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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. 19