The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-19
JULIA JANE AND
THE GARDEN FAIRY
BY PERCY FIELDING.

Julia Jane was years old, but she
could not walk. When she was baby,
her spine had been injured by a fall.
But Julia Jane was not altogether an
unhappy little girl, for her friends
were very kind to her. Sometimes
they read fairy and other stories to
her, and often made her fascinating
paper dolls with which she spent many
happy hours that otherwise would
have been long and lonely, for her
mother was a seamstress and sewed all
day long. The busy hum of the ma
chine tired Julia Jane, and therefore
she was left much alone while her
mother made dainty garments for
dainty people in an adjoining room.
Every day her mother would draw
her cot to the wondow so that she
might watch the children of the neigh
borhOod play and then she would wish
that she might get out into the sun
shine. One day the longing was so
strong that great tears rolled down
her cheeks and blinded her eyes. She
did not see or hear a beautiful Great
ture all in white and silver and pearls,
enter her room softly by way of the
open window. 1t must have been the
rustic of the curtain that made Julia
Jane turn her head and brush away
the tears from her eyes hurriedly.
''Oh my! who are you?" asked Julia
Jane, startled.
Fl am the garden fairy. 1 have
charge over all the flowers, trees,
birds and squirrels" explained the
fairy. Il was resting in the top of
this apple tree by your window when
l heard you crying. l thought that
might help you. Forgive me if start
led you"
Il was crying because cannot run
and play like other little girls. 1 do
so want to get out into the sunshine,
among the birds and flowers" sobbed
Julia Jane.
The fairy came close to her cot and
whispered, do you trust me?" His
voice was so gentle and his eyes so
kindly that Julia Jane answered,
Yes" She noticed that he carried
magnificent wand in his hand. 1t was
silver and looked as if it were covered
with sparkling dew drops.
eff you will let me touch you with
my wand" suggested the fairy, IN
carry you to visit my garden folk, and
when you are tired. I'll bring you back
to your mother"
But how can you carry me?" asked
Julia Jane. You are so tiny and
am so big, that I'm afraid you'n let
me fall
Il have only to touch your eyes. and
my chariot will be at your window.
You have nothing to fear" pleaded
the fairy.
How charming!" exclaimed Julia
Jane, clapping her hands as she beheld
the chariot, and found herself luXu-
riantly nestled among it's soft cushions.
why. it is as frail as an egg shell!
And drawn by butterflies! Are you
very, very sure it is safe?'
Nothing could be safer" said the
fairy, seating himself beside her and
taking the gossamer reins. Are you
comfortable?"
Perfectly" answered Julia Jane.
why, these cushions are as soft as
this ledown!"
'"That is just what they are" re-
piled the fairy.
Look, look!" whispered Julia Jane,
with eager excitement, as they enter
ed one of the gardens. The bright ar
ray of the merry army of garden-peo-
pie awed her.
See" interrupted the fairy, "they
are nodding a good morning to you"
And, sure enough, their little heads
were bObbing and nodding in the most
friendly fashion. This is festival day."
he added. 1.-THE gardenfolk are having
a rollicking good time. That little
man with the dark purple gown and
white cravat is Parson Pansy. The
dear little creature in white. with blue
eyes, is his wife. The pert little girl
making eyes at her sunburned cousin
from under her yellow sun bonnet is
the parsons daughter. The lady in
yellow satin is Miss Buttercup.
" Little Miss Buttercup, gowned in
yellow
Change your dress or you'll ne'er get
a fellow,
sank the fairy in an undertone.
81 love buttercups," said Julia Jane.
eff have them in my bedroom on a
rainy day, l play they are sunbeams.
Oh, love the buttercups!" she repeat
ed, joyously.
"Do you see that dainty lady, tall
and graceful, in white and gold?" ask
ed the fairy. well, that is Miss
Daisy, the most popular of the gar
den-folk. 1 once read that the Butter
cup family are very jealous of the
Daisy family. One day 1 found Miss
Buttercup crying softly. and when I
asked her why she wept she sobbed,
L am tired of wearing this yellow
gown! The daisy has dainty frills of
snowy white, and 1 wish 1 were
daisy!' Just then a robin lit in the
cherry tree above her, and 1 heard her
ask him if somewhere in his flight he
could not find her like delicate frill"
"And did he?" eagerly inquired
Julia Jane.
mo. He made fun of her, and told
her she was a great deal nicer in her
own dress of white and gold. More
over, he assured her that the little
children loved the buttercups. How
could they tell if they liked butter, f
the buttercups were to change their
apparel? And then the robin preached