Forgotten Tales of Long Ago

ory of

. He then took Malleville in his arms, and carried her to the chair, and sat down. Next he asked Phonny

t?' said M

ed upon a small pillow which Beechnut had laid upon his shoulder. By the time that Malleville was thus placed, Phonny came back. He had in his hand a s

y for?' aske

or Phonny, and one for me. But we are not

one for Hepzibah,

em whenever she pleases. Only,' he continued, after a moment's pause, 'perhaps it

honny. 'I thi

honny, and get her an apple. You can

t you must not begin the

tiful apple, which he put upon the pan with the rest. There was just room for it. He then set the pan down before the

, as soon as he was seat

leville?' asked Beechnut. 'Shall it be th

e. 'I wish you would embellis

hnut, 'I will tel

ated Phonny.

said Malleville. 'Beechnut is

r for Malleville, and you must not say

d to get back to it again, and I used to sit up quite late in the evenings, writing and reading. The night that I am now speaking of, I sat up even later than usual. It had been a very warm day, and the evening air,

that I would go out and take a little walk. So I put my books and papers away, took my cap, and put it upon my head, and then stepped out of the window upon the roof of the shed, which

ting anybody or seeing anybody except Moma. She w

black cat belongi

t any better place to sleep in than that? I m

out at the back gate into the woods, and so up the glen. I rambled along different glens and valleys for half an hour, until at last I came to a most beautiful place among groves and thickets where there was a large spring boiling out from under some mossy rocks. This spring was in a deep shady place, and was ove

to me the most beautiful place I ever saw. I sat down upon a large round stone which projected out from a grassy bank just below this little dell,

ad a very ancient and venerable appearance. There was a hollow place in this tree very near the ground, which had in some degree the appearance of a door, arched above. The sides of this opening were fringed with beautiful green moss, which hung down within like a

which hung down within the opening in the trunk of the tree, and presently I saw a beautiful little face peepin

y. After looking about for a minute or two timidly, she came out. She was very beautiful indeed, with her dark hai

have on?' as

was, however, the dress of a child. She had in her hand a very long feather, like a peacock's feather, only, instead of being

e possible,' said Phonny, '

? However, it looked like silver, and it was extremely graceful

own the little path to the brink of the basin, and when she reached it she began

the surface of the water, and I saw, to my amazement, that wherever the feather passed it changed the surface of the w

Agnes?' aske

said Be

know?' asked

r how presently. When she had got the surface of the water fr

?' asked

e middle of it, springing up and down upon her feet to try the stre

she, "for t

iately hushed. Beautiful stalactites and icicles were formed in the place of the pouring and foaming water. I should have thought that the cascade had been wholly congealed were it not

sed it changed the surfa

I have watched it ver

ook?' asked

ure brook,'

honny's remark, but went on

the tall grass and flowers. Everything that she touched turned into the most beautiful frost-work. The branches of the trees were loaded with snow, the banks hung with icicles, and the t

and said: "There, that will do. I wo

nto the air, and then came down upon it again, as if she were trying its strength. At the

perfectly still, so as not to let her know that I was near. Prese

the utmost agility and grace, singing all the time a little song,

eep! chip

e moonlight-n

d girls are

their playti

e night is

p! chippe

tty song,' sa

ging. I was so delighted that I could not sit perfectly still, but made some movement that caused a little rustling. Agnes stopped a mo

eep! chip

e mountains, the s

so as to be out of sight, and I made a little rustling, which she heard. The instant she saw me, she ran off the ice, and up her little path

aid she, "how

d I, "and I came along this path

" sai

way," said I. "But how

well," said she. "Yo

know Mallev

well. I like Malleville very much

for that. Why do you like

e is a girl,

ss. I like girls myself better than I do b

es," said she, "peeping into her windo

Malleville about you, and she

t not come and see me; but

ld enough to write

tell you what to write, and

d in view at first in telling a story, namely, lulling Malleville to sleep. He therefore said to Malleville that, though he had a great deal more to tell her about Agnes, he thought it would be better not to t

, but that after he had sung it, she hoped he would tell her a little more ab

tion, placing her in such a manner th

e of the little dell and fountain, with the frost-work beaming

and a pretty tune. He could not sing the second verse, he said, because

eep! chi

e moonlight,

d girls hav

their playti

night is l

ep! chip

she was fast asleep. He then rose very gently, and carried her to her bed. He laid her in the bed, a