The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-01-22

gu III uldleTldl anu COIOI. 4ucIc ldy
a common cotton thing-fashioned ex-
actly like the silk one, with the needle
stuck into one of the seams just as she
had left it on going into the house to
her northumberland of an ugly
browish color.
Why, what does this mean?' asked
Nita of herself. And to her surprise
voice answered her:
I am responsible for the change in
the dolls frock. A cotton one will do
you as well as a silk one
But who is speaking to me?' asked
Nita, turning and looking all about
her, but seeing no one.
L am a fairy replied the voice.
And l saw you give your old grand
mother warm. stale water instead of
cold fresh water from the spring. So
said to myself that you could not
complain if give you cotton frock
for your doll instead of silk one Old
granny can feel and suffer; doll can
not know what it wears
''Nita sat with bowed face, for she
felt very guilty indeed. And she knew
she deserved just such punishment as
the fairy was inflicting on her. But
while she sat there, head bent SO that
her curls hid her face, sudden par
oxysm of pain in her stomach doubled
her up. oh, oh, OH she cried, hold
ing her sides.
Shall l fetch you some camphor?
asked the fairy voice ironically.
"'Oh, please do!' begged Nita. Then
she remembered how she had behaved
when her old grandmother had beg.
ged for the camphor bottle; how i'm
patient she had become, and how slow
ly she had gone to fetch the bottle. Oh,
l know why l have this paint walled
Nita. It's because l behaved so bad
ly toward poor old granny. Oh, was
so naughty, so naughty Then she be-
gan to cry aloud from the severe
cramps in her stomach. Old granny
overheard her walls and came limping
to the porch to inquire into the cause.
She was leaning heavily on her stick,
and seemed quite too feeble to be on
her feet; but her anxiety for Nita
caused her to forget her own suffering
and to come to minister to the child's
wants. oh, dearie, what is the mat
ter?' asked the old lady.
Suddenly the fairy caused a terrible
thirst to come to Nita, and looking
up into her grandmother's face, she
walled: oh, granny, am ill and dying
for drink of cold water
Well, dear child, you shall have
it, declared granny, getting the dipper
from the kitchen and going down the
long stone steps to the spring. Twice
she almost fell in making the descent,
and once in returning with the dipper
of water she stumbled and would have
fallen had not the good fairy sup
ported and strengthened her. Then
with all possible haste she put the dip
per Of water to Nita's lips, saying:
Drink, darling child; l shall get the
camphor for you if you do not feel
better after having drunk the water
''Nita touched her lips to the water.
but it was as bitter as gall She did
not say a word to her granny about
this, for she understood that the fairy
had changed the taste of the water
from sweet and pure to. a horrid Bit
ter. All she could do was to declare
she did not feel like drinking more
water. oh, the camphor,' said granny,
and limped off to get it. This was too
much for Nita, whose conscience was
torturing her more than was the pain.
Oh, granny she said, come back;
have something to confess to you!'
All, now you are doing the right
thing said the fairy. And If you are
good little girl in future I will come
to bring you good luck instead of pun
for their misdeeds, you know. Now
shall go to return at some near future
day. If in the meantime you have be-
haved nicely, been kind and consider
ate toward your old grandmother, your
dolls frock will become silk again.
Just as the fairy ceased speaking
old granny returned to the porch, fetch
ing the camphor to Nita. But as the
little girl was now feeling much bet
ter, old granny dropped YEARLY on
porch bench, saying oh, 1t is SO hard
for such old legs as mine to climb the
steps from the spring. And it is diff
cult for me to see my way about.
Otherwise, dearie, would have been
more sprightly, while waiting on YOU
oh, granny, you are too good to
me, for have been such a naughty,
naughty girl. But I shall make clean
breast of it all Here, let NE sit at
your knee and ask your forgiveness.