[Illustration]

[Illustration: GOING TO THE MIDSUMMER BALL. ]

 THE

 FAIRY NIGHTCAPS. 

 BY THE AUTHOR OF THE FIVE NIGHTCAP BOOKS, "AUNT FANNY'S STORIES, " ETC. , ETC. 

 NEW YORK: D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 443 & 445 BROADWAY. LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN. 1861. 

 ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by FANNY BARROW, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. 

 TO MASSA CHARLES, WHOSE MOST LOVABLE QUALITIES WERE BUT FAINTLY PORTRAYED IN THE FIRST NIGHTCAP BOOK, THIS THE SIXTH AND LAST OF THE SERIES, IS AFFECTIONATELY Dedicated. 

PREFACE TO THE CHILDREN. 

DEAR CHILDREN, Here is the last Nightcap book, making six in all. The story of "TheThree Little Fishes" was taken (but very much altered) from a cleverbook for grown folks, written, I believe, nearly two hundred yearsago; but all the rest is true, "real true. "

I have written them out with my heart full of love and good wishesfor you, and _you_, and YOU; and my only desire in return is, that down in a cosy corner of your dear little hearts, you will keep warm, one kind thought of your loving

 AUNT FANNY. 

CONTENTS. 

 PAGE

 THE FAIRIES' LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT THEY DID IN THE BEAUTIFUL HOLLOW, 9

 THE CHILDREN'S LIFE; WITH THEIR JOURNEY TO WEST POINT, 37

 THE FAIRIES' LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MIDSUMMER BALL, 77

 THE CHILDREN'S LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF IDLEWILD, THE STAG DANCE, THE BATTLE OF THE FAIRIES, &c. , 145

 THE DEATH OF CHARLEY, 209

FAIRY NIGHTCAPS. 

THE FAIRIES' LIFE. 

In the deep shadow of the Highlands, at the foot of the old Crow NestMountain, is a wild and beautiful hollow, closed around on every sideby tall trees, interlaced together by the clasping tendrils of thehoneysuckle, and the giant arms of luxuriant wild grape-vines. 

The mossy edge of this magic circle is thickly embroidered withviolets, harebells, perfumed clover-blossoms, and delicate, featheryferns. A little brook, overhung with grasses and whispering leaves, dances and dimples in the bright sunlight and soft moonbeams, and thentrips away, to offer the wild-rose leaves that have fallen upon hisbosom to his beloved tributary lord, the great Hudson River. 

Not a bat dare spread his unclean leathern wings across this charmedplace, and the very owls that wink and blink in the hollow trees nearby keep their unmusical "hoot toot" to themselves. 

In the short young velvety grass, a starry daisy, or a sly littlecowslip, peeps up here and there, but nothing else disturbs thelawn-like smoothness, save a tiny mound of green moss near the centreof the hollow, shaped marvellously like a throne. 

It was the night of the eighteenth of June; and evidently there wassomething of importance about to happen in the beautiful hollow, forpresently a train of glow-worms came marching gravely in, and arrangedthemselves in a circle around the mossy throne; while thousands offire-flies flashed and twinkled through the trees. The soft, coquetting wind wandered caressingly among the flowers, and themoonbeams rested with a sweeter, tenderer light, upon the little brookwhich murmured and rippled, and gave back many a glancing, lovingbeam. 

Suddenly a silvery tinkling bell was heard, like music at a distance. Twelve times it sounded; and immediately after an invisible chorus ofsweet tiny voices were heard singing:

 "Hasten, Elfin! hasten, Fay! From old Crow Nest wing your way; Through the bush and dewy brake, Fairies, hasten, for the sake Of a mortal, whose pure breath Soon will fade, and sink in death: We for him sweet dreams will find, We will fill with balm the wind; Watch his young life glide away, Deck with beauty its decay-- Till the closing earthly strife, Opens into heavenly life. "

Instantly the air seemed filled with streams of light like fallingstars; the booming sound of humble-bees was heard, as fairy knightsand ladies came hastening to the call through the moon-lit air; theknights pricking their chargers with their wasp-sting spurs, and theladies urging theirs quite as fast with their sweet, coaxing voices. 

The grave, elderly fairies, came more soberly. They crept out fromunder the velvet mullen leaves, and gravely mounted their palfreys, which were small field mice, and held them well in, with corn-silkbridles; for elderly fairies are inclined to be gouty, and don't liketo do any thing in a hurry; like other people, they are apt to go toofast when they are young--and to balance the matter, are very slowcoaches when they are old. 

Several ancient ladies, who had been napping in a secluded nook at theroot of an old tree, waited for their nutshells and four to be broughtup; and as the coach-horses were represented by hairy, whitecaterpillars--who were so short-legged, that they took the longestpossible time to get over the ground--and as the ancient fairies hadmuch ado to fold their wings, and arrange their crinoline in theircarriages, you may be sure they were very fashionably late. 

And now a strain of delicious music filled the air, the glow-wormslighted up brilliantly, and the dew grew heavy with fragrance, as theFairy Queen, with a bright train of attendants, floated past in darkgreen phaetons, made of the leaves of the camelia, and drawn bymagnificently painted butterflies, harnessed and caparisoned withgold. 

The dignity and queenly presence of her Majesty would have renderedher conspicuous above the rest, even if her tiny golden crown andsceptre, tipped with a diamond that blazed like a meteor, had notindicated that she was a monarch; and the acclamations that rose onall sides attested the attachment her subjects felt for her person. 

She was indeed most lovely; and kind and generous beyond words todescribe; and she had called her court together this very night to dothat which makes both fairies and mortals lovelier and better, withevery new effort. Do you know what it is? It is, _trying to add to thehappiness of another_. 

And now the Queen and her maids of honor gracefully alighted with theeagerly proffered assistance of the fashionable young fairy dandies;and the court gathered respectfully around, as the beautiful Queenseated herself on her throne, and gently waved her sceptre to commandattention. 

"My lords, ladies, and gentlemen, " said her Majesty, in a voice ofperfect music, "I have called you together three nights before ouropening midsummer festival, because I know by my fairy power, that amortal--a gentle, lovely boy--will arrive here to-morrow, acrosswhose young life the harsh wings of pain and affliction have passed. For a month or more he has so drooped and faded, that I fear, beforelong, his pure life will be ended. His mother watches over him withthe undying, untiring love, which only a mother knows. We can helpher, my beloved subjects, and we will; we can steal the venom from hispainful sleep, by giving him fairy dreams; and on our gala nights wewill gently lift him from his couch, and bring him here. His sweetpresence will cast no shadow on our festivities, so pure and lovelyhave been all the thoughts, words, and actions of his short life. "

A murmur of pleasure rose from the assembled court, and the good andbeautiful Queen saw with delight, that her proposal had given pleasureto all her subjects, with one exception; and he was her very honest, but still more disagreeable prime minister, who, being a sour, meddlesome old bachelor, hated children. His temper was notparticularly sweet just then, because he was making wry faces over anattack of the gout in his great toe, from indulging too freely inMay-dew wine, and eating too often of roasted tiger-lily, which is avery highly seasoned dish, and difficult to digest, unless you takeimmediately after eating, half a dozen lady-slipper pills, which mylord the prime minister never would take, on account of the name--forof course, if he hated children he hated the ladies also--and as Iwas saying, he felt very cross, and inclined to find fault with anything anybody else proposed; so making as low a bow as his stiff backwould permit, he began, with an abominable nasal twang: "May it pleaseyour Majesty, who is this child you deign to favor so highly?"

"He is called Lame Charley!" graciously answered the Queen. "He is thedarling of all who know him. "

"Are there any other children in the family, my liege?" snarled theprime minister. 

"About three dozen, more or less, " answered the Queen, frowningslightly, for she was not quite certain as to the number, and did notlike to be questioned. "Humph!" grumbled the prime minister. Thenmuttering to himself, "Three dozen children! all eating dreadfulpumpkin-pie--with cheeks like saddle-bags, and voices loud enough tomake a mummy jump out of his skin in an ecstasy of astonishment at thenoise! was there ever such a foolish freak?" whereupon, taking out hisbeetle-back snuff-box, and giving it the traditional taps, he helpedhimself to such a prodigious pinch, by way of consolation, that he wasobliged to retire precipitately behind the honeysuckles, and nearlycracked his left wing by a tremendous fit of sneezing. For let me tellyou that the pollen, or dust of the snap-dragon, properly dried, makes very powerful fairy snuff, and I advise you not to try it. 

