Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-27

always against me IN that matter"
"How's that?" asked little Roger
and his sister Ann in one voice.
why, it is this way" explained
their mother. "Once upon a time,
long, long ago, l thought to try a
charm at the crossroads and went
there and made a white tipped red
cross on the sign board. Well, on the
following day, l went to see If any
thing would come of it, and Just as
arrived there l saw in a tree one
whom l took to be a fairy. But l am
sure-and have been ever since the
occurrence-that it was one of those
wicked spirits that fly about the coun-
try to make WHAT mischief they can.
Well, she asked me to make wish
and said 1t should be Immediately
granted. OF course l made the wish.
which was for a good rain to give life
to our dying crops. 1T shall pour
rain tonight, my child" promised the
one whom took to be fairy. SO,
much pleased with what | supposed
my success, l hurried home to await
the promised relief. But the night
passed without the sign of cloud.
The following day went by the same,
and on went the days, as dry as bones
without oned rop Of rain. And then |
concluded l had been caught by
wicked sprite instead of having seen
fairy. For fairies never make prom
Uses they cannot keep. only hope,
my dear children, that you saw the
real larry and not wicked sprite.'
Both little Roger and his sister Ann
felt a bit uneasy over what their
mother told them. How like her own
experience theirs had been. Suppose
they had given their confidence to
wicked sprite instead Of to true
good fairy! OF course the wicked
sprite would go at once to the wealth
er man and there, deceiving him, try
to persuade him to bring about a
clear, cloudless morrow.
"Oh am going to run down to the
crossroads eraly tomorrow, cried lit
tie Roger; that is, If the day comes
out clear, and I'll stay there a real
fairy happens along"
THAT might be good thing" said
the mother, eff it really was a true
fairy, though, there'll be no need ri
your going to the crossroads tomor
row, for, as I said a while ago, nc
fairy ever goes back on her promise
When the family awoke on the NOR
row the dawn was gloriously bright
and not a sign of cloud In the Sky
OF course the grounding would cons
out and see his shadow If the sky re
manned as clear after sunrise. Little
Roger and his sister Ann ran with al
speed to the crossroads, and ther'
, they hid behind the bushes as on tn
D,,% No Il Cd
!, concealed themselves when a lot
v voice said to them: "May | be Q
I help to you, little ones? I am tn
> fairy queen, and l saw your eros
= here on the sign board two day
= hence, and came here yesterday an
= remained all day, hoping to see yor
AS you did not come, l returned thi
? morning before dawn, hoping 70
/ would be here without fail today"
Then little Roger and his siste
a Ann told the fairy Of what had hal
! pened there at that very spot the da
= before and how their mother ha
\ reused their suspicion by relating a
II experience Of her own at the sam
n crossroads.
. "Ah, yes it was one of those wicl
v ed sprites,' said the good fairy. "The
g work a deal of mischief, for they hay
5 become acquainted with some of o.
a methods, and through that knowledl
% they can deceive many good people /
4 to believing In them. But, | mu
&c know what your wish is, my lit
n ones"
y eve wish for cloudy nky all
w day. explained little Roger. "Ye
- without one ray of sunshine" add
70 Ann, 'for we want an early sprin
"a and the grounding must not see b
"a shadow this day"
~ ut shall be as you wish. If l c;
y. possibly reach the weather man
-, fore time for the sun to rise AS 4
" time is limited, and l have far to
l must not tarry another moment.
- am off to do your bidding
n. ooh thank you, dear, true fair!
re cried both children ioyously. ''V
ce know you are real fairy, for your
W NAMED invisible, and only fairies c
W. do that when they talk. Oh, bless "
~ dear good fairy
at Then little Roger and his sis'
"a Ann ran home to tell Of their seco
at experience at the crossroads. A
vs. lust as the sun was about to pc
NJ l above the distant horizon great clio
no gathered before it. darkening
SIS earth. And all that day the sky
NAMED dark, the sun obscured, a
as when the grounding came out he 81
no to himself: What, no shadow
II brighten me this year! Well, I'll j
no remain out and ask the weather b.
er- to bring a warm spell to keep
ce comfortable. like the spring, and
nt sure as my name is hog I shall {
We for a good early one"