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

under their shadows that we had our mos
interesting conversations 1t was there ]
found out one of BRIDES prettiest faneies
which ended in our spending together one
of the most delightful mornings of my life.
1t was lovely summer morning and we
were rambling about together gathering
flower or two as we talked or stopping to
watch a bird or bending down to examine
some interesting little insect in the grass. !
nation on various subjects because the
"Major," who had been Confederate of
| icer, had become professor in q we'll
known Southern university, and he and his
|, little daughter, who were great friends,
were in the habit of exploring the woods in
a happy sort of way together, SO Birdie
really knew many things about birds and
insects and rocks and flowers.
She had been saying something to me
about certain kind of tall, swaying grass I
admired. and she quietly stopped, tied the
long blades together, and bent them care
fully down in the part where the knot
was.
"What are you doing that for 2" asked.
"Ahp she answered quite simply, lifting
her clear eyes with smile, sit is for the
fairies"
Fer the fairies ?" said.
"Well, you see, she said, glancing round
at the wind-swept, sun-dappled field flowers
and grasses, there are so many of them
here. They live in the country, YOU know;
they don't like the town to live in-they
only go there to see people they are fond of
-Riverside'' that was the name of their
country house) sis full of them and thew
are so fond of swinging. So when 1 come
out tie the tops of the long grasses and
bend them over. It makes little swing,
you see.
saw that it did, and saw, too, that she
had not shadow of doubt that it would
sway to and fro with the light weight of a
fairy before it had time to wither
II do great many things for them" she
said: "And they are so glad and they do
SO like me-"
Let us make some more swings" I said,
kneeling down and beginning to look for
the tall lst grasses. "And tell me what
other things you do. Do you know them
the fairies, mean?"
"Ah, know them," she answered, busy
ing herself with another swing, 'sbut 1
have never seen them. L just do things to
tiny, tiny, tiny, that it isn't easy to see
them. They think we are giants, and they
are rather frightened of us until they know
we are their friends, and they run away
and hide in flower cups and under leaves
and in the grass. They know now that I
won't hurt them, so perhaps 1 NAV see
them some day. I hope 1 shall. 1 never
do anything that might make them afraid
of me, and I am always trying to please
them
81 wish could see them,' said, 81 al |
ways did so want to see fairy"
"They are SO pretty" she said. sThey |
are dressed in clothes made of flowers, or |
spun out of sparkling spiders webs, and |
they have diamonds made of dew drops
and sometimes their ball dresses are spun
out of sunshine, and moonshine, and that
light. white morning mist"
Nothing could have been sweeter or more
perfectly simple and natural than her hap
py sincerity. She spoke of the fairies as
if she were speaking of humming birds or
or bees. L felt as if they might
be swarming about us at that very minute.
tried to pretend to myself that it was
rue. and 1 succeeded pretty well, too. 1
always liked fairies and it was delightful
% kneel there in the warm scented long
,rass and talk and act as if they were real.
"Have they balls and bali dresses?'' 1
lsked "But of course they have, because
we read about them
''They are fond of balls" she answered.
They dance every night there is moon
ight. They have asked Miss Anna to their
are not afraid of her-they
hink she is sort of relation
''Did she ever go?" inquired
swell, no. She's small compared with
IS, you know, but she is big compared to
airies, and 1 think she was afraid she
light tread on some Of them, and that
7ould have spoiled all their party"
so it would" 1 replied. "But it would
baan oh how |
at down carefully, and just looked on.
hen she could have told you about it.
low we have made swings enough. what
ould we do next?"
II have just thought OF something very
nportant," said Birdie. ''There is a full
loon tonight, and they are going to have |
grand bali in the grove before the
ouse, and L was going to prepare their ball ]
,om under the oak tree that has a hollow {
/ it. They use the hollow for a bedroom I
} take off their things in, and if any of