The Red Cloud chief., 1900-06-01
TIE MAGIC QUILT
A JUVENILE STORY
BY MARY CAROLINE hyde

In a little house on the edge of a
wood there lived Rosalie and her baby
sister Elsie. The house was built of
logs and had but one room. one win
dow, one door and 4 big chimney
pushing Its way through a miserable
roof Of thatch. Resale shivered when
ever the little sister awoke. for she
knew that each meal brought them so
much nearer the end OF the food. There
were but W potatoes left and only a
crust OF bread. Elsie awoke crying hard
for something to eat. Rosalie gave her
the crust and set the potatoes to roast
Ing IN the ashes Of the big fireplace.
Against the panes of the one window
there had been a feeble drizzle all the
morning and now II began to pour In
torrents, n Resale and Elsie were
forced to the chimney place to keep
dry. Even here the raindrops some
times managed to find the way and
sputtered and Kissed as they fell on
the fire. Resale went to a large wood
box and flung handful after handful OF
dry sticks on the flames.
lhere came n pound upon the door
as IL someone were hitting 1t I'm a great
hurry to get In. Rosalie crept cautious
ly to the window and looked out. All
mat she could Sc at the door was an
old woman. in a high, peaked hat and
a patchwork quilt pinned over her
shoulders to keep off the rain.
Poor old creature" cried Resale to
herself, and she flew to the door to let
her In. The old woman made a low
courtesy n entered hobbling. Her
face was wrinkled and very ugly and
her feet were quite bare. She made
her way across the room to the fire.
place where she sank YEARLY upon n
bench.
Il am sorry for you" said Resale.
pityingly. Il ought to have opened
the door sooner" and she looked at the
water dripping from the quilt and
making little pools on the floor.
BLESS you, my child" responded the
old woman. IL was doubling IL you
would let such an ugly old woman
come In at all"
Indeed | would" said Resale hon
estly. IL am very sorry for you. Wont
you please take off your things?" and
she glanced from the dripping quilt to
the high, peaked hat. The old woman's
eyes almost twinkled as she unfast-
ened the quilt and laid II or the floor,
but she did not take off her hat.
"She Is hungry" thought Resale,
swallowing her W hunger. won't
you have this roast p~otato?" she said
aloud, and drawing 1t out OF the hot
ashes. she broke 1t open, sprinkling 1t
with salt and handed 1t to the old wo-
man.
MY child, you are very good" said
the old woman, selling the food and
eating 1t 30 greedily that o nothing
was left but the crisped, brown shell.
IL am very sorry for you" said Rosa
lie" but we have no more potatoes.
Perhaps when my father m home
from the war w shall have plenty. l
wish he would come soon, but he is far
away"
As Resale said the third time, 81 am
sorry for you," the old woman's face
grew actually lovely.
MY dear child" she said, II have
been clear round the world to find
some one to say to a poor, ugly, old
woman: am sorry for you At last
/ hear 1t from a little girl, who gives
me shelter and her last mouthful OF
food. Do you know that these words,
three times repeated by you, have
broken my wretched enchantment? |
am once more myself and you shall be
rewarded, This quilt l lend you. 1t is
In six blocks, and each block will yield
you a wish. After leave, touch each
block with your hand, and all is as you
command" "t
Speaking thus, a marvellous change
was taking place in the old woman.
Her bent and shrivelled body was be-
coming upright and beautiful. her
peaked hat had changed to a crown Of
gold, and her coarse and ragged gown
to a dress of filmy primrose gauze.
She was now a lovely fairy. With her
staff transformed to a fragile wand
studded with jewels she touched the
quilt and said: