Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-18

WOnderOus wonders you Will see,
All you ask for comes to be.
There are ships with golden sails.
There are monstrous talking whales,
Sirens with their silver tales,
Fairyland that never fails.
Come. Fairella, come with me,
We will go to the Magic Sea-"
Come on" he said, "Ill light the
way"
Away he flew; but poor Fairella,
trying to follow with Homely tucked
under her arm, found her tired feet no
match for his wings.
20 Firehy, wait" she cried, 81 have
no wings"
ASK the swallow" answered the
FREELY. Sure enough there was the it,
tie swallow that Fairella had rescued
from Homely and placed upon the
Dough. He was taking off his wings,
and, as she passed, he fixed them to
her shoulders.
I'll lend them to you," he explained,
for they might have been broken II
you hadn't saved me-"
"Oh, thank you," she answered, but
I wish could hear what you are sing
ing"
Then the wonderful thing happened.
The little puppy under her arm spoke:
Hear through my ears" he said. Il
shouldn't have them big and whole II
it hadn't been for you"
Then suddenly Faire1la could hear
quite plainly what the swallow said,
and what all the other birds were say
ing, too, and 1t was so interesting that
SIZE wanted to stay and listen forever.
Here was a robin giving all kinds or
good advice and information about the
weather. there was a bluebird singing
a new lullaby, while over in the corn
field a :ow was going on.
IT wish I could stop to hear what
the crows are saying" she thought.
Father would be so interested, for
he's always going to caucuses.' But
the freely few straight along, and she
had to 20 pretty steadily to keep up
with him. But, as they flew, she saw
four beautiful swans overhead, ana
oh, Joy and rapture!-she could un-
derstand the story Of his adventures
that the youngest and most beautlful
swan was telling his three companions
how he had once lived In farm
yard where the turkey gobbled at him,
and the poultry-girl kicked him with
her foot because he was big and awk-
ward. and not like the other birds;
how he had flown away with the wild
ducks, and had been abused by Tom
Cat ard Hen, and caught half frozen
: in the cruel winter ice. ...-.
ooh, hear, hear. Homely," she cried.
hugging him under her arm with
my eyes I've seen the Ugly Duckhng
and with your ears I've heard MIN
talk" ..
cob. I've heard hin, often before"
said Homelv. "He tells his story all
OYER the world. You'll have to go
bit faster to catch up with F1reny.
Eyes" replied Fairella. this Is
strange road to me- and there is
great dark stretch ahead. shall have
tn he there to see what direction he
takes -,
She tried TO hurry as fast as the
wings could fly; but suddenly tney
seemed to give out. she felt nerseI
falling. falling. and In second more
she found herself floundering IN
pool OF water. But she could dlmly
soc that she was not the only one that
had fallen into the noo' Indeed IL
was quite crowded with Duck,
Dodo. Lory. and Faglet. and sew
eral other curious creatures. anu
stranger than all. mouse and announcer
girl swimming about and talking 10
each other. And the girl was the one
girl that Fairella had always thought
she would rather see than any otner
girl who had ever lived.
Fairella heard the girl say: Mouse,
dear. Do come back again and we
won't talk atont cats or dogs eltner'
if YOU don't like them
The mouse answered. LET us get
to the shore" and. with great deal
of spla shing the whole party swan to
the shore Alice leading the way.
Fairella pulled herself up on the bank
with the Others all dripping wet. cross
and uncomfortable, and began TO ols-
cuss with them the first question: no"
to get dry again.
"How wet are your Alice said TO
her. And she heard her own voice
answering, as if she were great way
off, "Well, don't seem to be bothered
much except about my hand, and !
should like to get that dry again
some time" -
81 don't see how you Will ever De
able to. with Homely tapping 1T all the
time" laughed Alice; but someno"
the laugh sounded like one she knew
her sister Eleanor's. and, stranger
still, the voice was her mothers.
Fairella sat up bewildered, and
looked about her. There was no Alce.
it was Eleanor, laughing, as she stood
beside the hammock with her mother
It was quite dark outside the friendly
circle lighted by the lantern that her
father held high above her head as she
lay in the hammock. Fairella's dress
was wet: but it was not from splash
ing in the Wonderland pool, but damp
with fallen dew; while the poor. little
faithful puppy that had fallen out OF
the hammock to the grass, but mad
stayed by to guard his sleeping mis-
tress. was tapping her hand as 1t
trailed over the side Of the hammock
$50 that's where you have been all
the time"
when you didn't come to supper
We've hunted high and low fol
| you," they said in a chorus. as father
led the way to the house with the Ian
tern. weren't you frightened In the