The maids of honor had great difficulty to keep from bursting outlaughing at the flight of the cross old prime minister; and the Queenpretended to arrange her bodice, made of the gossamer wing of thekatydid, to hide a smile; but now, reclining on her throne, andgracefully fanning herself with her right wing, she indulged in apleasant chat with her favorites, about Charley. 

"Dear Cowslip!" she began, "I am so interested in this lovely boy. Will you assist me to watch over him, and keep away all harm from hisloving brothers and sisters? Particularly we will protect them fromthe Kelpies, those hateful water-sprites, who would drag them down totheir dark caves beneath the wave, if once the children ventured upontheir realm. We will bid their little mother to warn them from gettinginto row-boats, or wading out into the river; the Kelpies shallcontent themselves with water-rats and tadpoles for this time, for toomany lovely children have already been sacrificed to their cruelspite. "

"Ah, beloved Queen!" answered Cowslip, "I, for one, will help you withheart and will; those damp, wretched little goblins shall not hurt ahair of their heads. "

"And I, with might and main, will do your behest!" said the handsomeyoung Ripple, twisting his mustache. 

"And I, gracious Queen!" cried the pretty Lota, "for I dearly lovechildren. "

"And I, your Majesty, " said Beeswing with Ripple and Firefly, "willorder our regiment--the seventh--to encamp under the sedges on theshore, half to keep watch, while the other half sleep in the swayingbranches of the water-willows. "

"Give us something to do for the dear children, dearest Queen!" criedDewdrop and Lilliebelle, two of the most famous beauties of the court, and, what is far better, as good as they were beautiful; "let us alsohelp to make them happy. "

"Well said, fair ladies and brave knights!" exclaimed the Queen; "withsuch true and loyal assistance, my labor of love will be mostdelightful. Come now--to the dance--while they are preparing supper. "

She clapped her tiny hands thrice, and immediately the fairy bandcommenced playing the most enchanting dances; and the beautiful hollowwas speedily filled with couples, whisking away in such rapidevolutions, that you would have thought they would soon tumble headover heels, from sheer dizziness; but as the dances were, after all, not very different from ours, I suppose the fairies were quite as wellused to the rushing style; and, in good truth, as they were _fairies_, it seemed more in keeping, for these rapid, gracefully undulatingmovements, were the very poetry of motion. 

Of course the elderly gentlemen fairies lounged among thehoneysuckles, and talked politics, and quarrelled dreadfully about whoshould be the next President; for they took an immense interest in theaffairs of us mortals; and the elderly lady fairies just as much, ofcourse, pulled the characters of their best friends to pieces, withoutso much as a single regret; while the lovely young Queen, withhalf-a-dozen of her favorites, after dancing once, to set the fashion, ordered her pages to shake down a perfect shower of wild-rose leaves, on the edge of the hollow, of which they made soft and freshlyperfumed couches; and there they listened to the exquisite music, andwatched the dancers, and gaily devised plans for the comfort of ourdear little friend, Lame Charley. 

While they were thus conversing, a queer little elfin sped down one ofthe moonbeams, like a flash of summer lightning, and in an instant wason his knee before the Queen. 

It was the fairy, Slyboots, the Queen's favorite messenger, and themost mischievous sprite in her dominions. 

"Welcome, good Slyboots, " cried the Queen; "by your bright eyes andunsoiled wings, methinks you must have fulfilled our commandsfaithfully. How fared you? and how did you find our dear 'Nightcap'family?"

"Most gracious Majesty! I hurried to the great city, without foldingwing; merely stopping a moment to torment a miserly old landlord, who, the day before, had turned a poor widow, with two little children, outof his tenement house, because she was not quite ready with the rent. I put a great fly on his nose, and a great flea in his ear, andordered them to stay there, and buzz, and bite him, till he wentnearly into fits. "

A chorus of sweet fairy laughter greeted this mad-cap caper, andSlyboots embraced the opportunity to whisper something to a smallbrown spider, who had been listening with all his ears, and staring atSlyboots with all his eyes, of which he had more than his share, andwho immediately scampered off with all his legs. 

"Then, your Majesty, " continued the elfin, "I hastened on, and flewthrough the window into the room where Charley slept. All was sweet, still, and hushed; and oh! how pure and lovely the pale boy looked, ashe lay there, his hands folded across his breast. As I gazed, aradiant smile parted his lips, and a faint color came into his whitecheek. He was dreaming--his soul was full of holy thoughts--and thesmile had come, as he saw in his dream the Beautiful Home above, forwhich he was preparing. 

"The little mother, looking wearied with watching, lay upon a couchnear him. As I hovered over her, a large tear crept from under herclosed eyelid, and a quick convulsive sob broke from her breast. Shetoo was dreaming, dreaming of the sorrowful time when her darlingwould be taken from her. 

"I swept my wings lightly across her brow, and bade her waken. Sheopened her eyes, looked upon Charley, and rising, with a sigh ofrelief, she murmured: 'I have thee yet, oh my child! my darling!' andhastening to him, she softly drew back the golden curls from hisforehead, sprinkled a few drops of grateful, refreshing perfume uponhis pillow, and then, tenderly touching his cheek with her lovinglips, went comforted back to her couch. 

"The rest of the children were in the other rooms, fast asleep intwo-story cribs, and various dear little beds; and I left some ofthem laughing merrily in their sleep, by telling them one or tworidiculous anecdotes about your Majesty's stuffy old prime min----"

"Silence, Slyboots!" cried the Queen, trying not to laugh. "You shallnot make fun of our minister to our face. Go and order the supper. "

Slyboots grinned sideways at the maids of honor, but bowed, with agreat show of penitence, to his Queen. Retiring from the presence, heplaced a tiny bugle, fashioned out of a small honeysuckle, to hislips, and blew a shrill, peculiar blast. 

It was perfectly well understood, for in an instant, a hundred smallpink and white mushrooms sprang out of the earth, making the mostdelightful little tables imaginable, quite equal to the finestsatin-wood, upon which the fairy servants and pages hastened to placedishes of rose-leaves filled with honey-dust, and golden buttercups ofsparkling May-dew, which, having been bottled up for six weeks, foamedand effervesced, and gave out a most exquisite aroma. 

This was for the young fairies, who cared only for sweets. The elderlyfays were to be feasted upon broiled fly's legs, brought up hot, andeach one was rolled up in a leaf of pepper-grass, which gave them avery piquant seasoning. These were garnished with small pearls, steeped and softened in crab-apple vinegar, sharp enough and sourenough to draw squeals from a Japanese ambassador, who never smilesor squeals at any thing. 

When all was ready, the fairies sat down at the tables, in pleasantlittle parties of four and six, while the band played the most admiredfairy opera airs. But before the banquet was through, I am sadlyafraid some of the gay young fellows forgot they were in the presenceof ladies, they laughed so loud, and talked so much nonsense, and oneof them came very near upsetting the table at which he sat, spillinghis buttercup of dew all over the new gossamer dress of Lilliebelle, who was next to him. 

But this was nothing to the uproar which arose when the old primeminister, who had been eating flies' legs, and little pearl pickles, till he could scarcely breathe, attempted to leave his seat. Thelittle brown spider, sent by that mischievous Slyboots, had been hardat work fastening his wings together in a net, and then tying them ina most complicated cobweb knot to the honeysuckle vine just behindhim. The old prime minister fairly howled with rage; he turned andtwisted from side to side; he kicked and made awful faces at Slyboots, who was giggling and laughing, and shaking his wings with glee at asafe distance. An impudent mosquito came past, and sneered out in hisabominable nasal drone, "You don't seem to like a net any better thanI do;" while myriads of midges up in the air danced around him, singing, Why-don't-you-get-out? Why-don't-you-get-out? Why-don't-you-get-out? to which myriads of others answered, He-would-if-he-could-but-he-couldn't! He-would-if-he-could-but-he-couldn't! He-would-if-he-could-but-he-couldn't!

