Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-01-09
"who? ~" said the boy, turning

"Well, WELL" said Arnold, 'let us
say nothing more about it; you need
not tell us anything, we all under
stand! Only tell the truth next
time!"
The treasure was too large for the
children to keep it secret, so they all
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, but he knew no more than
the rest. The glass splinters too were
shown, much to the confusion of the
little miser, and no one ever learned
how much he really had in his hand.
Arnold was now made much of, and
for a long time people were always
expecting that some new marvel
would occur. Many thought it a very
fine thing to have among them a 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 shrewder folks OBJ
served. Meanwhile the wonder did
not repeat itself.
The little dog Fluff 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, a some
what uncomfortable sense of obliga-
ton to Arnold, and they resolved to
let their playfellows share in the
riches he had heaped on them. So
they planned a days excursion in
the woods. and all set out with their
| specimen-cases, filed with bread and
butter and sandwiches, slung over
their shoulders, and with Arnold as
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 a
sound of wind signing through the
trees, like tones of sweetest music,
and before they could ask one another
what it meant. a lovely fairy appeared
before them. Her garments were be-
sprinkled with dewdrops that sparkled
in the sun; her snow-white hair fell
to her feet, and was even brighter and
more glossy than the threads of fax
though each of these shone like silver,
and was as delicate as the petals of
newly-opened flowers. She was
neither young nor old-she was sim
ply beautiful; and the children stood
with their eyes fixed upon her, wait
ing to hear what she would say. And
when she began to speak her voice
was softer than the breeze, and sweet
err than music. and low as the hum of
bees, and clear as a silver bell. All
could hear her; it was as if she spoke
to each m alone.
"Iou have come into my woods
without waiting for an invitation,
that is why you have not found the
table laid. Follow me low and l will
lead yoR to 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 a lovely spot
where they had never been before.
est down, all of you," said the
fairy. land the feast shall be served
in a t~rice!"
She waved her hand and the birds
came flying toward her carrying rose-
leaves in their little beaks. Before
each guest was placed a rose-leaf
containing a tiny patty, very tiny,
thought the children, for their good
appetites, but they did not like to
say so. Another fight of birds
brought little silver spoons, and squir-
rels followed, bearing acorn-cups full
of nectar that had so exquisite a per-
fume and tasted so good the children
regretted the diminutive size of the
goblets even more than that of the
rose-leaf plates with the fairy-patties.
"Now fall to, my little friends, and
do justice to my fare!" At this in
stant the fairy waved her distaff, and
with one accord the birds in the
branches overhead began to sing so
sweetly many of the children forgot
the food and drink before them and
could only listen.
And when they did begin to eat
and drink, very discreetly at first,
taking only little wee morsels and 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 a mouthful for hungry chill
dren after a long walk-when they
did begin, why then they found there
was 10 end to the good things set
before them. They ate and drank,
and yet the rose-leaf plates were
never empty, the acorn-cups we're al
ways full of nectar.
Care, too, was taken that their
b%anqueting 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 perpetually in motion with the
beating of their wings. When all the
p%atties were eaten, birds came and re-
moved the rose leaves, and more fol-
lowed, carrying beech leaves and oak
leaves filled with all sorts of delicious
little cakes and tarts. And it seemed
as if these would never be done, for
no sooner did any n think to him
SELF" 81 should like a little more of that
cake" than a fresh slice was before
him. And the squirrels fetched fresh
milk in campanula-1owers and bum