The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-12-26

Evry drop. delighted
Turns TO spray In merry play
AS we tumble on our way!'
Next Claus searched for roots to eat,
while the daffodils turned their little
eyes up to him laughingly and llsped
their dainty song:
blooming fairly growing rarely
Never fiowerets were so gay
Perfume breathing, joy bequeathing,
AS our colors we display
1t made Claus laugh to hear the little
things voice their happiness as they
nodded gracefully on their stems. But
another strain caught his ear as the
sunbeams fell gently across his face
and whispered:
Here is gladness.; that our rays
Warm the Valley through the days;
Here is happiness, to give
Comfort unto all who live!'
"Yes." cried Claus in answer, there
are happiness and JOY in all things
here The Laughing Valley is valley
of peace and good will"
He passed the day talking with the
ants and beetles and exchanging jokes
with the light hearted butterflies. And
at night he lay on his bed of soft moss
and slept soundly.
Then came the Fairies. merry, but
noiseless, bringing skillets and pots and
dishes and pans and all the tools nee
essary to prepare food and to comfort
a mortal. With these they filled cup
board and fireplace, finally placing a
stout suit of wool clothing on the stool
by the bedside.
When Claus awoke he rubbed his
eyes again and laughed and spoke
aloud his thanks TO the Fairies and the
Master WOodsman who had sent them.
With eager joy he examined all his
new possessions, wondering what some
might be used for, but in the days
when he had chung to the glrdle OF the
great Ak and visited the cities of men
his eyes had been quick to note all the
manners and customs of the race to
which he belonged; so he guessed from
the gifts brought by the Fairies that
the Master expected him hereafter to
live in the fashion of his fellow crea-
lures
(which means that must pillow the
earth and plant corn he reflected.
$50 that when winter comes l shall
have garnered food in plenty"
But as he stood in the grassy Valley
he saw that to turn up the earth in
burrows would be TO destroy hundreds
Of pretty. helpless flowers. as well as
thousands of the tender blades of grass.
And this he could not bear TO do.
Therefore he stretched out his arms
and uttered a peculiar whistle he had
learned in the Forest, afterward cry
ing:
"Ryls OF the Field Flowers-come TO
me-
Instantly dozen of the queer little
Ryls were squatting upon the ground
before him. and they nodded to him in
cheerful greeting.
Claus gazed upon them earnestly.
"Your brothers OF the Forest he
said. II have known and loved many
years. | shall love you, also, when we
have become friends, TO me the laws
of the Ryls. whether those of the For
est or of the field. are sacred. / have
never willfully destroyed one of the
flowers you tend so carefully, but |
must plant grain to use for food dur
ing the cold winter, and how am to
do this without killing the little crea-
lures that sing to me SO prettily Of their
fragrant blossoms
The Yellow Ryl he who tends the
bnttercups. made answer;
Fret not. friend Claus. The great
Ak has spoken to us of you. There is
better work for you in life than TO
labor for food and though, not being
OF the Forest. Ak has no command
over us. nevertheless are we glad TO
favor one he loves Live. therefore, to
do the good work you are resolved TO
undertake. We. the Field Ryls, will
attend to your food supplies"
After this speech the Ryls werc no
longer to be seen. and Claus drove from
his mind the thought of tilling the
earth.
When next he wandered back to his
dwelling a bowl of fresh milk stood
upon the table. bread was in the cup
board and sweet honey filled dish be-
side 1t. A pretty basket of rosy apples
and new plucked grapes was also wait
ing him. He called out. Thanks, my
friends" TO the invisible Ryls and
straightway began to eat of the food.
Thereafter. when hungry, he had hut
TO look into the cupboard TO find goodly
supplies brought by the kindly Ryls'
And the Knocks cut and stacked much
wood for his fireplace. And the Fairies
brought him warm blankets and cloth
ing
So began his life In the Laughing
Valley. with the favor and friendship
of the immortals to minister to his
every want.
ITO be Continued.)