At last the Queen, who had been giving some private orders, inquiredwhat all the noise and laughter meant; and, in great anger withSlyboots for thus turning her old prime minister into ridicule, ordered the saucy goblin to draw his sword and release the oldminister. The young fairy knights hastened to help, for they all likedSlyboots, and a tremendous slashing and cutting at the cobweb netensued, which speedily released the poor old prime minister, who wentoff breathing fury and vengeance. 

But hark! What is that? A faint, far-off tramp is heard; the gallopinghoofs of the steeds of the morning were sounding in the eastern sky, and the stir of their coming rustled the leaves that crowned the topsof the grand old trees. The first cock-crow was heard in the distance, and the fairy sentinels sounded the coming of the dawn loud and clearon their great morning-glory trumpets, from the top of old Crow Nest. The sky became dappled, and a rosy streak marched up to the zenithlike the banner of a herald. 

Up sprang the knights and ladies and mounted their chargers; the Queenand her maids entered their phaetons; the elderly fairies made whathaste their dignity permitted to their nutshells and four, andfield-mice palfreys, and away they all sped; some through the air, some through the velvety grass; banners flying, and music playing, until naught was left but a shining trail that melted into the firstbright golden beam of the morning. 

THE CHILDREN'S LIFE. 

It was early in the sweet summer time. The young green leaves werebending over, and tenderly caressing the budding fruit and flowers, and the air was balmy with orchard blooms. 

Your old friends, the Nightcap children, were as merry and happy andwell as ever, except Charley--poor lame Charley. He was much worse;his sufferings had greatly increased with the dreadful hip disease, and a terrible cough racked his delicate and wasted frame. Death hadbeen coming slowly on for a long time; but now he hastened hisfootsteps, and Charley knew that he should never see another summer inthis world. He was not _afraid_ to die--oh, no! the guileless, holylife of the gentle boy had robbed death of its sting. He well knewthat _this_ life was but a small part of our career, and theseparation from those he loved so well, would be short. His faith inhis Saviour was perfect and entire. _He_ would soften the pang ofparting to those left behind, and _He_ would guide them with unchangedlove to their darling in heaven. 

The good little mother was advised by the doctor to take Charley intothe country, somewhere up the beautiful Hudson River, among thosegrand old hills where the air is so bracing and pure. 

It happened, fortunately, that one of her oldest friends, who was anofficer at West Point, was obliged to leave there upon some governmentexpedition for about three months; and he offered his pretty cottageto his friend for that time. This was most delightful, as Charleycould have far more comfort living in this way than in aboarding-house; and the rest of the children would not have to be tiedup by the leg to the bedposts, because their noise disturbed otherpeople. 

So the little mother gladly and gratefully accepted the offer, and wasnow very busy making up dozens of petticoats and pantaloons, andcoarse brown aprons, and great sun-bonnets, buying copper-toed shoes, so that the children might go where they pleased, and do any thingthey liked, except tumble into the river, or fall down a well to livewith the bull-frogs. 

A few days before they left, the grand Japanese procession took placein New York; and Minnie said, "Oh, mamma, please take us to see the_Jackanapes_, " which made the rest laugh. So down Broadway they allwent, looking like a boarding-school that took boys as well as girls, with the little mother marching like a captain at their head, andturned into a fine store, opposite the City Hall Park, that belongedto their uncle, where they had such an excellent view, that theirfaces were a perfect picture of wonder and delight while theprocession was passing. 

"Dear me!" exclaimed George, "I am nearly crazy with joy; I wish theJapanese would come every day. How funny! they all look like old womenin black nightgowns!"

"And their heads have little top-knots, like Poland hens, " said Henry;"and see that fellow sticking his foot on the edge of thecarriage--look! his great toe is put in a thumb!"

At this they all laughed, and Harry, laughing too, cried out: "I don'tmean that; I mean that they knit thumbs in their stockings, and sticktheir great toes in;--dear! how it must tickle!"

It was a grand sight. Many of the stores were decorated with numerouslittle Japanese flags, which consist of a large red ball in the centreof a plain white surface, and many Japanese lanterns were hung around. The soldiers looked and marched splendidly; and the fine music wasenchanting. Guns were firing in the Park, and smoking and flaming likesteamboat funnels: little boys were popping off squibs and crackers, and everybody seemed perfectly happy. 

"Dear me!" cried Arthur, "I wish I could hear the speeches they intendto make. I suppose they will be stuck full of compliments, not a wordof which the Mayor will understand; but, of course, he will bow agreat many times to show that he agrees with it all: and then he, inreturn, will make a speech to the ambassadors, all flaming over withfine words and flummery, and the Japanese will bow all in a row likefour-and-twenty fiddlers--and oh! how nice it will all be!"

When the children got home, they told Charley about the grandprocession, all speaking at once; and one of them put on an old blackgown of his mother's, and half shut his eyes, and would have shavedhis head, if his mother had let him, to show Charley just how theylooked; because he, poor little fellow, had to stay behind--he couldnot have endured the fatigue of that long day away from home. But hiskind little mother never forgot him; she was determined he should seesomething; so about eight o'clock that evening, two horses, with anice comfortable barouche, were driven up to the door, and Charley wastenderly lifted in, and two large pillows were placed behind and athis side, and his mother and two of the oldest children were drivenslowly down Broadway to see the illumination. 

[Illustration: THE JAPANESE RECEPTION. ]

The street was crowded. Beautiful colored lanterns were hung here andthere, and little Japanese flags fluttered in every direction. As theycame near the great Metropolitan Hotel, where the Japanese werestaying, the crowd increased, and a burst of delightful surprise brokefrom Charley and the rest, as the beautiful blazing windows came inview. In each of the several hundred windows were fine Japaneselanterns of different colors and two little flags. Such a glitteringand a fluttering as they made! and over the door was the word"Welcome, " in blazing gas-burners, with the splendid flag of theUnited States on one side, and a great Japanese banner on the other. Everybody was shouting and hurrahing, and every up-turned face lookedhappy, but none so merry and joyous as the children in the carriage;their eyes fairly danced with delight, and their faces looked as ifthey had been illuminated too. All they wanted was to have two littleJapanese flags fastened to their ears, and to be placed in thewindows, to have beaten the lanterns and gas-burners all to pieces. 

After they had looked just as long as they liked, and shouted andwaved their hats, when they saw any of the Japanese at the windowsshaking out their queer-looking black pocket-handkerchiefs with roundwhite spots, the carriage turned round, and the children had a finedrive home, perfectly delighted with the unusual grandeur of a ride ina carriage at night; _that_ was almost the best of all, to be outafter bed-time. They thought they could never admire the bright starsenough, which, with their sleepless eyes, watched the world below--fitemblems of the difference between the things made by man, and theenduring works of God. Before long those glittering lights below wouldfade and die; while these heavenly luminaries would shine on forever. 

The next evening the little mother thought she would call upon CaptainPorter, who had the Japanese in charge. He was a brave, noble-heartedofficer, and an old friend, and accordingly she went with some otherfriends. Captain Porter received them very kindly, and amused themvery much with funny accounts of how the Japanese were stared at, andsometimes annoyed by people who ought to know better. While she satthere, there came a knock at the door, and a morocco case was handedin: it was opened; and what do you think appeared? You will hardlybelieve it: some sets _of false teeth_; one set of them _jet black_, as a present! The little mother laughed, and wondered if the dentistwho sent them, thought the Japanese would want to have their ownteeth pulled right out, and these put right in. Then two gentlemencame in, and wanted Captain Porter to persuade the Japanese to buy alot of guns from them, very cheap, indeed. Then, who do you think camein? Why, "Little Tommy, " the young Japanese that everybody was talkingabout. 

He looked so very smiling, that the two comical little triangularslits in his head which served for eyes nearly disappeared, whenCaptain Porter took him by the hand and introduced him to the littlemother. 

