The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-04-24
FOR CHILDREN At HOME,
How Marjorie Found Fairyland.
THROUGH A PRETTY GATE.

By Zelia Margaret Walters in Sunday-School
Times.
II know it's just stories," said Mar
jorie firmly to herself as she closed
her look, "but I wish things like that
did happen. I wish a funny fairy
godmother would take me away to a
beautiful palace, or a mysterious white
bird would fly before me to an enchant-
ed forest, or somethlng."
She had been reading in the meadow
and leaned back against the oak-tree
to think about it. Just then the
saucy east wind snatched up her hat
and sent it careering through the air
at great rate. At first she did not
move, but as the hat sailed on and on
sudden hope took possession of her.
Soppose the wind was carrying her hat
to the fairyland. In that case all was
necessary was to follow it.
It really did seem as if the hat was be-
witched. It would settle to the grouno
and lie until she almost reached
it, and then it was up and away again.
Across the field, across the road, down
the lane, it went, and at last it whisked
suddenly over the high fence that shut
in the little cottage that she had often
seen. With beating heart she climb
ed up and looked over. There was no
one in sight but little lame girl sit
ting in her chair under the big elm
tree.
"Please, may I come and get my
hat?"
"Oh, yes !" said the lame girl smil-
ing brightly. 81 would get it for you
if could"
But Marjorie did not see the brigh,
smile nor the wistful look that followed
her. She got her hat quickly and
went out. She felt cross and disap-
pointed because no adventure had been
found by following the runaway hat.
She went straight home and told her
mother about it.
"Of course, I didn't expect to get to
fairyland," she concluded, "but ]
thought something might happen be-
sides just common everyday things"
"Still, you might haye got to fairy
land if you had known how, and, bet
ter yet, you might have taken some
one with you" said her mother.
"Wh: do you mean?" cried Mar
jorie.
"That little lame girl-hef Eame is
Laura Randal-has just moved here
She doe5n't know any one her parents
are poor, and she has few books or
games. Ii girl of her own age would
visit her, think how perfectly happy
she might be made by little atten-
ton and sharing of treasures"
81 see, mama," said Majorie, and a
half-hour later she was ready
to start on a visit to Laura
Now Marjorie never did things
by halves, and she had her brothers.
little wagon piled full Of things out OF
which to construct her falryland. She
went down the lane to the cottage,
looked over the fence again, and said
"May come in, please?"
And again the little lame girl smiled
and Marjorie drew her little wagon in
through the gate.
GIVE come to stay with you this
afternoon, if may. We will read my
story books and have some fun, and
after a while we will have a little pic
mic. My brother Harold IS coming to
help us eat. He's good at eating up
everything that's left and, besides
he's a jolly boy, he's just as much fun
as girl"
With this Introduction Marjorie be.
gan upacLing her wares.
"WeIl play I'm peddier," she eaid
"and you're lady. Please, madam
NAV come in aud show my gooas?"
eyes," said Laura, "if you're a nice
polite pedd!er, and take off your hat
and scrape your shoes at the door"
ANALMOST FATAL ~RU NAV A Y
Started horrible ulcer on the leg o
n Orrer. Franklin Grove, ILL.,, which