The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-20
A Fairy Tale. The Enchanted Baseball.
BY EDWIN J. WEBSTER.

As everybody knows. once there were plenty of good fairies, ba fairies. mlschiey- ous elves and plodding gnomes on the earth. Some people who pretend to be Yery wise say they do not exist any more. That is only because they have not happened to see them themselves. Good fairies live long time. much longer than the people who pre- tend not 10 believe in them But steam and electricity have completely spoiled the good fairying business so there Is no money in 1t, and many a once prosperous good fairy is now glad 10 work for his board and clothes and not gold-s ngled clothes, such as fairies ueed to wear, at that.
 Tommy Fucker was A small. fat boy but he was wiser than he looked, and always willing to learn provided it didn't mean too much work or studying. He was not as far advanced in his studies as one would have supposed such good and willing boy would have been. but he was the captain of the Tugsville- Tigers baseball team, which he considered fully as important. Just now Tommy was a good deal worried The Tugs vile Tigers were to play the Elmer Eagles on the next Saturday afternoon. Tommy was especially anxious that his team should win this game, but the Elmer Eagles had pitcher who could throw all kinds of curves, and Tommy was more than doubtful as to the result of the game. So he had wandered out into the lot back of his fathers barn, W0eI6 ne 5Hl uOW0 DthiuR h lhTBNt uhl bLOuts
 Tommy had heard of good fairies, but had never been sure whether to believe in them. As he thought of all they had done for good little fat boys in the past he sighed aud said:
 "Ob, dear, I wish that there were good fairies now, that one of them could help me win that game"
 And as he said this he ha opened unfnten- tlonally to tap his foot three times on the hiu Ant cto tuhIph rfaq id fa hole that led goodness knows where.
 The next second Tommy was astonished by hearing a shrill little voice say:
 Well. here I am. What In the world do you want of me?''
 Tommy turned around, and there was the queerest little figure of man he had ever seen In his life. The little man had long gray beard. wore a shabby coat which reached below his knees. and perched on his head was an old white hat, which looked as If II had seen Its best days half century before. Tommy was so surprised that he could only stare at the little old man with open eyes and mouth.
 Why, l thought good fairies always wore gold and diamonds" he gasped
 Gold and diamonds" snapped the fairy "A respectable good fairy of my years would look nice going about rlgged In that way. And let me tel, you that since steam and eiec. tricity came Into use there are few diamonds To be found In GnomeIand, where the good fairies live"
 Tommy didn't think this was very polite of MT. Good Fairy, but he didn't say so for he was beginning 10 appreciate that good falrles while they may have good hearts, also have short tempers, and he wanted Mr. Good Falrys aid in winning the baseball game with the Elmer Eagles. So he ex- paned his fears for the coming game. To his delight Mir. Good Fairy thought 1t would be easy 10 nx things so the Tugsyille Tigers would win.
 "I don't quite understand the game you call baseball" he said tc Tommy, after thinking hard for moment, flor when 1 was young. centuries ago, 1t wasn't played But you are the pitcher of your team, so fl seems to me that what you want is base bail that will curve 50 that none of the other team can hit 1t. Before the game bring me the ball that will be used and will en- chantify 1t so that It will curve as never baseball curved before.
 Now shut your eyes, turn around and hold your breath while you count ten,' com manded MT. Good Fairy.
 Tommy did this, and when he opened his eyes there was not a sign of Mir Good Fairy. Good fairies always disappear that way.
 Saturday mc-ning Tommy went to the field back Of his fathers barn and tapped three times on the big flat stone. Even now he was sort of doubtful whether MT. Good Fairy would really appear But an instant later he heard MT. Good Fairy's shrill voice.