"How do?" said he, and shook hands with her; then he took up CaptainPorter's sword and belt and buckled it round his waist, and said, "Vergood sword, indeed;" then he tried on the Captain's naval uniformcap, with the gold band round it, and ran and looked in the glass. Itwould not go on very well, on account of Tommy's pig-tail, which wasfastened in a knot on the very top of his half-shaven pate, and whichstuck up rather inconveniently: then the Captain said, "Tommy, thislady wants to see the portrait of your little Washington sweetheart;come, show it to her. "

"No show, " said Tommy; which answer made the little mother esteem himvery much, because it was plain that he had too much self-respect, and_too much respect_ for the young lady, if she _was_ a little girl onlytwelve years old, to show her likeness to every stranger. He was notgoing to be made fun of. Not he!

Presently the little mother got up to go; and, shaking hands withTommy, said, "Good-bye Tommy; I mean to send you a 'Nightcap' book. Itis written by 'Aunt Fanny. ' Say, Aunt Fanny. "

"Arnta Farnny. Yes! I like it, " answered Tommy, holding the littlemother's hand; "but you, " he continued, "I like you; are you Spaniss?"

"No, " said she. 

"You Frence?"

"No, " said she, smiling. 

"You Angliss?"

"No, " said she. 

"Why, Tommy, she is an American, " said Captain Porter. 

"Ah, " cried Tommy; "she so leetle--she ver good--good-bye:" then hewrote his name on a card for her, and she went home very much pleased. But just before she went, Captain Porter told her that the greatphrenologist, Mr. Fowler, who knows all about you by merely looking atthe outside of your head, had been to see Tommy, and had told him thathe had the most tremendous bumps for reading, writing, and arithmetic, that ever were seen; a great bump of trying on American clothes;making love to little girls; eating sugar-candy, and having a goodtime generally; and scarcely any bump at all for getting up early inthe morning, working hard, or taking medicine; in fact, that hiscranium was as full as the Metropolitan Hotel, of all sorts of goodthings; which flattering description delighted Tommy so much, that hewrote Mr. Fowler of his own accord, and without any assistance fromCaptain Porter or any other dictionary, the following note of thanks:

 METROPOLITAN HOTEL, NEW YORK, June 22, 1860. 

"DEAR SIR:--I am much oblige to you the history and head some paperand the letter with it whole my head examination. I shall take it toJapan, and esteemed much doctor Kawasake is also much please have beenreceive it. 

 "I am very true your friend, "TATEISH ONAJEIRO (TOMMY). "

And now every thing was made in the way of "anti-tear-clothes, " asthe children called them, and the express wagon was sent for on theafternoon of the 19th of June to carry the baggage down to thesteamboat. 

The express man stared with amazement at the quantity of childrenwhisking and frisking, and rushing and brushing about in the hall;and, still more, at the trunks, boxes, and bundles, that were broughtclattering and tumbling down the stairs for him to take away. 

Just before he was leaving with the last bundle, little Johnny rushedbreathless down the stairs with what looked like a horse's tail, onlyshorter and smaller, in one hand, and an old tin-box that had oncecontained preserved tomatoes in the other, and screamed out, "Here!--say! man, man! take this! here, take it! It's mamma's hair!she's forgotten to sew it on her head! here, pack it up in thistin-box, and tie it with a rope, and put it on board thesteamboat--will you?"

Dear me! how the poor express man did bite his lips and swell hischeeks, and turn very red, and try not to laugh: but it _would_ comeout, and he laughed himself nearly into fits, while the little motherfelt for a moment as if she could have shaken _Johnny_ into fits, butonly for a moment; for, after all, what was the use of being angry: he_meant_ to be so useful and thoughtful, and if her hair was so thin, she had to buy some to put with it--why, it was nothing to be ashamedof; so she laughed, too, at last, and all the children joined in withsuch good-will, that the canary bird over the way hearing such apleasant noise, set up his pipes and twittered in company, and sang soshrill and loud, that all his feathers stood out on end; and, on thewhole, it was thought a very good joke. 

And now a great hotel carriage, which is about three times as large asany other, drove up, and the children were packed in it, till it wasas full as an egg; and they gave three cheers, as it started, to theastonishment of all the neighbors, and sang "John Brown had a littleIndian" all the way down to the boat. 

There had been so many berths engaged for one name, that the Captainthought there must be a colony going out west to set up a town forthemselves. But when he saw the family marching down the gang-planktwo-and-two, like the animals that went into the ark, from the biggestto the smallest, he lifted up his hands and exclaimed, "Dew tell! whatan orful lot of children! I shud think that old lady'd want thepatience of Job, any how!"

Ah! the Yankee-talking Captain didn't know what you and I know--thatthese children all "_loved one another_" and _that_ made every thingeasy to the little mother. 

There was no wrangling in that family. They left all that to "dogs andcats, " and "bears and lions, " as I am sure all good children do. Therewas plenty of noise, to be sure; but this the great power of lovechanged into sweet melody, so that, instead of irritating you, as arude blustering wind would do, it charmed and delighted, because itwas first passed over the Æolian harp-strings of _love_. 

And now, before I forget it, let's have a little laugh you and I, overthat ridiculous picture of our "Nightcap children" in "BabyNightcaps. " I intended to have had a picture of the little mothersurrounded by lots of pretty children playing about her; but, insteadof that, I was presented with a family that made my sides ache withlaughter. Such noses and such hats! I want to tip that tall-spook-of-a-boy's hat off his head every time I look at it; And _such_ a baby!Apple-dumpling face and squint eyes! Never mind! The funny printerwanted to make us laugh, and I am sure he did--_one_ of us, any way;but don't _you_ believe, for a moment, that _our_ Nightcap childrenlooked the least like his. Not a bit of it!

When the family were all comfortably settled, the splendid palace-likesteamboat--the Alida--started from the pier, and was soon gliding soswiftly over the water, that the magnificent Palisades rose in theblue evening air, while the golden glory of sunset was still lingeringupon them. Charley sat by his mother, with his curly head pressedclose against her breast; his pure and simple thoughts mirrored in hissweet face. He was silently thanking God for the beautiful changingpicture before his eyes. All the children were enjoying the trip; fortheir mother had taught them to feel and appreciate the beauty, goodness, and grandeur of all God's works; and, save an exclamation ofdelight now and then, they sat quite still. 

But the silence did not last long. Of course not. If children arequite still for more than five minutes at a time, you may be sure theyare either sick or in mischief; so presently George exclaimed, --

"Just see that sea-gull dipping his wings in the river!"

"That's the way he does his washing, " said Annie. 

"Oh! look at that row-boat, " cried Harry; "four gentlemen and threeladies rowing with parasols. "

How the children laughed, and pretended to see the parasols rowing, till Harry explained that he meant that the ladies had the parasols, and the gentlemen were rowing. His mother said she would have to givehim a dish of boiled grammar for his breakfast, if he did not mind hisantecedents better. 

"Grammar!" cried George; "dreadful! Aren't you all glad school-daysare over for the summer?"

At this blissful recollection all the children clapped their hands atsuch a rate, that a fat old lady jumped up in a hurry and gave a queerlittle squeak, because she thought the boiler was bursting; andalthough they were now in the very middle of the broad Tappaan Sea, she waddled off to order the captain to set her immediately on shore;and a select company of blue jays, who had just started from thePalisades to take tea with some brown sparrows on the other side, turned somersets and flew back again, almost tripping each other up intheir hurry. 

"Yes, indeed, " answered Annie, "glad enough. Just think; no more hardsums either. I do believe arithmetic is meant on purpose to tormentus, and that's the reason Willie made that mistake with such a graveface, when the lady asked him how far he had gotten in his sums. "

"So it is, " cried Clara; "Willie said he had got to _dis_traction; I, for one, wish that all the people that make the arithmetic books hadto eat them with pepper-sauce the moment they were printed--and thatwould be the end of them. "

"But compositions! Just think of compositions!" cried Harry; "they arethe most hateful things. Just because I wrote in my last one, that 'amule is a beast of burden which draws a rail-car shaped like a zebra, and is sometimes used for carts with two long ears and a miserabletail, ' they all burst out laughing at me, and I very nearly cried--I_did_ cry. "

"Well, never mind, Harry, " cried George; "it is all over now, and weare going to that delightful West Point: I wonder if those soldiers wesaw parading with the Japanese last Saturday came from West Point?they were such splendid fellows. "

"Yes, indeed, " cried Harry; "I dare say they did; they looked as ifthey were afraid of nothing, but would be really glad to have an armor a leg shot off in every battle, and are so brave, that they wouldkeep on fighting the enemies of America, if they had only an ear andone great-toe left. "

Charley lifted his head and laughed at this, for he could hear all thechildren were saying; and he whispered to his mother, "Isn't Harry afunny fellow? The idea of one ear, and a great-toe firing a gun!" andhe laughed again a sweet, low laugh; and Clara, who was sittingnearest, took his small thin white hand and kissed it, and patted it, and murmured, "Oh, Charley, I'm so glad you are happy; I'm so gladthat cruel pain has gone away. "

All this time they had been passing many beautiful villages andelegant country mansions, half buried in luxuriant foliage. They werenow leaving the Tappaan Sea; and soon after the little mother showedthe children Sunnyside, the lovely home of the great WashingtonIrving. 

