The Counterpane Fairy

aid she could do for you," said Hannah, putting her head in at the door.

ll her I'll be there i

Match! You're the old maid. Oh, Mamma! You're an old

u can shuffle the cards, and when I

y long," b

as I can," said mamma,

ld hurry. He did not like Ann McFinney, for when she came she always cried, and wiped her eyes on

"I have to go out for a while. Mrs. McFinney's baby's sick, and I've promised the poor thing to come over

e a paper circu

Then she gave him some picture-books to look at while she wa

music-box and set it playing. "There," she called back to him, "you'l

ot caring to open them, he knew them so well. "Oh dear

aff, or down I'll go, head over heels to the bottom." Teddy knew the voice well, and his heart gave a leap of pleasur

ddy. "I hadn't seen it before, because it was the other side of my knees. It's that white on

y, "till a body gets her br

id Teddy. "Will you

that's the one you want. Now fix

count. He heard her voice going on a

* *

ng hall of white marble veined with silver. There were arches a

it, and found that he was dressed in a tunic of rose-colored silk, such as he had never seen before, and it was fastened a

ll just like the first, only at one side there was a great crystal window, and sitting on a marble seat before it wa

for it looked like her, though she was quite l

ng for her to see him, but she paid no attention,

d she. "I'm

und of music like that of the music-box in the nursery at ho

nd the paths were white. The leaves of the tress were lined with silver, and the branches hung with shining fruit. There were lilies growing beside the paths, and in the centre of the garden

nd then the fairy tur

" cried Teddy, "may I g

the best thing for you to do is find Starlein and Silverling, for

they?" as

er," said the fairy, "but th

turned and ran down the hall as fast as he could, he was in such h

rs, until he felt all bewildered and out of breath. All the time he was running he seemed to hear th

hen turning another corner he suddenly saw before hi

iful and was dressed from head to foot in silver that shone and sparkled as she moved.

th her doves flying about her, she put her little hands on his cheeks and kissed him. Then she stood ba

the white squa

tle girl, "but I'm glad you came. I haven't a

g gone?" asked Teddy

rrelled once and he went away. He must be in some of the halls, b

he must find Silverling and Starlein and that then perhaps

, because I have never found the gate into it since Silverling went away," and she went over and sat d

you wait here and I'll go and find hi

and there, far, far down at the other end, he saw a little boy dressed in

meet him, leaping with delight and clapping his hands. "Oh, lit

ing?" cried Tedd

id the li

und the corner, and she is waiting for you to come and show

could up the hall and around the corner, through the silvery archway, and into the

e been hunting for her ever since we quarrelled, but I can't find her, a

quarrel about?

hung around his neck. "We found it in the garden and we quarrelled about who should we

"She can't be far away a

I'm very lonely. Look! Let's play with my silver ball," and taking it from his pocket he tossed it to Teddy. Teddy caught it

trying to catch it, but always just missing. Teddy shouted and clapped his hands, jumping up and d

eard from just around the corne

round into the next hall, and there sure en

he cried, "I was af

hand. "Come quick!" he cried

go Silverling had been playing with the silver b

ned to Starlein. "Starlein, you shouldn'

Starlein. "I st

said. "But never mind! I'll find him again, and this time I'll s

it out to Teddy. "Here, little boy," she said; "take this with you, and if you can't

ve and put it in the bosom of his tunic, and

on, but he did not run and jump now, for he was thinking. After a while, when he

er?" cried Silv

, Silverling, I think this. I think the only way for us ever to find her togeth

verling. "It would fly so fast that i

y, "but we could ti

fasten to it?"

could use. Suddenly Teddy clapped his hands so the dove in his tunic

fastened the ends. It was so long that it had been twisted several times around his neck.

bout them once or twice, and then it flew on d

, and at last they came into a hall and there --there

in!" cried

ling!" crie

white doves flew circling about them. Then they told each other how sorry they were that

golden chain, Starle

ust keep it,"

ll give it to this little boy, because if it hadn'

!" said

and-- "Hush!" he whispe

rer than ever before they heard the voice of

cried Starlein and Sil

he hall together, and the very first corner that they

ne and glistened in the sunlight, and the fountain --ah! the fountain

The clock ticked, the fire crackled; --he was back in bed once more, and he he

that story," said the

NTERPAN