The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-24
so low and prettny that she quickly fell

so low and prettily that she quickly Eel
fast asleep:
"Sleep, little Brownies friend,
Fast close your eyes,
Heed not the rising sun,
Nor the bright skies.
| wind from the summer seas
Blow soft and warm,
Whisper, sweet dainty breeze,
| Keep her from harm.
FAIRY tales tell to her,
Our darling keep,
Guard her for many days,
Charm her TO sleep"
Then they stole softly away on tiptoe,
! and. ouieter than mice, began TO put the
cottage in order. AS they were going
poor little Prince Dot fell over small
| bundle lying just by the cradle He
| picked It up. and ii proved to be the
tiniest little fir tree ever seen; 1t looked
more like a little fern than anything
else. The sea had come right up TO
her cradle and had brought her present
from the Sea King.
Prince Dot at once decided that IL
should be planted outside the cottage, so
that by the time Babette awoke the tree
would be grown, and she could play
around II, while some Of the Brownies
should live on it, and look after her.
Wei, the time passed away and the
Brownies worked very hard. They
cleared and cleaned the cottage, put new
windows in, and planted flowers in the
garden, till II all looked-what 1t was
a home for the fairies.
one morning when the Snow Queen
was riding in the north and the Ice
oh 70
Bebette awoke. She opened her eyes,
peeped out at the little room, and then
laughed and wondered where she had
come from. She dressed herself in some
dainty clothes that the Brownies mad
left for her, and after running all over
the cottage she finally set out for the
woods. She wandered on for some time
talking to the squirrels and singing with
the birds until toward sunset she came
TO a small cabin, where the trees were
nodding 10 each other and the wind was
hushing the birds to sleep. Bebette no
ticed that It was a very Notwithstanding
hut. Some Of the windows were broken,
and the rain had dripped through the
roof. Some little children were playing
at the window. but they looked so poor
and in that Bebette's heart ached. She
went timidly inward and saw pretty
young 1gCms aler tnan when she sang
az her spin wheel on the night Of
The storm. ling and softly crying.
Presently she looked up, and asked
Bebette what she wanted. Bebette did
not know what TO say, so she asked for
a little milk 10 drink At that the poor
woman cried again-she had had no
milk for q long time-their COW had
strayed of into the forest, and their
cottage was so old II was almost tumb-
"a. IL time
to comfort her, but when the wood
cutter came home he was surprised 10
find his wife laughing and happy. lie
thought the fairies must have done 1t. SO
they had for the Brownies had awakened
Babette in good time and sent her
to help these poor peasants.
She then told them of her dear little cot
tage. how pretty and neat it was. and
begged them to come and live In II ana
take care of her. So they all set OIL ana,
guided by the moonlight, soon reached
Bebette's home. She thought she hediu
some OF the Brownies laughing and scam
pering away as they lifted the latch' put
she was 20 tired that she crept UP TO her
little room and tumbled into BED.
She did not sleep long though, Tor very
early in the morning, before the sun was
up. indeed the moon was only just going
TO rest. Bebette was awakened by a 1T
tie tapping at her window. She jumped |
up and opened the lattice. At first she
could see nothing but beautiful ilr tree /
nodding It's branches gayly and Just Gov
cred with a thin layer of snow, which glt- /
tered like silver in the faint moonlight /
How beautiful il was! And now she re-
that in her dreams the VIVA
had told her Of the present from the Sea
King. So she clasped her hands and /
! .ch n W
a. her window-at that she heard a little
laugh, and there. quietly sitting on the
very branch she had kissed. was the
luCerest little Brownie In the world.
IL was Prince DOt--he looked surprised
10 find that she had grown so while she
was asleep and asked If he could do any
thing for her-explaining that he was iiv-
ng in the tree TO look after her. SO Be
bette told him about the cow the wood
utter had lost. and how poor they were.
They talked over their plans until the
Mind gave a little puff and the Brownie
umbled Off his seat and disappeared.
The next night Bebette awoks and
ooked eagerly for Prince Dot, but when
he opened her window. what was her
70 find the tree covered with
ancing Brownies and glittering toys,
lowers, cakes and bonbons and on the
% of all Prince Dot, sitting and singing
D some one below. She looked down
here was q band Of the little creatures
ancing around the tree-and a little way
n Santa Claus was standing, his bright
ICE beaming as he smiled up at the
Heetmeats and TOYS on the tall branches.
why. what is the matter" cried Be
stte, and all the Brownies shouted till
he FIR tree shook again. Don't you
low this is Christmas Eve? and we
ave all these toys TO get rid of! Come.
,u mist help us SO they pulled her !
II OF the window and she found her
II gathering toys from the branches
Re nuts. and filling a basket which 4
Inta Claus had given her. First they &
w down the chimney OF felt so funny S
ing DOWN and gave toys TO the poor a
idren and nice wooden shawl for S
e mother Then some OF them danced /
70 the forest and found the COW, r
ilch they brought home with wreath s