"He does not live there any more, " said she; "his home is now 'Eternalin the Heavens;' but his fame, and goodness, and renown will live inevery land for many, many years; and I hope the beautiful Sunnysidewill never fall into neglect or decay as long as his memory lasts. "

The children looked with mournful interest at the beautiful place;but when their mother pointed out the spot where Major Andre wascaptured, there was quite a difference of opinion; the boys were gladthat he, the spy, was taken and hung by the great Washington, whilethe more tender-hearted girls wished he could have escaped: andMinnie said, "General _Wassingter_ ought to have forgiven him, becausehe would not like to be hung himself--would he?" which, _I_ think, was_the golden-rule way_ of putting the case. 

And now the banks seemed to close in, and great dark mountains rose oneither side. 

"There's Anthony's nose, " said the little mother. 

"Where? where?" cried the children, and looked with eager interest, as the profile of a great Roman nose was pointed out on the edge of amountain. They were also delighted with Sugar-loaf Mountain, andwished it had really been made of sugar, for they thought they wouldlike to eat a hole through it. As they were eagerly gazing at thesplendid view which had now darkened and deepened with twilightshadows, a saucy puff of wind came round a jutting point, and in aninstant blew off Minnie's round hat. 

"Oh! my hat! my hat!" she screamed; "get it! get it! quick! before itgoes across the Atlantic Ocean, and runs up the big mountains. Oh! getit! get it!"

How everybody around did laugh, as George jumped after the hat, whichMinnie thought would walk on the Atlantic Ocean; and how Minniejumped and laughed when he caught it just as it was flying off on itstravels. I have no words to tell, but everybody after that listened tothe comical talk of the Nightcap children, who caused so muchmerriment, that they arrived at West Point before they knew it; buthad to burst out with laughter again as Minnie, gravely looking up, said, "Is this West Point? Well, I don't think it looks so very, _very_ Pointy. "

The first stars were peeping out, and the little birds had sung theirevening hymns and were hushed into stillness, as the children got intothe stage, the strong horses of which toiled up the short but steepascent, and they soon arrived at their summer home. "Oh, what abeautiful cottage!" exclaimed Harry, and George, and Clara; "it seemscovered with roses; it must be the Castle of Perfect Happiness. "

They all hurried in, in the most delightful bustle; and the childrenhad a grand time assisting the little mother to unpack every thing. You would have imagined, to look in at the windows, that the house wasfull of fishes out of water; they kept up such a continual bouncingand fluttering about, but they were not fishes, nor pollywogs, nortadpoles, nor any thing like them; they were a company of caperingchildren, taking all sorts of little boxes and bundles out of trunks, and putting them in the wrong places, and then running to get somemore, because they liked the fun of _helping_. 

The good-natured little mother did not think them at all in the way:she only laughed softly to herself, and would not for forty newbandboxes have given them any _ear_-boxes for what they were doing. No, indeed! she just let them trot about as much as they liked withthe pillows, boxes, bags, and bundles, of which there seemed to beabout a hundred and fifty; and when they were tired of _helping_, shequietly arranged the things in their proper places. 

Oh! how soundly the children slept that night with the "fragrantstillness" all around them, far away from the roar and whirl of thegreat city. The moonlight, sweet and mournful, flooded the earth, anda white ray stole into the room where Charley lay and rested lovinglyabove his head. 

The next day Charley was very ill indeed. Even the short journey fromthe city had overtasked his strength. He lay in a darkened chamber, for his mother had to shut out the sweet sunshine, his head and sidewere so racked with pain. 

The children crept lovingly up to the door of the room they were notpermitted to enter many times during the day; to hope in a whisperthat he felt better, and went about the pretty cottage on tip-toe--alltheir merriment gone. You would hardly believe they were the samechildren that yesterday had kept half the people in the steamboatlaughing; so changed and still were they become, through their lovefor their sick brother. 

The little mother sent for the doctor. He belonged to the army, and, of course dressed like the officers in military uniform. 

When he entered, the children gazed with wonder and delight upon hisbright buttons, each of which had an astonishing spread-eagleengraved upon it, and thought they could never admire enough thebeautiful gold lace upon his coat-sleeves. Really, he was quite ashining doctor. 

He became interested with Charley at once: the sweet, patient smile ofthe suffering boy won his heart. 

"My dear madam, " said he to the little mother, "this is nothing buttemporary exhaustion; with some strengthening medicine which I shallleave, and a good night's rest, our dear little friend will be as wellas he was before he came up; and I am in great hopes that this bracingmountain air will soon make him much better than he was before hecame. "

The children now approached the door and begged leave to enter, forthey wanted to hear about Charley, and have a "_good look_" at the"soldier doctor. "

"Well, my little friends, " said he, in a hearty, cheery voice, "soyou've come up, I suppose, to help the fairies amuse Charley thissummer. "

"FAIRIES!" exclaimed the children; "DELIGHTFUL! Are there _fairies_here?"

"Lots of them, " answered the doctor, laughing--"_that is_, if I maybelieve my man, Patrick O'Neal. He declares he has seen the fairyrings in the beautiful hollow at the foot of Crow Nest mountain manyand many a time. "

"Oh dear! how perfect!" cried the children; "only fancy the dearlittle fairies dancing on the parade-ground in the moonlight. "

"Not exactly, " said the doctor, laughing again; "fairies don't come sonear the haunts of mortals; besides, the cadets want the parade-groundfor their own dances and rings--not fairy rings--for those are madewith sparkling dew-drops, while the cadets have to content themselveswith tallow candles stuck into scooped-out turnips and placed in acircle, and the lights throwing the shadows up, make the long legs ofthe cadets look like ever so many great goblin black spiders, hoppingharem-scarem over each other; but the cadets call them 'Stag-dances. '"

"_Stag dances_, " cried the children, "who ever heard of such a thing?Why! do they nail antlers on their foreheads and go on all-fours? Deardoctor! how _do_ they go?"

"Some on their heels, and some on their toes; but _I_ never saw onedance on all-fours; and, as to the antlers, _without_ them theyprance: 'tis because they're all _boys_, that it's called a 'stagdance. '"

"Why, only listen, " whispered George to Annie, "he is talkingpoetry--how queer!"

"Isn't he a nice bright doctor?" said Minnie; "he shines so shiny, andhe's so very _buttony_; I think his buttons are splendid. "

The doctor heard this speech and burst out laughing, and then seeingthat Minnie looked abashed, he took out his penknife, and in a momenthad snipt off one of the spread-eagle buttons, and said, --"Here, little lady-bird--here is a bright button, which you can fasten upyour cloak with to-night when you go to the fairies' midsummer ball;for, I suppose, you will all have an invitation, and when I cometo-morrow, I expect to hear all about it. Good-bye, Charley; oldfellows like you and I don't care to go to balls, but we won't objectto hearing about the fairy festival, because that you know will besomething particularly superfine;" and he went away smiling, leavingthe delighted children chattering like a perfect army of magpies aboutthe fairies, and pretending to think that the good-natured doctor wasreally in earnest. 

THE FAIRIES' LIFE. 

It was Midsummer eve; the moon in regal splendor proudly sailed above;the fair, lovely June flowers were sleeping, fanned by the wings ofthe tiny zephyrs floating past. A spell of enchantment was upon everything, for a deep stillness reigned around; the little brown crickethad ceased to chirp; the katydid no longer quarrelled in shrill toneswith her neighbor; the wail of the sad whippoorwill was hushed; therugged sides of old Crow Nest were rounded and softened in thesilvery moonbeams, adown which the little brooklet sprang this nightwith a more lightsome leap and a sweeter song. 

