Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in June, 1867, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia. Vol. I. Written for Burke’s Weekly. THE FAIRY RIDE. CHAPTER I. tITTLE HALLIE lived at the foot of a high mountain. Near by was a wa terfall, and there, iny day, might be icautifiil rainbow. 8 there that Hallie ) go with his little sister Rosette, and play all day long. Sometimes they would seat themselves on some soft leaves that grew on the mountain side, and look at the rainbow and listen to the water falling, falling, until they fell asleep, and their sister Lillian would have to come and fetch them home. Lillian was older than Hallie and Rosette, and she took care of them, for their mother was busy all day long. She dressed them and heard them their prayers, and told them fairy tales, and they loved her dearly. One day these little children went off, as usual, to their favorite spot to play. When they were tired of playing they sat down to eat some bread that Lillian had given them for their lunch, and amused themselves watching some liitle white clouds that were floating slowly by. ‘‘Oh,” said Hallie, “how I should like to take a ride on one of those pretty clouds!” Just as he said so, the children heard a rustling among the leaves at their feet, and looking down they saw a little speck led snake looking at them wistfully. Ro sette was afraid of the snake, and wanted to run away, but Hallie said : “Oh, pretty little snake I do you want a piece of my bread? Well, you shall MACON, GrA., ATJGrXJST 17, 1867. have half of it,” and breaking his bread in half, ho gave one piece to the snake, who eat it eagerly. I suppose every one knows that fairies, after they have lived an hundred years, become snakes for eight days, and if du ring that time they arc not killed, at the expiration of it they resume their origi nal shape, and are as beautiful and pow erful as ever. Now this snake was a fairy, and she only lacked a few minutes of completing the eight days of her snake ship. By the time she had finished eat ing the bread those minutes had passed, and she resumed her own proper so rm. How surprised the children were to see a beautiful fairy stand ing before them! She said to Hallie, with her soft, musical voice : “ My little boy, because you were so kind to a poor snake I will grant whatever wish you are pleased to make; so tell me what you would like best in the world?” “ Why,” said Hallie, “ I should like, better than anything in the world, to take a ride on one of those white clouds up yonder.” “Nothing is more easy,” said the fairy; “ come with me to the top of the mountain, and m3" little son, Bino, shall harness the largest butterfly to be found, to a cloud, and drive 3 t ou wherever ) r ou wish to go.” “ But I will not go without Ro sette,” said Hallie. “Well, Rosette shall go too.” “ And I will not go without Lil lian too.” “Who is Lillian?” asked the fairy. “She is my good sister, who hears me my prayers and tells me fairy tales.” “ Well, run and fetch Lillian, but make haste back, so that vou can have a nice ride before the sun sets." The children made haste, and having brought Lilian, they hurried to the top of the mountain. It did not take them a minute to get there, because, you know, the fairy helped them. B hen they leach ed the top, the fairy’s son, Bino, soon caught the largest and most beautiful butterfly that ever was seen, harnessed it to a little cloud that was passing by, and the children, seating themselves comfort ably in it, commenced their ride. [CONCLUSION NEXT WEEK.] No. 7'