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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June, 1869, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United Spates for the So. District of Georgia. Vol. HI—No. 25. ADA AND THE ANIMALS. A. FA X JEI -V TA.Hi 33 _ VERYBODY has ScJl heard that in the days when there were no naughty child ren, and brothers and sisters never quarrelled, and babies never cried, there were many good fairies whose sole delight it was to amuse and in -5 struct young people. These good fairies have for sometime left off doing this, but that is, I suppose, because now-a-days young people have so many grand amusements provided for them that the fairies think they would not care for their simple plans ; and, moreover, they have a hor ror of any child who is im patient and difficult to be amused. However, there is no knowing but what they do appear occasional ly now to very good child ren. I have never heard to the contrary. Well, in the days I was speaking of, a little girl named Ada lived in a cot tage near a very large wood, with her father, who was a game-keeper. Her mother had been dead some years, so when her fa ther was at work out in the woods she was quite alone. Now, I daresay some of my young friend§ will think she must have been very dull. But she was not. She used first to make the cottage tidy, and then to wander about on the out side of the wood. She never went in side the wood, as her father had told her she might lose herself, and she felt a little afraid too, it was so very quiet and still, and the pheasants frightened her so when they got up suddenly, with a tremendous whir-r-r, out of a bush. Her chief pleasure was picking flowers and watching the rabbits and hares pop MACON, GEORGIA, DECEMBER 18, 1869. ping in and out of the wood, and the magpies and jays chattering away to each other. From watching these creatures so much, she soon got to wishing that she knew what they said to each other, and talked about; and one day, as she was sitting on a log watching a lot of rab bits at play, washing their faces like cats, and frisking about, she saw a very gray old rabbit pop out of the wood, and apparently whisper something to one of the others. Then they all sat up on their hind legs for a moment, and then scattered into the wood like mad things. Now Ada had watched all this, and was so longing to know what the old gray rabbit had said, that she exclaim ed out loud: “ Oli, I wonder what he said !” Just as she spoke she thought she heard a slight laugh, and turning round saw a most beautiful fairy, dressed in green leaves of all sorts of shades. Ada at first felt a good deal frighten ened, but the fairy said : “You were wishing to know what that rabbit said, were you not, my child ?” “Yes, ma’am,” said Ada, trembling, not knowing how to call her. “ Well,” said the fairy, “ I have had my eye upon you for some time, and your good behavior has pleased me very much, so I don’t mind letting you into our secrets for one day.” So saying, the fairy waved her wand thrice over Ada’s head, and said: “You will find that you will now un derstand what every animal and bird says, and they will understand you, but only to-day—to-morrow you will be as you were before.” Ada was beginning to thank her, when she said : “ What do you sav, my child ? Shall I come with you, or would you like to talk by yourself to the creatures?” Ada felt that she would be too fright ened to say a word before the fairy, so she stammered out: “ If you please, ma’am, I'd rather go alone.” “ Very well,” said the fairy. “ Only remember, my child, your gilt will not last beyond to-day and so saying, she vanished. Ada now went into the wood by a little wicket gate, but paused upon see ing a fox just inside the wood, brushing his whiskers. She heard the fox say : “Well, I shan’t move, I’m not afraid Whole No. 129. of her ,” and she was so pleased to be able to understand what he said, that she jumped for joy, (at which the fox gave a little start,) and said : “ Oh, Mr. Fox, I know what you say now.” The fox seemed a little astonished, but made a polite bow and said : “I’m delighted, I’m sure. I hope your father is quite well, Miss?” Ada had always heard her father speak very disparagingly of the foxes, and knew that he set traps for them j so she did not quite understand the fox taking such an affectionate interest in her father. But you see she didn’t know what a cunning fellow he was. However, as she wished to be polite, she said : “ Thank you, he is quite well. I hope Mrs. Rey nolds and the family are quite well,” (she had often heard her father speak of him as Mr. Reynolds.) “If you please, can you tell me what that old rabbit whis pered to the others just now to make them run in to the wood so fast?” “Well,” said the fox, “ the fact is, our family and the rabbits have had a quar rel (it began, I believe, in my grandfather’s time, ) and they rather avoid me, —in fact, so much so that they won’t let me come near them to make it up with them, as I often try to do.” Now Ada knew this was a story, as her father had often told her how the fox used to kill and eat the young rab bits, so she said : “Oh, you horrid story-telling crea ture 1” “It’s a fact,” said the fox, “upon honor,” putting his hand on his heart. Just at this moment she heard a rust ling among the dead leaves, and a weasel popped out. The weasel looked at her very shaply —in fact she almost felt afraid of it —