Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-09-03

story.
THE FAIRY LOVING HEART.
Once upon time when the fairies
danced in the moonlight upon the
green moss on summer nights, there
was among them one little fairy who
danced more merrily than all the
rest, and laughed and sang more
gaily; but sometimes when the dane
ing was at its merriest this little
fairy, whose name was Loving Heart,
would leave the circle of the dancers
and wander slowly away into the wood
alone.
For a long time none of the fairies
knew why he left them, nor why he
always came back more slowly than
he went, and with his head dropping
and tears falling from his eyes.
But after time the fairies began
to follow him, and they found that he
always left the wood and went to
some home among the mortals where
those who loved had hardened their
hearts toward one another so that
love could no longer find a place to
enter. For it had come to pass in
those days that when the heart grew
hard in the bosom of a mortal, though
but for the speaking of one unkind
word, there was no power known by
which it might be again made tender
or the door opened to the banished
love outside.
And always when this happened the
fairy Loving Heart, however merrily
he was dancing in the moonlight, was
drawn away and could not choose but
seek and weep in bitter sorrow over
the poor hardened heart that had
lost its life and lay like a dead
thing in the bosom of the unhappy
mortal.
But ali the tears of Loving Heart
could not soften what had once grown
hard, and so he came back always
with his head dropping and his tears
still falling, and would sit apart,
hearing neither the jests nor laugh
ter of his companions, but thinking
if there might not be some way for
him to soften these poor, hard hearts
that he had seen.
At last one day when he had come
from a home where two sisters had
grown angry and might never love
each other more he was sadder than
he had ever been, and sat and wept
long and sorrowfully, for it seemed to
fairy Loving Heart that there was no
life but love, and he wished more
earnestly than ever that he might
find some way even through great suf-
fering, to help such hearts grow ten
der once again.
And as he sat there weeping he
heard a voice, so soft that he knew
not whether he should listen to his
own heart beating, or to a voice out
side: so low it was that he had need to
check his sobs that he might hear
and understand
Sweet fairy Loving Heart, the
voice said, that way is found, but
20 only by great pain But fairy Low
ing Heart said; "Show me the way"
n IF" said the voice" for every
p harsh or unkind thought or word born
/. in the heart of any mortal. You will
. receive the wound yourself, for the
"a shock caused by a broken law of love
must somewhere be endured then it
shall come to pass that through your
pain the wronged hearts shall forgive
and love once more-aud the hard
ened hearts grow soft again: and
your life shall not be spent unto
death while you shall have the will
to suffer for the help of these poor
mortals.
The voice ceased, and Loving Heart
could hear no more, though he listen
ed long, and stilled the coming and
going of his breath that he might
hear the better.
When he found there were no other
words for him to hear he rose from
his seat and babe farewell to his
merry companions, for he knew that
he should dance and sing no more so
long as unkind words and thoughts
should be among the mortals.
And thus did Loving Heart 90 forth
upon his mission up and down upou
the earth. and thus il il that since
that time there is for giveuess amour
those who love. and hard hearts melt
and love again returns and stU
again.
And Loving Heart stiu wanders up
and down, through palace and cot
tage, among rich and poor alike.
wherever an unIind thought or word
Is born upon the earth; and only
when harsh words shall cease, and
love shall reign supreme in every HUI
man breast, can Loving Heart be free
from pain, or know the healing Of his
: wounds.
And whenever harsh word is left
unspoken,or harsh thong changed
= to one of gentleness and love. then
] no loo