The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-01-10

the larry nau salu. But as Bettln,
continued her Journey homeward, A.
could not see how it lay in her pows,
to do this.
She stopped before vine Of VITA
grapes, which grew in thick clustar'
close to the roadside. She would nv
IL what the fairy had said could reall,
be true. With her small finger e,.
tended she touched several of the Inc.
cious grapes, and then broke open
their satlny skins. When io insteas |
of the fruit which she expected to find
inside, there fell to the ground little
tricking shower of coarse, brown clay
Bettina then tried the forefinger, with
which she touched some Of the nearest
berries. These she pressed open, and
behold a GRATEFUL Of rich, red wine
flowed out Immediately.
Late that night, while she was sleep.
ing softly in her little hut. she heard
her name called. 1t was the sweet
voice of the Fairy Grapetta, and Bet
tina awoke to find her standing at the
foot of her bed, clad in her silken robes
of purple, with the moonlight falling
upon her wonderful silver hair.
"Get up! get up" she cried "Why
are you not making use of your power,
You must go forth into the vineyard
at once, and tomorrow the wicked
Borgo will repent of his evil ways"
Bettina arose and dressed, and fol-
lowed the Fairy Grapetta out into the
moonlight, until she came to the vine.
yard, where the glistenlng purple
grapes and their green leaves covered
the vines in thick profusion.
"Now," said the fairy, ''touch every
grape with your little finger, and then
l will leave you to think out for your.
self how the rest must be accom-.
plished."
Again she vanished, and Bettina did
as she was bid. AS she touched grape
after grape with her small finger, all
at once she saw what the fairy meant
her to do, and she ran home in the
moonlight, laughing happily to her.
self.
The next day there was great trou.
Bile in the vineyard, for the peasants
had told Borgo that his grapes were
filled with earth. The wicked old
man stormed and raved and stamped
his feet.
81 am bewitchedw he cried. II am
bewitchedw and at last, when bis rage
had exhausted itself, he began to weep.
But nobody was very sorry for him, for
he had never been sorry for anybody
else.
At last Bettina stepped to him and
said:
"Oh, master, it was who bewitched
your grapes, and 1t Is a punishment
because you would not pay us enough
money for food. Only say that you re-
pent and all will be well. 1 promise
you that your grapes shall all be filled
with richest wine.'
When Borgo heard this he screamed
at Bettina with all his might.
Go away, you evil child! Go away!
Go away, or will have you burned for
q witchr But Bettina did not move,
SA's IOOhtu a. hilh quictiy anu sttiu.
"Oh, no, l am not afraid of you,
Borgo, for 1 am the only one who
knows how to fill your grapes with
wine"
Borgo turned to his peasants.
Burst open the grapes" he cried,
angrlly. Burst them open, say.
There must be only few which are
filled with clay, the rest are all right,
/ know, and pay you enough wages.
Say, do not pay you enough wages?
He shouted at the peasants loudly,
but they were no longer afraid of him,
for as they burst the grapes open,
cluster after cluster sent forth a
shower Of brown earth, and the rlpe.
juicy fruit was gone.
Seeing that his words made no i'm
preston on the peasants. and that his
grapes were indeed worthless, Borgo
fell once more to crying.
on! what shall l doT he walled.
What shall 1 do? / will be poor
man! l will be rulnedw
Bettina began to feel very sorry for
ler master, even though he had been
80 cruel. She went over to him and
,ut one little hand timidly on his shoul-
Ter.
"Dont cry, master" she said, "for
AVE not told you that will re-
TORE your grapes If only you will
promise to pay your people fairly for
heir hard labor? See!" she said, and
ouched with her forefnger several
'rapes that lay on the ground before