The Penn's Grove record., 1896-03-20
FAIRY eooMoTA6h
Rather Peculiar Cir She noatowe.
Upon Sindbad tho Sailor,

Hather 0AfH Bh6 uOMto wed
Upon Sindbad the BaIIor.
Mr.. Albert stearns Is writing q So
rial for st. Nicholas entitled "Sindbad,
Smith q Co.," describing q partnership
between the great mariner Of the Ara
bian Nights, who drank Of the Foun-
tain Of Youth on n Of bis voyages,
and a wtde-awake American boy. In
st. Nicholas ls this passage:
When they had shaken hands Sind
bad said:
Zone Of the objects Of our travel shall
be to find your parents. You don't
suppose you had a fairy godmother,
do you7-because II you had, It will be
a very easy matter. Try to remem-
bor."
"why. Of course I hadn't" replied
Tom, laughing; 'there are no fairy god.
mothers nowadays"
Aren't there. thoughf' said Sind
bad, with q mysterious wink. "Don't
you be too sure Of that But you,
probably. didn't have one, or you would
have heard from her before this. After
oil, you're Just as well OF, for fairies
are very tricky. I know that to my
eost-look at these ragged trousers; It's
the fault Of q fairy that I'm obliged to
wear them at all"
How In thatf" asked Tom.
well, it's a long story, and I won't
try to tell 1t all; suffice I: to say that
during one Of my later voyages l
rendered q certain service to q power
full and influential fairy. and In return
she granted me one WISH"
you didn't wish for those trousers
did your
mo; but I wished that whenever I
put my hand in my pocket l should ind
money. Tbat'Il be all right said the
fairy; put your hand In your pocket
now l did SO. and drew put q gold
coin. I'm sure I'm ever SO much OBJ
llged,' l said. 4 suppose this sort of
thing will continue indefinitely Tt
will last as long as the trousers do re-
piled the fairy, with a peculiar laugh
that / didn't like; and she vanished.
Well. l resolved at once, Of course,
that I'd take mighty good care Of those
trousers. And l have done SO, but you
see what they look like now. I'm
ashamed to be seen In them. but what
can / dor"
Cant you find money In the pockets
Of any of your other %trousersf" In,
Quired Tom.
Not unless I put 1t there"
"But see here" said the boy, why
don't you fish out money enough from
the enchanted pocket to last you two
or three weeks2 You could put 1t In
another pocket, and then pack away
these trousers till you needed them
again."
Sindbad shook his head sadly.
Don't you suppose / thought Of that
years agoT" he said. II tried 1t a good
while before you were born. but 1t
wouldn't work"
why wouldn't It'll" queried Tom.
Because that fairy played a mean
trick on me. She always seemed fair
and square, and 1 shouldn't have
thought 1t of her, but she did 1t. 1
invariably find the money in the pocket
when l want 1t, but the trouble is
and Sindbad lowered his voice to n
whisper and glanced apprehensively
owe his shoulder-"it doesn't last"
Doesn't last? What do you mean,
sir?"
II mean that 1t OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
into thin air, a few minutes after 1t
leaves my pocket. You've no Idea
how much embarrassment that has
caused me. Only a short time after
my interview with the fairy / tried the
plan you just suggested. 1 filed one
of my coat pockets with gold coins, and
In five minutes they had disappeared,
leaving nothing behind them but their
memory. Why, I've paid the landlord
Of this house twice, and the money has
disappeared both times. The only way
l ever manage to have any cash about
me Is to change one of the gold pieces;
the change doesn't disappear until I
spend 1t. That's why I got Mr.. Petit
bone to give me those bills for a ten
dollar gold piece"
THAT looks a little like obtaining
money under false ~pretenses," said
Tom, bluntly.
Sindbad's lace flushed.
mo, 1t doesn't, either" he said. Il
didn't pretend anything; I just gave
him the eagle, and 1t was all right
when 1t left my hands. It's all the
fairy's fault, anyhow; If anybody is
guilty Of false p~retenses, she is"
But Mr.. Pettibone is the loser, just
the same" suggested Tom.
well, are you going to keep harping
on that subject all dayT' asked Sind
bad, Irrltably. THAT enchanted pock.
ct is my only e of support and
I'm far too old to work. What would
you have me do7" and he rose and be-
gan pacing the piazza, while bis face
was red and angry.