The Washington times., 1913-12-01
For The Times Children
Just>BefOre It's Bedtime
WHY TIFF. POPPY IS RED.
-T was a starlight night by the lake.
The air was chill yet with the breath

II was a starlight night by the lake.
The air was chill yet with the breath
OF winter. but in the dim glow the
woods seemed of silver and the
stones of gold. For il was the first day
of spring. and in the beauty of the mid
night the fairies had gathered for their
ball
About the entrance to a large cavern
there were gathered a troop of tiny
creatures all fitting in under a vine
which hung over the way. Within there
| was a large room carved out of stone
on whose sides were statues made of
colored marbles. In the center spouted
n fountain whose spray floated away to
the roof in an amber mist and over
| all shone pink glow of rose tint
Here gathered the fern fairies and
the fairies Of the forest and the fairies
of the clouds. for it was the home Of
goblin whose place IL was to manu-
facture the colors with which the flow
ers and the skies were to be tinted for
| the coming year. In big pots In an ad-
| joining chamber were the reds and DUR
! pies, the pinks and greens, the yelloWs
and the blues which the flower fairies
and the cloud fairies must take home
with them for their work. For every
spring every plant must be furnished
with The color it will need for its bios
som
golden couch OF which lay the sick wife
of the goblin, for she always felt badly
| al this time of the year. and suffered
much with headaches. About her cot
Grew flowers OF all kinds. ana amongst
| them was pretty poppy. hut, strange
TO say. at that time the poppy was not
red. but a sickly yellow. The roses were
! of every hue. the marigolds, tho pam
sizes. the violets, and dozens of other
! flowers were all bluShing in their gor-
Scous tints. But somewhat apart and
| somewhat ashamed of her palcness was
! the poppy nodding to tn. other plants,
| " hO treated IL with coldness in return.
There was much bustllnG as the fair
| :es left the cave with their tiny pots OF
| Laint under their wings. But at last the
| door closed and the goblin came over
to talk with his sick wife. Just then a
| tiny elf came running in all out of
| breath.
The fairies of the forest on the other
side of the world could not get here
| tonight" h" painted, tanning himself
| with his wings. There WIS a big cy-
clone and they could not ily through the
| Edlc. But they called to me across the
leave their paint at tho foot Of the Red
| lock on the peak of the Black Noun
| tam. and they will get it at dawn"
| Now the goblin knew that thes.
fairies must have their paints, for II
they did not, the woods on the oppO'
site side of the earth would have to &c
! without amy green, and that would bf
| something terrible. SO he grabbed uI
| tn" paint pots and, kissing his wife
flew out of the door. saying he would
| be back before dawn.
| The goblin had not been gone over AT
hour When the wife began to grow rest.
less and thirsty, but she could moi
rise to get a drink of water. In each O
the flowers there was Il plenty of II
standing un their soft petals in shining
drops. hut they each refused to allow
the little clhn woman to share theil
portion.
II cannot give YOU my water saic
the rose, haughtily. 1T is all I have
and ! may need ii before the goblin re-
turns. The other flowers talked ir
tn" same way. There they all stood
proudly swaying in the warm air, anc
the water drops twinklinG in the light