Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-18
FIRST PRIZE

der and raising her tear stained
~ face encoun cred two bright eyes
as blue as her own. Then she real
lied she was not looking at her own
real little fairy.
"Why do you weep so hard little
girl?' asked the stranger.
Because / wanted to see the fairy
they say lives in this wishing well, !"
she replied. Are you a real fairy?"
Eyes, of course l am" was the an
swer. II am the one you were wish
ing to see.'
"Oh!" gasped Ethel, "and If I wish
anything, will it come true?"
yes, indeed" was the answer.
fThen 1 wish l might see your
h6me," said Ethel.
Come with me,n said the fairy, and
lifting small trap door by the side
of the we'll they descended beautiful
marble stairway. Ethel had never
seen anything so splendid before and
laughed with delight at everything
the fairy showed her. They first went
into large conservatory, where flow
ers and ferns grew in abundance and
Ethel was told she might pick a large
a bouquet as she wished. Finally they
came tosa nursery which contaianed
everything a child could wish for. The
fairy told Ethel she might do as she
cIiOSS anu lticI1 lSll llSI 10 uSTS6iI.
Ethel became so absorbed in her
play that she did not notice the shad-
ows gathering about the room until
she heard the fairy's voice again.
would you like something to eat?"
"Oh, Is 1t so dark?" asked Ethel in
alarm. az wish you would take me
home, or mamma will be worried about
me-"
You cannot wish but once" replied
fho 70 HVn1I haUa had
wish"
"O-o-ohl" walled Ethel.
IF you give me the ring on your
finger I shall grant your WISH" an
swered the fairy Whereupon fright
ened Ethel handed her the ring and the
the fairy took her safely home.
MARJORIE KNECHT.
10 Washington street, Redlands. r.
II. S. grade 10.
She heard a sound of leaves and
branches cracking, and looking up she
saw a lady advancing toward her. She
was tall, slender, rosy-cheeked and had
long coal black hair that fell in cas-
cades about her shoulders. She was
dressed in robe of ciinging gauze.
She looked at Ethel with large, won
dering brown eyes, and then said:
why are you crying?"
"Boo-hoo. | thought was at the
wishing WELL" she sobbed. "and I do
want to see the well fairy"
The lady laughed and said: "Dry
your eyes and will take you to her.
am one of her maids"
"Oh, will your" cried Ethel
She took Ethel by the hand, stepped
into the bucket and went down, down
to the bottom of the well. Splash!
Under water they went!
They saw a palace before them, and
as they went in all the fairies fell on
enc knee.
queen. What is your wish?"
II want mamma to be happy and
have more money" was her answer.
Then, as an afterthought, your ma
jesty."
She bade the queen good by, stepped
in the bucket and found herdself on
her front steps.
Running in, she heard her mother
singing, which was something she had
not done for years. ETHEL, the draw
ers are full of money" she cried, "and
the more I take out the more goes in"
"Oh, it's the well fairy" cried Ethel.
'"rhe who?"
Then Ethel explained
After a while they grew discontented.
They tried to spend their money, but
1t was impossible. Finally they went
home from Europe, where they had
been on a tour, and there, at home,
they found the fairy that had eluded
and Knocked at them so, until they
wished she had not wished for money.
It was the fairy-the Blue Bird, the
gold mine of the world-it was happi-
ness. ETHEL BARNHART.
Hollywood Union high school, B9
grade. Age 13 years. GIG Sunset
bulevard.
Ethel. saw the bucket slowly rise out
of the we'll and a gauzy creature step
out. At first she did not see Ethel
The fairy blew blast on a trumpet
flower which she had plucked from
the vine climbing around the we'll.
Then blew several blasts. Soon there
was heard a flutter of wings and a
band of tiny fairies approached the
one who seemed queen.
Then they spied Ethel. At first they
were frightened. but soon the queen
came forward and dropped a polite
curtsey to Ethel, asking what she
wanted. Ethel told her how she had
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