The Green Forest tribune., 1907-01-25

| Ethel and I paused at the door be- fore entering the dining room A single lamp cast soft light on the old fashioned hallway, mingling with moonbeams that floated through the window halfway up the stairs. From | their bedrooms above came the chil- dren's voices.
 Bless their baby hearts!" cried Ethel in subdued voice. q wondered what they were up to this afternoon when they came to me twice and asked so seriously whether they was weally faiwies.'"
 And what did you say?" I inquired.
 q told them to find out for them selves," she replied, promptly. T didn't have the courage to disillusion- ize them utterly"
 And they're going to find it out, if possible
 q wish we could help them," she remarked.
 Maybe we can," I replied. hopeful | ly.
 Thereupon we turned our attention to dinner. We were sitting there | nearly an hoar later, finishing our | coffee, when Ire heard the stairs creak dismally
 Then Ethel put her hand on one side, and listened intently. There l was no mistake this time; the stairs certainly did give out a continuous series of creaks. Likewise did we fai of nl, bare feet, and hard breathing, and half-stif1ed giggles and gurgles. Mercy" Ethel exclaimed under her breath Those babies are actual ly going outdoors in their night clothes!"
 "Sh!" I warned. Don't be alarmed. Maybe they'll put on their coats and hats. Anyhow, wait until they get in- to the back hall; then we can creep upstairs and see them through the window at the landing
 In another minute the door separat- ing the front from the back hall closed, and little later we heard ex- cited whisperings from the clothes press far in the rear.
 "Now's the time!" Ethel cried. Let's hurry up to the window while they're putting on their coats and hats" We tiptoed out of the dining room, and up the stairway. For a long time we looked and listened anx- iously at the little window. and I was about to go down again when the back door creaked, and an odd little figure appeared in the moonlight just below us. Buzzer's fluffy golden hair was hidden by an old hat of mine, a shapeless gray felt When he had gone a yard or two from the door he turned around and called, in loud whisper, Come on, sister. Hurry up, T tn faiwies Il get away."
 There was brief pause, and the next moment Ethel strangled in an effort to stifie laugh.
 Just look at the baby," she cried, softly. Moonlight summer night, and she's got on her rubber boots"
 And Nora's sunbonnet. Wonder where she found it?"
 I didn't answer, for just then Buz ger spoke again.
 Well go quietly pas Jason's house an tn barn." he explained, down tn lane to where tn faiwies is, in tn wall"
 Quietly, so not fwighten 'em?" Beeby inquired in anxious tones.
 Yep" said Buzzer; and away they toddled, hand in hand, through the moonlight.
 Quick, Ethel!" I said, running downstairs as rapidly and as noise- lessly as possible. Follow me, and we'll see the fun!'
 Poor little chaps." she responded. Tt doesn't seem fair to take advan- tage of their innocence"
 We won't take any," said, hold ing open the door, so she could pass through. "WeIl find out where their fairy land is, and then we'll people it for them"
 What a splendid plan!" the dear girl cried, giving my shoulder a pat of approval. How did you think of it? And which way shall we go?"
 Around the house here, and through the orchard back of the corn. crib and wagon shed-then we'll reach fairy land ahead of them"
 So on we ran as fast as we could through the shadows of the apple or. chard, and hid near the stone wall. just as the little folks came down the grassy lane. It is a long march and a hard march from home to fairy land when one wears a mans big slippers, that persist in coming off every five yards, or when one is al- most lost in fathers coat and Nora's sunbonnet. But they came on brayely indeed, hand in hand, Buzzer shuf fling on ahead little. Beeby dragging her weighty rubber boots with slow. CT steps. All at once they stopped with admonitory "Hush," from Buz. ger. Don't make any noise." he add. ed, kicking the slippers from his feet and tossing aside the big hat
 Me, tool" Beeby exclaimed, sitting plump down in the lane and pulling off her boots. Then she slid out of my coat, the sunbonnet fell to +ba