The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
CYRIL AND THE dNoME.
COPYRIGHT 1899. ov aart.s Boa.n Loom1.

| Thore Ia not n doubt about It: the post box
on tho lamppost at the corner was bewitched.
The people in the vicinity were most OF them
writer's and wrote the lovellest stories that you
over read and they always posted them in tho
lamp box on the corner and had done 30 for
years indeed. some OF the very lovelest stories
had been posted twenty times In that Same
box. How they ever came back had often
puzzled the letter box. who was OF an inquisi-
tive turn OF mind. but thoy were certainly
posted about once IN 90 often.
That was before tho box was bewitched
Now. no matter how many stories and poems
and riddles and charades were dropped into the
aperture. not ono could be found when the
postman made his rounds. The box was always
empty At first people thought that IL was
thieves and man was placed at the opposite
corner to look as II he was Just passing by. but
| although ho stood In that attitude for one
| whole hour after particularly large
batch Of literature had been dropped
into the box by at least six different writer's.
and although no watched that box rs care
| fully Us q sleepy man could yet not soul
opened IT, But when the postman came around
II was perfectly empty. Perhaps have not
been explicit enough. II You know what that
means. Letters posted In the daytime were
not lost. 1t was only after dark that the be-
wtchmcnt took place.
Now there was one writer who never wrote
| anything but fairy Stories and she had son
about ten years old who knew that there were
fairies. He pitied children who said with q
lofty air. oh. yes. when was a kid believed
in fairies but found out long ago that there
were none" He used to say to these superior
boys and girsi How do YOU know there aren I
fairles2 The world is a large place. and there
are many nights when you sleep from eight
until seven next day. How can YOU be sure
| thut tho fairipa do not hold reynlQ ~ har "a
| at night2 And II anywhere. why not In New
! York;" And then the others would say: oh.
| we don't want to argue. Believe In fairies n
| you want to. and play with blocks and dolls
too. but we're beyond such things"
Well. now. for my part. I'm going on sixty
| and yet wouldn't say there are no falries be-
cause what would become OF the beautiful and
authentic history OF Cinderella II it were proved
| that fairy folk were imaginary? No, there are
| fairies. depend upon 1t. and II we haven't seen
them it's our misfortune. l never saw the
! Cape Of Good Hope but I'm sure It's around
! somewhere.
This is good deal Of talk. it seems to me.
and nothing at all about that lamp box. Well.
| Cyril Merton. who believed in fairies. was sure
that a gnome was in the box and that he was
living on letters. He said nothing to any one
| but one night after he had gone to bed and all
q rope which he had concealed there that day
! Then he went to the lamp box.
! He had small delicate hands and he put ono
In the aperture, and felt for the letters; There
was not one. Then he posted an envel ope CON
s,nr,y hear tla Jaws vs. oham9ins and nd paper paper
there was bad little fairy inside tfs box ' 30
no put his mouth TO the aperture and said:
To eat mp the letters Il surely a SIN"
Idont say that the. enome would have IN nded
you Or m or amy Of those children that don't
believe in fairies. but do know that as soon
as thcRnome heard Cyrlls voice he oozed out
legged on the top lie was about the Size Ola Of a
squirrel and wore a tight fitting suit made OF
little NJ Of the envelope OF the letter that Cyrl
had ported was sticking 10 his lp but the rest
Cyril came to business at once He said :
Don't YOU KNOW. llttle gnome. that yop re
ali who live around here write stories and they
aS ihG Lying by seSSH them hem you eat
money TO buy food and clothes and then they
Will all Rtarye"
The Little eaome grilncd and began to whi.-
a People fsfG never 'Sa H f@a 70 me- ne I'm I'm
zee the king Of the gnomes, has offered the
hand OF his daughter IL marriage TO the gnome
these letters steadily for IN onth now. in hopes
of learning one. but don't seem to get one in
that before learn one some other gn Oh t Viii
step IN ahead q me and marry the princess
did. and her eyes are ~ red as fire."
Cyril felt like laughing at the idea OF learning
story by eating the paper on which 1t was
s business the wrona way 's eee es, sRU ap
YOU d@S at s but snGy yaa
stories just as fast as you want to learn them
fs come 2% %y h h'1 assht his little
green face. oh. IN come al, right. only
at me Pm not fond Of human beings You're
the 2niy ono thst was ever civil to me and
Come on now" said Cyril, 30 the enome
u aaIEP 20 to the pavement and expired along
the window, - o'
snd%s Is d yr ,y to climb ibs .t sa s44 the
Eaow% Way worth two Of that. ' Put your foot
I'm afraid OF hurting you"
y0qr tSS ,Sn my hssd said the
placed his foot upon the little mans head and
Ss himself rise &, to MS window as II he were
way, why do they call It dandolion down When
! Usup most OF tho timer
NV When oyTiI and che sn9ms were IN the room,
New tell me story that will please the
81 Gyr told him "puss in Boots" and he was
| Cyril had finished
| :. No. It's older than we are," said the boy
| You soc he knew n good deal
Not Older, than ! am" said the gnome.
tive" ""'
Ds "Ih}S SHt said Cyril You don't anywheres
=, Il don't feel day over nine hundred, but
Then az lpy fami ly are very young feeling NV
grandfather Ia four thousand and you d never
Jake MN TO be over three thousand seven hun
hret It's because we'ro very particular not to
let the sun shine on us. I've never seen the
sun IN my lie, but had a cousin who followed
the humans pIoverb; Early to bed and early
| 70 rise and the sunshine shriveled him up 80
that he looks hundreds o. years older than he
t., ne used to 90 TO bed at seven In the even
ing and get up al six In the morning and we all
SG 10 peg at three In the morning and get at
! othree.
that hat. a the cas- case you'd better be Goips" Wv
story and yog mGy depepd upPP 4 I won't eat
liant sste 81 Good hSi S, sstse They
Kings daughter very much wouldn't have