for the last time 1 thought we should
, intimate friends again in about two [
ears. l wrote story for her while [ was {
way. She and her brothers and sisters {
lblished little paper in their own house
Mt it to her from London. 1t was called I
Behind the White Brick and has since
en published with other short stories in !
'ok. But since those days chance has {
aced US almost at different ends of the {
orld. I
Birdie must be by now grown-up young
dy. Remembering her delicate spirit t
lie little face and translucent golden Z
own eyes, feel sure she Is fair to look a
ION; remembering her pretty, innocent g
neies and tender beliefs, I am sure she
ust be lovable and sweet. When I think t
her, as 1 often do, knowing how many n
nder things seem to fade away as we grow p
I'm child to woman, cannot help say
9 to myself wistfully, 81 hope she still o
lieves in the fairies, and hope-because 1
e is so gentle and tender-she sometimes r
IS one." D