The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-11-16
Tifaaia's Night Flowers

Is what Kept me from going TO
sleep that night. The lightest of
tiny winds stirred the few dry
leaves that still chung to the No
vember trees. | would have gone
TO sleep IN the time it takes that
merry little Puck, the fairy jester,
to whisk from one barberry leaf to
another (Which, as we all know, is
no time at alb had it not been for
that certain beam of moonlight.
That gay little moonbeam came
sliding down its own narrow shaft
Of moonlight so startlingly and be-
gan teasing me so that sleep soon
deserted ne. 1t tumbled about my
head and then rushed again to the
window, and kept this up until |
understood that there was some
thing outside waiting for me.
That's how it happened that the
usually very methodical 81" got up
and dressed Tin real warm clothes,
for in spite of all the enchantment
of the evening. the air was chilly
md started out on the narrow foot
path in the small and rather thin
growth of beech and maple trees.
Beside me hurried tiny ripping
stream, but oh, it was so clear and
it made such soft murmuring music
as it scurried over the rocks, And
on ! walked. rather quickly, follow
ing tiny beam of wonderful, white
moonlight
Don't step on me, don't step on
mel" came a low startled voice
which, in turn, startled me-a
voice that seemed to trail off into
the distance and mingle with the
quiet rustling of the dry beech
leaves.
II was just finishing putting the
birds to sleep, and"
Looking down at my feet, saw
what looked to be brown ball
shaped seed pod unroll itself into
tiny, elf-like figure about as tall
as twice the length of my finger, all
neatly dressed In huntsman's suit
of dull brown and on his head was
jaunty, brown tam with a tiny
bright red feather stuck carelessly
in the left side.
"You see, | am the sandman for
the birds and leaves and grass. and
go around the world this time o
night throwing my sand in all their
sleepy eyes This time of year,
when so many Of the children have
gene to sleep for the winter,
don't have so much to do. so help
Frickle out with his task Of seeing
that they are all covered up warm
ly enough"
II didn't know elves and fairies
really worked" ventured, still
little startled about all that was
happening.
"You didn't. well now. you don't
say SO! Oh, we all have our tasks
to do and are kept busy most Of
the night. We all like to work. that
is, except Pokealittle-he prefers
to sleep. Our queen. herself. did
one of the biggest tasks that we
have ever had to do. You don't
mean to say that you have never
heard OF Titania's Night Tlowers?-"
l had to say l guess l hadn't
heard about it-at least. I couldn't
seem to remember anything about
1t.
"Lack-a-day!" chirped the odd
little fellow with gesture Of dis
pair at the ignorance of mortals,-
and then, Frightening,
well. come sit under this leaf
here" and then realizing that l
couldn't possibly make myself COM
Portable on a tiny leaf. he said.
"over here by this log. then. and I'll
tell you the story how Titania, our
queen. planted some seeds one
night that grew up and bloomed in
to the most beautiful flowers by the
next morning. It was big task.
but it was so wonderful and it's
made everything so much better
for us and for you. Now LISTEN"
did very closely, and this is
what heard.
In a certain country, long ago.
was beautiful palace that be-
longed to very. very good man.
whom all the people loved and
served. They called him "The
Master of the Inn" He loved all