Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-10-12
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
POWERS The COLA
BORATOR

A pleasant fragrance filed the air. II
was the sweet and resinuous odor of
spring The April sun threw the shad.
ows Of the trees along the highway and
a gentle breeze stirred the budding
limbs.
The man in the light wagon inhaled
the delightful aroma and smiled. He
was man Of perhaps forty years, palo
and thin. He let the reins lie on the
back of the sturdy young horse and
that intelligent animal saunterel a'ong
at his own sweet will.
There magic in the breath Of it,
tie man murmmed as he drew in tie
braclng air. This is what | am after.
The doctor was right. All you need,
he said is to sit up straigh: and fiji
your starved lungs with the food they
crave Another mouthful, Il you
please" And he drew in a prodigious
breath. Before II was quite rXhaled
he noticed that he was no. alone on the
highway. A boy was sitting on stump
by the roadside looking off into the
valley. The man in the wagon could
not see His face, but the lads back was
broad and his head well set. and his
pose was almost picturs squc
He did not look w as the wagon
neared him.
The man stopped the horse.
"Hullo," he called.
The boy started and looked around.
"Hullo," he said, and slid from The
stump
lie was n bright faced boy of seven.
teen perhaps. a clear eyed boy with a
firm chin and good forehead
"Dreaming?"
The boy flushed.
Il guess | was" he admitted.
The stranger liked his voice
"a day DREAM he said. IAN Arrll
dream of love and hope
The boy opened his eyes wide. lie
had never heard anyone talk like this.
at wasn't exactly dream" he said,
lit was more like q fairy-.a fairy Wis.
ion"
"oh, a fairy vision? Good. Then
you believe In fairies?"
The boy laughed and shook his head.
Il wish | could" he said. II mean
the story book sort. But guess they've
all been scared away"
Il fancy year theory is correct, d"
laughed the man.
The boy came a little nearer.
Il think sometimes, sir, that II must
have been very pleasant to have lived
in those old fairy times.
"A fine thought" cried the stranger.
" The world is too much with u.s. Old
Wordsworth is quite right. And what
was this fairy vision?"
The boy blushed, but something in
the strangers keen look drew him out
Il was looking over the valley, sir"
be said, "and wondering what | would
do II had Aladdin's lamp"
The pale man stared hard at the boy.
whats your name. my lad?"
Rogers, sir, Joseph Rogers"
"And where are you going?'
Down to the village, SIR"
I'm any hurry?"
mo, sir"
Then take half OF this seat and let
me drive you there"
Thank you, sir"
The boy looked hard at the pale man.
Certainly he was an odd character.
HI nan't uafI tho man lao
cause II would be an insult to this glor.
ious day. | want to enjoy II at my leis-
ure. It's my medicine, boy. The larger
the dose the greater the benefit" And
again he inhaled deep breath of the
fragrant atmosphere.
Then you haven't been well, sir?'
"A good guess, boy. ! have been far
from well. Too much STOPPING over
stupid desk, too much steam heat, too
much bad air. was getting old and
shaky. / needed magic elixir. DO
you believe in magic eiXirs, boy?'
mo, sir"
You are wrong. Here Is mine" And
he took another long breath. THE doc.
tor sent me here to forget. He sent me
here to sleep. lie sent me here to undo
the mischief | have so industriously
wrought. There across the valley, in
the white house with the pillars" and
he pointed with his whip, lis my pres.
ent domicile. That's where a part of
the miracle is going on"
The boy nodded.
That's Farmer Ruggles'," he said
do you know Dame Ruggles, boy?"
"Yes, sir"
'Do you know that she's a fairy, a
good falry?"
The boy shook his head.
well, she u.s." cried the man. when
the other fairies We're banished she was
spared" He paused abruptly and
looked around at the lad.
And what" he asked, would you
have done with Aladdin's lamp"