Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
the proceeding encour-

Grandaddy watched the proceeding encour-
agingly.
Earlier than usual next morning anxious
Marjorie came. They brought it, Mar
jorie's shrill little voice cried wildly "Oh,
Grandaddy, the goblins read my note!
Sect" She came running across the lawn
with new bow, made of oak. and thrust
it into Grandaddy's hands.
Grandaddy looked 1t over wisely tested
the string and nodded his head with not
even smile. Il was right wasn't l?' he
said simply
After that Marjorie left many note In
tho old oak. Sometimes it was for a little
wooden chair, sometimes for rustic dolly
bed. Grandaddy whitfield away with his
snarpest knife, and Marjories wishes all
came true.
INJURED Marjorie to herself one day, knee
deep in the tall grass. she gazed up into
the moving depths Of the whispering tree,
and all the little leaves seemed to say:
why don't yen try? Why don't you try?'
No one saw Grandaddy as he climbed
the attic stairs Of his lonely house, note
in hand. lips quivering, to dust-covereo
trunk that stood under the rafters. 1t
was like Decorating his fondest memories
to do this thing. His hands trembled as
he opened the trunk and took from its
musty tray q chllds doll, daintily clad
in the oldest of German fabrics. No one
saw the tears that trickled down his cheeks
and mingled with other treasures of the
past, but it was just as well, for Gran
daddy dried them and went thoughtfully
down the stairs.
Held fast in her arms next day, more
precious than all of her other dolles, nes-
tied that fairy gift of the whispering oak,
and Marjorie, grooming to it beneath the
oak trees, sang a song OF childhood, warm
and refreshing to the ears of the old man
who watched her from over the tops Of
his toba eco plants.
Silent she Stood the clover heads nodding
at her feet, the swsying branches over
head and before her the hollow oak, the
source of SO much wonder and pleasure.
Up to this time Grandaddy had found
no stumbling blocks. He and the fairies
had worked together, for Marjores wishes
so far had been reasonable. On certain
evening several days after that the old
man stole softly across to the oak. Mar
jorie had gone home and he was almost
as eager to read her little letter as the
child would be next morning. to see the
result. With unsteady hands he smoothed
the paper out on his knee and read:
Dear Goblins-I know L have asked for
a great many things. but If you will only
bring this one 1 will not bother you for a
long while. Papa's watch Is gone, and he
thinks some one has taken it. When he
it last 1t was the dining room ia
BILE. Please, dear COLLINS see If you can
MARJORIE"
Grandaddy scratched his head. Here was
a problem greater than he could master.
He could make whistles and rustic furni-
ture ana even. cause SODllnS to place apple
cider in the oak tree. but when 1t came to
restoring gold watches he felt that the
downfall of its magic was certain.
He was cross to poor Nathan that even
ing after supper, and went to bed tired and
dislheartened. Nor had he regained his
cheerfulness when Marjorie came running
down the lawn from the road shortly after
dinner the next day. Grandaddy watched
her, his gray head nodding. He even fol-
lowed to the oak as Majorie's chubby
hands went searching through the darkness
of the crevice. Her cheeks were red, her
eyes wide and eager.
Up from the hole came the hand There,
dangling from Marjorie's fat thumb, was
the watch and chain! The tree fairies had
accomplished what for Grandaddy was i'm
possiblei
II promised wouldn't bother them for a
long while If they found papas watchr'
she cried, exultantly. isn't it grand?
Isn't it kind of them, when papa has never
even paid them visit?'
Grandaddy could not reply. He bHnked
first at Marjorie, then at the hole then
at the rustling leaves above where the
diligent humble bees were at work
Just then Nathan came plodding down
the path with a rake over his shoulder
Come, look!" called Marjorie holding I'D
the watch. See what the fairies did!
They found papas watch and left it for
me in the oakl' Nathan. however. seem
ed to care nothing about It. Per'ha DIS there
was a reason why he did not care to hear.
for he dashed off through the syringa
bushes pell nell, dragging the rake alter
him.