Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-24

Just peep underneath, but don't
speak. else it may go away"
Dot looked and saw such a funny
little creature sitting under the
mushroom, just as If 1t were an UNI
brella to keep off the rain. 1t had a
brownish, notified skin, long doubled
up hind legs and very short front
ones, a square head, with pair Of
the brightest, most sparkling black
eyes the children had ever seen; they
glittered like the raindrops when the
sun flashed on them.
How they looked at it and watched
it, the little creature watching them,
too, with its jet black eyes.
Dot caught tightly at Bob's arm.
Il know what it is" she whispered
excitedly. Its the Fairy King! Don
you member in my picture-book
where the pretty fairies are dancing,
there's big mushroom and a thing
like that sitting on it? 'spects he's
got under cos it rained. It's a real
fairy, Bob. Let's wait, and p'r'aps
some pretty ones will come, too"
So they drew back from the spot
and waited patiently, hoping to see
the pretty fairies fit down from the
green boughs waving about in the
soft wind. But they were long time
coming; and then, all at once, the
Fairy King gave great leap with his
strong hind legs, and jumped out right
in front of them. oh, how frightened
they were!
Bob turned and ran off as fast as
ever he could go. Dot screamed and
somehow let go OF her pinafore, so
that the poor little kitty rolled down
on the grass, as close as could be to
the Fairy King.
MY kitty, my kitty!" Dot cried, pit
eously. "Oh, Mr.. Fairy King, please
don't hurt my baby kitty"
She was so frightened she would
liked to have run away, too; but she
couldn't go and leave her kitten in
such dreadful danger.
The Fairy sat upright and looked
shyly at the little tabby ball, and the
kitten mewed and looked back at him.
If the Fairy had opened his square
mouth and swallowed the kitten, Dot
would not nave been in the least sur
prised; but, instead of that, he only
gave another hop and went back I'M
der the mushroom again.
| Then Dot caught up her kitty and
ran away home as fast as ever she
could. like Bob had done.
That night Dot had lovely dream.
She thought there came soft white
light into the room like moonshine,
and in the middle of it stood a fairy.
1t must have been the Fairy Queen,
for on her forehead glittered bright
star; her little wings were like silver,
and her dress was blue and green and
gold.
She stretched out her hand to Dot
with smile, and Immediately she
found herself fitting along by the side
of the fairy without having to walk,
and they foated down the garden
path, through the field, right up to
the big tree where the mushroom
grew. Dot saw lot more fairies with
wings and shining stars, blu tnot one
was so beautiful as the Fairy Queen.
Then, all at once, Dot remembered
she had come out with nothing on but
her white nightdress, and she felt so
ashamed, till she found nobody seem
ed to notice it. She didn't feel bit
cold, so she sat on the grass with
her bare toes cuddled up under her,
watching the pretty creatures flying
about like birds. Then they all join
ed hands and danced round the mush-
room. The Fairy King was sitting
upon it this time-not underneath;
but then there was no rain falling,
and the stars were cleaning like lit
tie silver dots up in the clear sky.
They grew tired of dancing after a
while, so they all sat down round the
mushroom. The Fairy King said ne
would sing to them. He did SO; but
it was such a queer song Dot could
not understand word of it. He
croaked SO dismally, she thought he
must have very bad cold; but a lit
tie blue fairy sitting close to her
said: mo, his Majesty is quite well,
he always sings like that"
At the end of his song he tried to
give croak ever SO high up like sing
ers generally do. 1t was such fun
NY, cracky sound, and ne opened his
mouth SO wide and turned up his eyes
in such queer way, that Dot laugh
ed out loud. At the sound every one
80 Cot, 81 Nd Int 20
up to find herself i bed, and that 1t
was only dream.
The next morning while sitting at
breakfast Dot told her mother all the
story of their visit to the spot be-
hind the big oak tree, where the rain
bow ended, and their discovery of the
fairies home. how they had seen the
Fairy King sitting on his mushroom
throne. and of her dream. He mother
looked so amused.
IF you were a country mouse in
stead of town one, you would know,
my little Dot, that it was only big
frog you saw, not fairy at all. He
had come ont in the rain to find some
insects for his dinner"
"Oh, don't fink so, mummy, real
ly. He was just like the picture in
my book. and it said there it was the
Fairy King; but mummy dear, even
if he isn't, let's pretend he is the
Fairy King, it's ever so much nicer"
So Bob and Dot always said they
knew exactly where the fairies lived,
for the rainbow had shown them the
place-Home Magazine.