Charley lay sleeping in his room, his cheek resting on his hand, andhis golden curls lightly stirred by the soft west wind, were floatingupon the pillow: a faint flush rested upon his sweet face, giving it alovely, but, alas! deceptive hue of health; his lips were slightlyapart, and now they were moving as if he was softly and slowlyanswering some question. 

The window was wide open, and the room was bright with moonbeams; butnow a softer, tenderer light, shone through the apartments; the airwas filled with delicious fragrance, and low sweet music was heard:afar off, a halo in the moonlight was seen; it came near and nearer;now it was close to the window, and one could plainly perceive that itwas a shining band of fairies, floating on the moonbeams with theirbeautiful Queen at their head. 

They stopped at the window, for the Queen, with a wave of her sceptre, gave them to understand that she would enter alone. 

She was radiant to-night; a magnificent necklace of many-coloredstones cut from a rainbow, sparkled like a wreath of prismatic firearound her white and slender throat; her wings were fringed with smalldiamond dew-drops; her robe was fashioned of the royal purple velvetof the pansy; and her crown and sceptre flashed with precious gems. 

 "But, oh! her beauty was far beyond Her sparkling jewels:"

for the sweet loving expression that beamed from her eyes, and thesmile that played about the corners of her beautiful mouth, mirroredthe pure, unselfish, spotless nature of the Queen. 

Softly she floated towards the couch, and gently touched the boy withher sceptre. 

Charley opened his blue eyes. In a sweet amaze he slowly raisedhimself and leaned upon his arm, gazing in bewildered delight upon theradiant stranger. The little mother still slept on; but in the roomwas a young kitten--a daughter of Crocus, of whom you read in "NewNightcaps, " and whom Charley so loved, that he brought her away withhim. She was lying at the foot of his bed; in a moment she bristled upher coat and tail, and darted out her sharp claws in terror at thesight; but at a touch of the Queen's sceptre she drew them into theirvelvety sheath again, and laid quietly down. 

"Dear Charley, " said the Queen in a low, sweet voice, "we do so loveyour innocent and guileless nature, that while the pulses beat, andthe blood flows in your frail and fading form, we will do our utmostto drive the demon of pain far away; tender and beautiful influencesshall surround you; you shall be a most favored mortal, for you shallbehold the happiest scenes in fairy life; you shall dream thesweetest dreams of fairy-land; this night is our great midsummerfestival; even now our subjects are hastening to the beautiful hollow, where the fairy revels are kept. Hark to the fairy call! they areinviting the fays from the beautiful green island that is sleeping inthe moonlight opposite to us. "

Charley with all his senses quickened, his lips slightly apart, hiseyes dilated, one hand raised in an attitude of intense listening, caught the delicious harmony of fairy voices singing these words:

 "Hasten fairies--haste away; Hasten through the golden spray; Hasten to the frolic play. 

 "Fly o'er water--fly o'er vale; Ply the oar, and spread the sail; Hie ye to the moon-lit dale. 

 "Silver sweet the music swells Of the snow-white lily-bells, And the sounding pink sea-shells. 

 "Hither--hither, haste away To the fairies' frolic play; 'Tis the festive fairy-day. "

Brighter grew the eyes of the sick boy, and his cheek flushed withexcitement as he listened. 

"Oh, how beautiful!" he murmured; "what dainty little rippling notes!"

"Listen again, " said the Queen, with a gratified smile, for she likedto hear her people praised; "listen! the island fairies areanswering. "

Was it magic that brought those tiny voices so far over the water?Surely it was, for there rose on the air a clear tinkling sound likethe ringing of little glass bells; and Charley heard these words:

 "Beaming moon--shimmering fountain-- Light, and deck the fairy dell; We are coming to the mountain, From the isle we love so well: To the fairy ball we hie; Thought-swift through the purple sky We are hastening at the call; 'Tis the great midsummer ball. 

 "Open lily--blossom rose, Shed around thy perfume light; Heliotrope--thy sweets disclose To the fragrant dews of night. Dogwood grim we fairies banish; Purple nightshade! fly! evanish! We are hastening at the call; 'Tis the great midsummer ball. 

 "Chime hare-bells! clearly, sweetly, Joy our hearts with blithe accord, As we fairies neatly, featly, Trip it o'er the dainty sward. Velvet sod thy carpet spread, With small buds enamellèd, We are hastening at the call; 'Tis the great midsummer ball. 

"Oh!" exclaimed the entranced boy, "how I should like to see thebeautiful fairies dancing in the moonlight. May I, sweet lady?"

With a loving smile the Queen bent over and lightly tapped him thriceupon each shoulder-blade with her jewelled sceptre. Immediately a pairof gauzy wings started from his back. With an involuntary motion hegently waved them back and forth, and felt himself rising--_rising_--RISING--till he had floated out of the window into the moonbeams. The poor little kitten set up a piteous cry, but a fairy spell wasupon the mother, for she slept quietly on. 

Oh! with what delight was the enchanted boy now welcomed by thewaiting train outside! They pressed lovingly around him; they playedwith his golden curls; they fanned him with their delicate wings; theylooked down into the lambent depths of his clear blue eyes, and sawhis pure spirit within so free from guile; they touched with theirtender fingers his poor little thin white neck and breast, and felthis heart beating fast and faster with delight. 

Up, up they mounted, and a joyous thrill, like a sweet and suddenwind, shook the leaves of the trees as they passed swiftly by them. 

And now they approached the beautiful hollow; they heard the stirringsound of the fairy kettle-drums (which you know are chestnut shells, divided in half, with mouse-skin drawn tightly over). Quickly theyfloated over the last tree-tops; the frisky young fairies foldingtheir wings and sliding down the moonbeams for fun, just as you slidedown the bannisters. 

They are there, directly over the beautiful hollow, floating slowlydownward with a graceful waving motion; and Charley looked on a mostenchanting sight. Crowds of fairies were assembled within an immensecircle of sparkling dew-drops, tricked out in all their holidayattire. More were coming in on every side; some in their nut-shellsand four--others flying through the soft air. In the centre of thehollow the mossy throne was this night surmounted by a magnificentcanopy of scarlet geraniums, looped up at the sides by splendidclasps, formed of the backs of the scarlet lady-bug, dotted with spotsof jet. The canopy was heavily fringed with small scarlet fuchsias, orlady's ear-drops. At the foot of the throne there appeared to be alow seat of heaped-up rose-leaves, and in a circle round it a doublerow of glow-worms shed a soft clear light. Small mushroom tables, filled with plates of dew-drop ices, were already laid out; and thefairies only waited for the presence of their beloved Queen to openthe ball. 

Suddenly the music quickened; the fire-flies sparkled and danced, andall rose respectfully as the Queen touched the green velvety floor. Bowing and smiling, she gracefully seated herself upon the throne, andtenderly placed the spell-bound Charley upon the rose-leaf couch ather feet. The rich color of the beautiful canopy threw a rosy blushover the boy's sweet face; and the glancing fairies thought they hadnever seen a lovelier mortal. Although the soft rose-leaves pressedcaressingly around him and hid his poor deformed limbs, it would havemade no difference if they had been plainly seen, for the fairies onlylooked in his _face_, where so much purity and goodness shone; and, seeing this, they loved him, and were glad he had come. 

"Where is Slyboots?" said the Queen. 

"At your feet, most gracious Majesty, " answered the sprite, droppingdown all at once from somewhere. 

"And what is the last piece of mischief, you comical imp?"

"Your Majesty! Mischief! I disapprove of it! but I have just beentying Peas-cod and Bean-pod together by their long green coat-tails, because they are such grumbling, discontented chaps. "

"How do you know?" asked the Queen. 

