The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-10-04
BY THE SUN FAIRY.

Willie was bright boy of six years and
had Just entered the kindergarten, so he
did not know much about geography. One
day his aunt gave him globe, and he soon
learned the location of Buffalo, where he
lived.
1t was not long before he coud trace out
different places on the little round globe,
saws writer in the New York Tribune, and
his aunt explained that the earth and Jul
piter and the other planets are shaped like
it. and that all of them travel around the
sum-
Willie thought for moment, and then
said:
81 wish 1 could go to the edge of the
earth and look over. What would | see,
aunty?'
''You would see the sky, as you do now"
.'What is the sky made OFF,
''The sky is made of air" said his aunt.
The little boy looked doubtful, and asked:
GLOW do you know, aunty? Have you
ever been there? Perhaps I'd better ask
mamma when she comes home she'll really
know what the sky is made Of
That night, as Willie lay thinking it all
over and wishing that his mamma was there
to tell him what the sky is made of, sud-
full fairy, whose dress seemed to be made of
spiders webs, glistening in the moonlight
which came through the window.
'I'll tell you what the sky is made of, !"
said sweet voice, because l have been
there; but, oh, dear, have lost my wings
and can never go again" As the little fairy
her face, as if some dark object had come
between her and the moon.
''If they've dropped off by mistake per-
haps you'll find them again somewhere"
said Willie.
mo, l was sun fairy, and the king Of
the fairies took them away" said Radia
flor that was her name), shaking her head
sadly.
''How mean! What made you let him."
said Willie, Indignantly.
"Well, to tell the truth, suppose 1 de-
served ii" said Radia, slowly and hesitat-
ingly.
Sometimes I'm not good, and mother
puts me to bed without any SUPPER, but l
never had wings should think it would be
jolly"
at is. You creeping mortals don't know
what journeys a sun fairy can take. Why,
| and the other fairies used to carry water
drops away off to Jupiter (which is big
ger world than this) quicker than you can
say Jack Robinson Then when work was
over we would have such beautiful dances.
Did you ever see a rainbow
eyes, ever so many times. When L was
quite little boy I saw one, and thought
there was pot of gold at each end, but
mother says it is not SO, and that the rain
bow is only the sun shining through the
rain drops"
cit is the sun fairies dancing" said Ra-
dia, nodding her head, emphatically, 'and
our wings have all those lovely colors."
"But," replied Willie, 'you forgot to tell
me why the king took away your WINGS
"Well, I'm ashamed to say, was tired of
working, and 1 thought, as there was to be
an eclipse of the sun, could hide awhile in
the moon and not be noticed. The moon
is such a nice place to play in. You can
dance all day long, instead of Juggling away
at rain drops, carrying them to the clouds,
as you have to do here" Radia sighed, re-
gretfully. 3z -:
''Why didn't you stay there them" said
Willie.
81 did stay there too long. l heard the
king say All sun fairies to work! Quick!
Grass and flowers, buds and blossoms, are
crying for water to drink 1 thought I
shall never be missed-I'll stay here and
play Then something happened too hor-
rible to tell, " said Radia, shuddering.
"What was it," said Willie, breathlessly,
as he raised himself on one elbow and
peered into her face.
Servant fairies of the king came and
tore off my wings, and [ fell down, down,
1at'
81 say, that was mean old king. Why
didn't you fght?'
''Sun fairies are not like you; we don't
fight; we work or play" said Radia, scorn-
fully.
But" she resumed, sadly, without
wings [ was no longer sun fairy, and at
last | fell into a fast-running stream of wa
ter-Niagara river l knew it to be, for 1 had
often carried drops from it to the clouds,
but now I must float on it. 1 shivered with
the cold, and, worst of all, the sun and all
the fairies left me. For the first time in my
life [ was in the dark. [ saw lighted
steamer go by, and 1 thought perhaps l
could climb up and get to the sun, but from
the tallest mast the sun was not to be seen.
Then l heard fearful noise. l could not
even see the stars. | thought this must be
what mortals call death; but suddenly l
saw the sky again and the rising sun. The
water was now smooth and around it was a
wall of brick work [ knew where | was.
Do you know" said Radia, smiling curl
ously.
t'Let me see," said Willie; "maybe it was
between some stones on the shore"
''No; it was a big place, and the water
was smooth. Perhaps you can guess in a
minute. was so happy to see the sun again
and the fairies dancing once more around
me, when suddenly there was another ter
rible roar, and was in darkness as before.
I was carried along breathlessly by the rush
ing water, and together with a dash and a
squirt we went into great white bowl. /
was glad to see the light once more, and
even to hear cross voice say: L don't
want my face washed; you always get the
soap in my eyes,.
Willie blushed consciously. "That was
yesterday morning. You must have been
in the water pipes. But, say, where were
you when the wall was around your"
'In the reservoir, of course" said Radia,
"and 1 was carried with the water because
I had no wings to fly. Then 1 came through
the pipes into the bowl, and here am to
stay till my wings grow again. They are
beginning to grow now" AS Radia peered
over her shoulder Willie could see tiny rain,
bow wings just coming out. Then he saw
flying through the window, first few, then
more and more sun fairies. They gathered
around Radia. and helped her as though she