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Then they all sang the song, and as they
sang they danced up to Ellie, and each
kissed her upon her brow and cheeks and
lips; and they begged her to stay with
them, and promised if she would to show
her all their treasures. One, she was the
Queen’s secret messenger, said, she would
give her the ring of invisibility; and ano
ther said she would give her a girdle,
which, whenever she wore it, would cause
her to be more beautiful than any maiden
upon earth ; but the Queen said —“ Stay
with me, Ellie, and be my child, and I
will grant your heart’s desire, whatever it
may be. Now make your petition.”
Then Ellie knelt down before the beau
tiful Queen, and kissed her hand and said :
“I thank you very much, beautiful
Queen. You are very kind to me, but I
want nothing except to make all happy
around me, and to have them love me ; but
let me go back to the earth again to my
mother; if you desire it I will come again,
but I cannot live here.”
Then the Queen said —“ Ellie, I will
give you a gift which will draw the hearts
of all creatures, and lure them to you;
you deserve it—you have been tried, and
have resisted all our temptations; I will
come for you again.”
And the Queen threw her arms around
Ellie—a strange, drowsy feeling crept
over her—she felt herself rising from the
palace, higher, higher, higher, and as she
rose she thought she heard the Fairies’
song; then she fell down, down, down.
As she touched the earth she awoke. She
was in the lane where she had met the
Fairy; the lamb was just where she had
placed it, but it seemed very comfortable
with its old ewe mother, who had come
back and was taking care of it. The books
were close by her, and she was seated at
the foot of a tree facing the West. The
sun had set; the mountains and palace
had disappeared, not a cloud remained to
mark the spot; not a rose had she brought
with her from Fairyland to prove that
she had been there—all, all, were gone —
all had disappeared, and twilight had
spread her grey veil over the face of na
ture. The bat and the night-hawk were
abroad, and, just rising, the long silver
moon threw long lines of light across the
wheat field. What did it mean ? Had
Ellie been asleep ? The Fairies’ song rung
in her ears. Had she dreamed it all, or
had the Fairy really given her gifts; but
where were they ? She saw none.
Ellie thought she must still be dream
ing, and that Fairyland with its wonder
ful visions had not left her, for, as she
walked cpiietly home in the moonlight, she
was sure that the Fairies were still about
her. Her eyes had been touched with
BURKE’S W EEKLY.
the Fairy ointment, and even
through the chequered twilight
she fancied that she could recog
nize their flitting forms. The
glow-worms crept out, and Ellie
was sure that they were going
one by one to join in the torch
light procession which would soon
wend its way to meet the Queen
and her court in their midnight
revels. Oh, Fairyland! “Cloud
land ! Gorgeous land.”
All gathered around her as she reached
home—Mary with taunting words, to
know what had detained her, and wheth
er she had found any more stray lambs ;
and Ellie started at the sound of her own
voice, as she excused herself. Ah, the
Fairy’s gift! Sweeter than music, dropped
the honied words from lips red as the
Fairy’s reddest rose, and with breath as
fragrant as its freshest odor. Ah, the
Fairy’s gift! The old and the young, the
gay and the sorrowful, forgot alike the
frolic of youth and the weariness of age,
the joy and the sorrow, when the sound
of that magical voice fell upon their ears,
and all blessed that sweet-voiced girl who
drew as by magic all hearts to herself.—
Wherever she went the little children fol
lowed after, lured by a witching more po
tent than that of the “ Pied Piper,” and
the dumb creatures in her path recognized
the loving heart which was uttered forth
in the musical voice, and gave her back
ten-fold love for love. Even Mary was
won by its pleading tenderness and for
got to scold.
Again and again came the Fairy Queen.
Each kind deed was rewarded by a visit
to Fairyland, and from each visit Ellie
brought back anew gift. The ring of in
visibility, to all who were impure and
unlovely, Ellie had but little need to wear,
for the harsh and cruel became gentle and
lovely in her presence. The Girdle of
Beauty had long been hers. None saw
her go to Fairyland—none knew when
she returned ; but as the years passed,
the rose leaf-flush upon Ellie’s cheek, the
springy grace of her step, the soul-lit
lovelight of her sparkling eye, the loving,
unselfish heart which glorified Ellie’s
whole nature, made her wherever she
went a charm and a delight—a queen
among her fellows, and those who caught
the flashing glance of her dark eye, or
who sat entranced ’neath the witchery of
her voice and song, said, unwitting how
truly they spake—
“Ah, she must have come from Fairy
land, for there are no more such maidens
upon earth.”
Always speak the truth.
The Little Boy that Could Not Read.
I don’t know my letters, and what shall I do ?
For I’ve got a nice book but I can’t read it through ;
Oh dear, how I wish that my letters I knew.
I think I had better begin them to-day,
’Tis so like a dunce to be always at play:
Mamma, if you please, will you teach me great A,
And then B and C, as they stand in a row,
One after another as far as they go ?
For then I can read my new story, youk now.
So do, mamma, tell me at once, and you’ll see
What a good, very good little boy I shall be,
To try and remember my A B C D.
The Eyes.
Never read or sew with any light from
the window or a lamp falling directly
upon the eyes. Millions have lost their
good eyesight from non-observance of
this simple rule. It is founded on scienti
fic principles which we will not take room
to explain at length. The light direct
upon the eyes contracts their pupils, so
that not enough rays are admitted from
the printed pages or fabrics sewed, to
make them plain to the sight. Always
sit so that the light from the window or
lamp shall fall over the shoulder, usually
over the left one, as it will not then bo
obstructed by the right hand in sewing.
Another advantage, and a great one, is,
that when facing the light, one naturally
inclines forward to save the eyes. This
cramps the chest and lungs, and is inju
rious to the health; but with the light
from the side, or over the shoulder, one
inclines to sit in a much more upright
and healthful position. Every one who
follows this suggestion will find it condu
cive to comfort, health, and good vision.
JGSarTTalab ab Nagar being asked what
was the most excellent thing in man, re
plied, “ Sense.” “ But if he has none,
what is the best then ?” “ Honesty. —-
“If he has not that ?” “ The counsel of
his friend,” replied the doctor. “And in
want of that?” “Taciturnity.” “And
if he cannot have any of these things?”
“A sudden death as soon as possible.”
♦♦♦
11 e who greedily seeks honors and
riches, may be compared to a man suffer
ing from thirst which lie tries to quench
with the waters of the sea. The more
lie drinks, the more he wants to drink,
until at last lie dies of drinking it.
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