"Please your Majesty, " answered Slyboots, "I heard Peas-cod say thathe hated the sight of every thing and everybody; that all otherfairies could wear different colors, while he had to be green all hisdays; then he opened his mouth so wide, and gave such a fearful yawn, I thought all his round bones would roll out; _I_ think, your Majesty, he is not only green--he is '_jolly_' green. "

"Don't talk slang to me, " said the Queen, though she laughed a little;"but go on and tell me about Bean-pod. "

"Oh! Bean-pod is miserable because of his shape; he says he is biggerround his waist than anywhere else, and that is _so_ ungenteel; allyour Majesty's maids of honor laugh and make faces at him. "

"Ah! I cannot have that, " said the Queen; "all must be happy here, especially on midsummer night. Go, Slyboots, and command them to comeinto my presence. "

Off started the sprite, and presently returned with the naughtyfairies looking very much ashamed of themselves, with theircoat-tails all curled round from having been tied in a hard knot. Lilliebelle and Dewdrop laughed behind their butterfly wing-fans, while Ripple and Firefly curled their mustaches, and looked on withdandified airs. 

The Queen began with a severe aspect: "I regret to learn, Peas-cod andBean-pod, that you are indulging in discontent; it is very wicked inany one to murmur or repine at his lot in this world. Learn from thismortal, " she continued, placing her hand tenderly on Charley's head;"almost since his birth he has led a life of suffering, yet norepining falls from his patient lips; he is willing to live, and hewill be resigned to die. I think my story-teller, Charm-ear, haswritten down something that happened to some neighbors of ours in thelittle brook near by, which will serve as a warning to you. Would youlike to hear this story, Charley?"

"Oh, beautiful lady!" cried Charley; for, being an American boy, hedid not know he must say 'your Majesty. ' "Oh, beautiful lady! a storywould be so--so _fairy_ nice!"

The Queen smiled, and, waving her hand to Charm-ear, the courtstory-teller, he began as follows:

 THE THREE LITTLE FISH. 

 "Not very long ago, in our beautiful brook, there lived three little silver trouts, who were very great friends. For some time they were happier than the day was long, playing together, eating together, and sleeping cosily together in the same little cave scooped out of a stone under the water, and wanted for nothing that good little fishes ought to have. 

 "But after this I am sorry to have to tell that two of the little trout became very sad and discontented: one wished for this, the other for that, and neither cared a shrimp for any thing he had, because they were always foolishly sighing for something else. 

 "At last Neptune, the King of the Sea, heard of these naughty little fish, and he resolved to punish them, by granting them all their desires. 

 "Accordingly he called them before him, and told them they should have whatever they wanted. 

 "Now, the oldest was a very proud little fish, and wanted to be able to snub up all the other fishes, by being set above them--so he said, "'Please your gracious goodness Majesty, I do not like the place where you have put me. Here I am poked into a mean, narrow river, where I can neither get down into the ground, or up into the air, and yet I can see well enough what fine times others have; there are the little birds that fly about over my head, and sing all day, because they have wings. Give me wings, gracious goodness Majesty--only give me wings, and then I shall have something for which to be thankful; in fact, it will make me perfectly happy. '

 "No sooner asked for than granted. In a moment the little fish felt the wings fluttering, and in another moment he had spread them wide, and rose joyfully out of the water. 

 "Ah! what a delicious sensation. He resolved to travel; then a thought struck him. 

 "'One favor more, your gracious Majesty. '

 "'Well, speak, ' answered Neptune. 

 "'Give me a wife, so that I may not fly alone in the world. '

 "'Granted, ' said the Sea King; and immediately a beautiful little silver trout swam the surface, and then flew to his side. 

 "With joy the silver fish greeted his mate, and forthwith they fluttered into a tree on the banks of the Hudson River, and commenced building a nest. 

 "In the due course of time a brood of little flying fish were peeping up in the nest, and the papa and mamma had their hands full (so to speak) in finding food for their young; they were very happy, and thought this was the perfection of living, and heartily despised their old companions in the beautiful brook. 

 "But, alas! in this world it is very often the case that just as we have attained our wishes, and are perfectly happy--bang! it is all over. This was literally the case with our poor little trout, for a party of sportsmen crossing the river in a row-boat seeing such a queer bird, one of them deliberately took aim and shot the mother trout, just as she was returning with food for her children; and the poor papa, who had been keeping watch on the nest, in the extremity of his terror, opened his mouth, and popped out his eyes, and took to flight, and left his family to be captured by the wicked sportsmen. 

[Illustration: DEATH OF THE SILVER TROUT. ]

 "But our little flying fish happened to alight among desert-like sands and rocks--far, far away from the least thing to eat or drink. Faint, weary, and unable to rise again, he lay fluttering, panting, and beating himself against the flinty stones. Oh! how he longed for one drop of crystal water out of his own little brook--only one drop. 

 "Gasping, wounded, and sore, he lay there, wretched and all alone, till at length, with a sob and a sigh, he breathed his last. He was dead. 

 "The second little silver trout was not so high-minded as the first; still he was dreadfully conceited, and moreover, he was a narrow-hearted, selfish little fish; for, provided _he_ was safe and happy, he did not care the flap of a fin, what became of all the rest of the fishes in the whole universe, or anywhere else. 

 "'So, ' said he to Neptune, 'may it please your worshipful honor; I do not wish for wings to fly, for I do not care to poke my nose into strange places; I might get lost or hurt, you know; I was contented enough until the other day, when I saw a great rope come down into the water, and fasten itself in some mysterious way about the gills of a sweet little cousin of mine, and she was hauled and dragged out of the water before my eyes, wriggling and struggling with fright and pain. It scared me terribly, your worshipful honor; for I thought this dreadful rope might some time fasten upon me. Now, all I desire, is to know the meaning of this rope, and of every single one of the dangers to which you have subjected us poor little fishes. '

 "No sooner said than done. Neptune opened the eyes of the little trout in such a marvellous manner, that he understood in a moment all about snares, nets, hooks, and the lines, which he called a rope, artificial flies, and every other danger to which little fishes are exposed. 

 "At first he was perfectly delighted with his newly-acquired knowledge, and he took precious good care from this time forth, not to go into deep water, for fear a great greedy pike or some other great fish might be there and swallow him up at a mouthful. He kept away from the shallow places in hot weather, lest the sun should dry them up. When he saw a shadow on the water, he said to himself, 'Halloo! here are the good-for-nothing fishermen with their nets!' and immediately he sculled away and got under the banks, where he sat trembling in all his scales; and when he saw a tempting fly skimming on the water, or a nice fat worm, he did not dare to bite, although he was half-starved. 'No, no, ' said the little trout, 'I am not such a fool as all that comes to; go and tempt those _flats_, the flounders; _I_ know better. '

 "In this way the poor little silver trout kept himself in a continual fright and flurry; and, of course, could neither eat, drink, nor sleep, for fear some mischief might be at hand. 

 "He grew poorer and poorer, and sighed and frightened himself to skin and bone, until at last--ah me!--dear me!--alas! he died, for fear of dying. 

 "Now when Neptune came to the youngest trout, and asked him what he wished for, he said: 'Oh, your great big Highness, you know I am but a very foolish and good-for-nothing little fish; I don't know what is good for me and what is bad for me; and I wonder how I came to be thought worth bringing into the world at all. But if I must wish for any thing, it is that you will please to do whatever you think best; I shall be happy to live or die, just as you would have me. '

 "When the precious little silver trout had said all this so sweetly and modestly, Neptune immediately felt an immense liking for him, and determined to take great care of this sweet little fish who had such entire trust in his goodness; so he watched tenderly over him, and was a father and a friend to him. He put a perfect fountain of contentment into his gills, and, consequently, happiness into his heart. 

 "Thus, this dear little trout slept always in peace, and wakened in gladness; and whether he was full or hungry, or whatever happened to him, he was still pleased and thankful; and he is now the happiest of all the little fishes that swim in our beautiful brook. "

A delighted murmur of applause rose on every side as Charm-earfinished this excellent story; and Charley was, if possible, stillmore enchanted to find such a capital moral in a story told by afairy. Peas-cod and Bean-pod looked very uncomfortable as the Queensaid, "Thank you, Charm-ear; you have related the story well; and Ihope, " she continued, looking kindly at the discontented fays, "itwill have a profitable effect. It is no doubt a great blessing topossess what one wishes; but it is a greater blessing still, not todesire that which we can never possess. "

Then the Queen, who ruled altogether by LOVE, said: "Go, dearPeas-cod and Bean-pod--go join the dances; I give you Lilliebelle andDewdrop for partners, and let me hear no more of discontent. "

The two green fairies brightened up amazingly when they heard theirQueen speaking so kindly; really, their green coats became quitefashionable-looking--and not such a bad color either; and thoughLilliebelle and Dewdrop pouted a little at their humble partners, they dared not disobey the Queen; but soon the inspiring music andthe pleasure of dancing, of which, like all fairies and most youngladies, they were immoderately fond, caused them to forget theirannoyance, especially as Peas-cod and Bean-pod were accomplisheddancers, and hopped about in the most surprising manner. 

