The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-01-30


say nothing more about ~; you need
not tell us anything, we all UNDER
standi Only tell the truth next
timei"
The treasure was too large for the
children TO keep II secret, so they nll
accompanied the boy who had just
been saved from drowning TO his
home. and there related what had
happened. Many questions were put
to Arnold, hut he knew no more than
the rest. The glass splintcrs too were
shown, much to the confusion of the
little miscr. aud no one ever learned
how much he really had In his hand.
Arnold was now made much of. and
for n long time people were always
expecting that some new marvel
would occur. Many thought II very
fine thing To have among them u lad
of such wonderful powers that he
could at any moment turn pence into
gold pieces and also gold pieces into
glass, some of the shrcwdcr folks OBJ
served. Meanwhile the wonder did
not repeat itself.
The little dog Flufr was always close
at his masters heels, except when
they happened to meet his former
owners. and then he took care To go
well out of the way TO avoid them.
These boys retained, however. n some
what uncomfortable sense of obliga-
iion 60 Arnold, and they resolved to
let their plnyfcllows share IN the
riches he had hcnpcd on them. So
they planned n days excursion in
the woods, and nll set ont with their
specimcn-cascs, filed with bread aud
bnttcr and sandwiches. slung over
their shoulders, and with Arnold ms
guide, for he knew every inch of the
way and all the shady little hooks
and corners and freshest streams.
Just as the children were about To
stretch themselves on the grass, TO
picnic comfortably, there came n
sound of wind signing through the
trees, like tones Of sweetest music,
and before they could ask one another
what IL meant, u lovely fairy appeared
before them. Her garments were he
sprinllcd with dcwdrops that sparklcd
in the sun; her snow-whitc hair fell
to her feet, and was even brighter and
more glossy than the threads of flax
on the distaif she held in her hand.
though each of these shonc like silver,
and was as delicate ns the petals of
ncwly-opcncd flowers. She was
pcither young nor old-she was sim.
ply bcautiful; and The children stood
with their eyes fixed upon her, wait
ing tn hear what she would say. And
when she began to speak her voice
was softer than the breeze, aud sweet
or than music. and low MS the hum of
bees, and clear as u silver bell. All
could hear her; IL wns ns IL she spoke
To each one alone.
"You have come into my woods
without waiting for an invitation,
that IL why you have not found the
table laid. Follow me now and ! will
lead you tn the banquet which ] have
prepared for my guests"
They all readily followed the beau
tiful fairy who invited them so kind
ly, and they came To u losely spot
where they had never been before.
"Sit down, all of you," said the
fairy, "and the feast shalt he served
In a tricc!"
She waved her hand and thc birds
came flying toward her carrying rose
leaves In their little bcaks. Before
each guest was placed rosc.lcnf
containing tiny patty, very tiny,
thought the children, for their good
appctitcs, but they did not like To
say 81. Another flight of birds
brought little silver spoons, and squir-
rcls followed, bearing acorn-cups full
of nectar that had so exquisite u per.
fumc and tasted so good the children
regretted the dininutivc size of the
goblets even more than that of the
rosc-lcaf plates with the fniry-pattics.
"Now fall tn, my little friends. and
do justice Ia my farc!" 4. this in
stant the fairy waved her distafr, and
with one accord the birds IN the
branches overhead began Ia sing so
swectly many of the children forgot
the food and drink before them and
could only listen.
| And when they did begin tn eat
aud drink, very discrcctly at first,
taking only little wee porscls aud lit
tie tiny sips of nectar, so that their
kind hostess might not perceive that
the portions she had provided would
be rather small even for birds, being
scarcely n mouthful for hungry chill
drcn after n long wnlk--whcn they
did begin, why then they found there
was no end To the good things set
before them. They ate and drank,
and yet the rosc-lcnf plates were
never empty, 'hc acorn.cups were nl-
ways fun of nectar.
Care, too, was taken that their
banqueting hall should never become
too hot. Splendid peacock butterflies
and great blue moths, bigger and more
beautiful than any the children had
ever seen before, kept lowering round
them, tanning them, and setting the
air perpetunlly In motion with the
beating OF their wings. When all the
patties were eaten, birds came and re-
moved the rose leaves, and more fol-
lowed, carrying beech leaves aud onk
leaves filed with nll sorts of delicious
little cakes and tnrts. And II seemed
ns II these would never he done. for
1 II. n l.F 4 A n