Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02
The GoalxFairY.

in the yard making most Wonderful snow
man. And while Johnnie was working some
one eles was working. too. Mischievous Jack
Frost had nipped Johnnie's toes and fingers
almost before Johnnie knew that he was
anywhere near; and nav Johnnie was glad
to come into the house and lie down upon
the fur rug before the CHEEKY crate fire.
1t seemed to Johnnie that he had hardly
stretched himself out on the rug before he
heard the strangest little voice saying
How do you do. Johnnie SMALLPOX"
Johnnie started up and looked all about
the room, but no one could he see. so he
said to himself: Il must be dreaming" and
again he stretched himself out to rest. But
again came the wee VOICE: How do you do,
why, surely" said Johnnie to himself,
that sounds as though it came from the
fireplace; but no one but Santa Claus ever
comes down the, chimney and he'll not be
here again for long time
But again came the strange little voice,
little louder this time How do you DO,
Johnnie Smallboy? Can't you see me?'
1T is from the fireplace" said Johnnie,
starting up and rubbing his eyes. He look
ed up expecting to see the merry race OF
Santa Claus, although it was long past
Christmas time: but what was his surprise
to see some one very unlike dear Santa.
In the midst Of the crate fire stood the
funniest little creature that Johnnie had
seen. He was a tiny fellow, not much
larger than your hand, with the merr1est OF
round black faces. He wore strange yell
low and orange jacket and scarlet trousers.
His browning glory was his high pointed
cap, which seemed to be made Of all the
colors of the rainbow. At theApeak OF the
cap was tassel which shot forth little
flames of blue, red and yellow, in a very
lively way
Johnnie was so startled that for a mo-
ment he could simply sit with open eyes
and mouth, and look at the strange little
7. In, vnyKy
and somewhat frightened tone: "Who are
your
"Why, don't you know me?" said the lit
tie stranger in voice that had suddenly
Grown merry Why I'm a., Coal Fairy
No" gasped Johnnie, Where did you
come from? And aren't you afraid you
will burn up in that fire?"
"Oh, no. laughed the little fellow. I'm
used to this. 1t would take me long
time, though, to tell you where 1 came
from, for it's long story and you would
go to sleep before 1 was half through"
"Oh, no, I shouldn't" said Johnnie
Strengthening up and rubbing his eyes. II
there was anything in the world Johnnie
Smallboy loved, it was a story.
"Well,' said the Coal Fairy, as he rolled
down to the edge of the crate, mounted
the fender, sat down and crossed his legs;
yonder. I've been living in the coal bin in
your cellar for some weeks; but as l got
rather tired of that 1 thought 1 would
come up here and visit you"
How horrid that must have been!' said
Johnnie. II should not think you would
like to live in dirty coal bin"
"Oh, 1 don't mind 1t In the least. Be
sides, 1 have not always lived in coal
bin
where else have you lived?" asked
Johnnie
For some time I have lived in a coal
yard; but before that l lived hundreds of
miles from here, in the bottom of great
mountain All, that was a great place.
People called it a coal mine. because thou
sands of other little people like myself lived
there. 1t dark as a pocket in the
mine, and 1 can tell you l was glad to get
out into the sunlight again. 1 can't begin
to tell you of the number Of years | slept
in that mountain, but never ray of sun
light nor a breath of fresh air. Why, do
you know, I am as old as the hils!'
You don't look very old" said Johnnie,
cycling the merry black face of the Fairy;
but, tell me, how did you come to be shut
up in the mountain"
Listen" said the Coal Fairy. ages and
ages ago l had a beautiful home in for est.
L was not a Coal Fairy then, but noble
tree that spread it's branches far and wide.
1 loved to drink in deep draughts of the
pure air, and L spent my time in storing
away as many sunbeams as l could catch
with my long arms. l had many friends
among the trees in the forest, and once in
great while a stray grasshopper would
visit me, or possibly an enormous croaking
frog.
yet, in spite of my beautiful home and
the friendly trees and the occasional visits
of the grasshoppers and frogs, I was often
very lonely. In those days, Johnnie Small
boy, no birds few about among the trees,
and no merry little boy or girl or grown
man or woman had ever been seen on the
face of the earth. Do you wonder that l
was lonely?
AT last one day the wind came rushing
from his home in the north, whistling and
roaring with all his might. Many time
before 1 had bravely met the mighty wind,
but now my strength was gone and l fell
prone upon the ground before him, and !
was not the only one to fall, for many OF
my companions of the forest lay stretched
upon the ground beside me. / thought:
Surely now my life is ended and all is
over'-but that was not the case.
"One day a great flood came and carried
me and my companions for away to the
basin of great lake. Here, in time, we
were completely covered with gravel and
sand, and at last fell into deep sleep.
l cannot begin to tell you how long We
slept, but it must have been for ages and
ages When at last awoke found my
self in a place that was pitch-dark l
could nothing-not even myself; but l
felt that l was no longer tree. For days
/ heard a strange sound which l know
now was made by pickaX; and later l
heard voices of people. From the talk
about me I learned that 1 was living in
coal mine, and that L had been changed
from a tree into great mass of coal.
Il cannot begin to tell you how happy
l was made by the voices of these men who
were making their way into the mine. and
by what they said for l learned that l was
to go out into the great world and be help
full to many people.
1T was long before / left the mine: but
I never tired of thinking of the good which
l should be able to do in the great world of
people, and l never ceased to be thankful
that l had stored sunbeams away in my
leaves ages and ages ago, in the days OF
my life in the forest.
And so, you see. here am, ready to
make a bright fire for you, having come a
long journey from the coal forest ages ago.
But" said Johnnie Smallboy, don't you
hate to be burned up?"
oh no." said the Coal Fairy, II shall
just be changed into something else, and
then 1 am sure / shall find something to
do In my new life. Goodbye, Johnnie
Smallboy; and pleasant dreams to you
Away went the Coal Fairy before john
ME could gasp so much as good-bye: and
he was never seen again by Johnnie Small