And Charley looked on in an ecstasy of delight, and the flush deepenedand brightened in his cheek. It seemed as if a million of tiny flowersof every color had been taken from their stems and had gone on apic-nic, and were now at the very height of their fun. Such laughing!such dancing! such eager rushing for the ices and other goodies, justas you do at your parties. In one corner a small party of extremelyfashionable belles were promenading, each holding a parasol over herhead made of a small green leaf, to preserve her complexion; for youmust know that moonbeams are very tanning. Among the honeysuckles, theelderly fairies were playing backgammon, talking, and pretending toadmire each others' dresses, thinking their own handsomer all thetime; while the bachelor fairies were smoking poppy leaf cigars, andordering any quantity of buttercups of Maydew. 

All at once a tremendous shout of laughter was heard, and Charley andthe Queen looking eagerly in the direction whence it came, saw, totheir unspeakable astonishment, the old prime minister turning asomerset in the air. He got up, walked a few steps, and wenthead-over-heels again; while the fairies, ready for any fun, thoughthe had become crack-brained and was doing it on purpose, and screamedwith laughter. 

But, bless your little heart! what a mistake they made! Rising fromhis last leap in the air, with a scowl on his face, breathing forthfire and fury like a hippogriff or a fiery dragon, he pushed his waythrough the crowd and marched straight to the throne, where, kneelingas well as he could for his bumps and bruises, he demanded of theQueen in a shrill, gasping, wheezing voice, like the wind whistlingthrough a broken bellows:

"Your Majesty!! your Majesty!!! that wretch! that Slyboots! confinehim in a nut-shell for a thousand years! tie him fast to a hornet!cut off his wings! oh! oh! oh! the impertinent little scamp!"

"Why, my lord, calm yourself, " said the Queen; while Charley looked onin bewildered astonishment at the enraged prime minister, and a greatcrowd of fairies gathered around. 

"Tell me what has happened. "

"I need not remind your Majesty that our state affairs are very muchbehindhand, and not feeling inclined to mix with coxcombs like Ripple, (here the Queen frowned, and Ripple, who was just behind him, made agrimace, ) I went to one of the mushroom tables, and sat down to finishmy memorial regarding the loan for the hospital for sick bumble-bees, when this torment of a Slyboots comes up, and looking over myshoulder, exclaims, 'What! my lord; surely you are not going tostupefy the Queen with the odious sick bumble-bee memorial _to-night_, are you? Say?'"

"'Certainly I am, ' I said; 'what would become of all the business inthe Queen's dominions if it were not for me? Go away, you ugly Ouphe!'At this, Slyboots rushed off in such a haste, and with such a wickedgleam in his eye, that I smelt mischief immediately. 'After finishingmy memorial on eleven bees-wings closely written, I was hastening withit to your Majesty, when I fell, with great violence, over threesuccessive ropes that were stretched across the section of the hollowwhere I had been writing, crumpling and soiling my memorial, andbreaking off a corner of my right wing. I know it is Slyboots that hascommitted this outrage. Drive him out of your kingdom, your Majesty!give him up to the water fairies! tell the snails to poke him wellwith their horns!' and in a very torrent of passion and anger, theprime minister was going on, when the Queen interrupted himwith--'Softly, softly, my lord; we will call Slyboots and hear what hesays. '"

And now there was a great call for the culprit; and presently he camein the ring, riding on a comical-looking bull-frog, and makingtremendous leaps, apparently in great haste, as if he had been on along journey, and had just that moment arrived. With an inconceivablyroguish air, he alighted, and hastening up, bent his knee before theQueen. The foolish young fairies came very near bursting out laughingwhen they saw him put on a demure, innocent look of surprise, as hecaught sight of the scowling face of the prime minister; but at thatmoment her Majesty said in an angry tone:

"What shocking mischief have you been doing?"

"_I_ have been doing nothing, your Majesty. "

"And who helped you to do it, you saucy goblin?"

"Only a little brown spider, " said Slyboots, "and he didn't mean to. "

"But between you two, the prime minister has had three heavy falls;and I am afraid not without intention on _your_ part. "

"Please your Majesty, if my lord, the prime minister, loads himselfwith such a heavy article as that sick humble-cum-tumble-beememorial, and then puts his eyes in his pockets, no wonder he can'tsee straight before him, and falls down and cracks his crown. Whydon't he be jolly, like the rest of us? Your Majesty had better orderan unlimited quantity of dandelion feather-beds to be put around inspots for my lord, the prime minister, to turn head over heels in. "

"Hush! sauce-box, " cried the Queen; while the prime minister gave hima furious look. "Here, Trip (turning to a page), go bring me thelittle brown spider; I must get at the bottom of this business. "

The little brown spider came and made her obeisance, all in a fuzz offear, for she could not imagine why she was called into the presenceof the Queen. She shook so violently, that her Majesty said, kindly:

"Don't be afraid, Brownie; but tell me, with perfect truth, what didSlyboots employ you about this evening?"

"Please your beautiful Majesty, " began the spider, "Slyboots is myfriend, and I would not like to get him into trouble. "

"That is neither here nor there, " said the Queen; "I command you totell me what you did for him. "

"Well, " said the spider, almost crying, "Slyboots came to my house inthe grape-vine in the greatest hurry, and begged me to scrabble andscratch with all my might and main to a certain part of the hollow, and spin three ropes, knee high, just as quickly as possible acrossit, as some of the court had taken a prodigious fancy to tight-ropedancing, and meant to give an exhibition before the evening was over;and he was to give me, for doing it, just the fattest little fly Iever beheld, which he had fast by the legs; it made my mouth wateronly to look at it; so, your Majesty may believe, I rushed down andworked at the ropes for dear life, and finished them to Slyboots'satisfaction, for he gave me the delicious fly, and I've justfinished eating it up; and that is all I know about it, please yourbeautiful Majesty. "

It was all as plain as moonlight; and after one moment passed invainly endeavoring to suppress their merriment, the whole court burstinto such a scream of laughter, that the very leaves rustled, as ifsome musical wind had stirred them. Of course not a fairy had everheard that anybody had taken up the profession of tight-rope dancing, and Slyboots was at once convicted of having told a dreadful fib, andhad the ropes erected for the express purpose of tripping up the primeminister, to prevent his boring the Queen on the great gala night withhis sick bumble-bee memorial. 

There the naughty sprite stood with a penitent look out of one eye, and winking ridiculously with the other; and the fairies havinglaughed till they were tired, now waited in breathless silence to hearhis sentence pronounced. 

Charley was really sorry for Slyboots; he was distressed that thefairy had told a falsehood; but, as to the mischief, it was so likethe capers his own brothers and sisters were always cutting, that hefelt very certain the comical little imp had not one grain of malicein his heart, so he softly touched the Queen's knee, and as she kindlybent down to him, whispered--"Oh, beautiful lady! he has a good heart, and he is very sorry; please to forgive him. "

"Slyboots, " began the Queen, in a tone which she tried to make verysevere, "you have passed all reasonable bounds in this last prank; youhave outraged and insulted my faithful servant--and, worse than all, you have told an untruth. If it had not been for this last, I mighthave forgiven you after you had made fitting apologies to the primeminister; even now I shall lighten your punishment, because this pureand lovely mortal has interceded for you. Listen to your sentence. Mypower tells me that the great wasp, Spiteful, has just entered thechamber where little Minnie, Charley's sister, is lying peacefullyasleep, and within the hour he will thrust his poisonous cruel stinginto the tender arm of the little child. With your wings to dart hereand there, you might easily conquer him; but these must be fastenedtogether by your friend Brownie, and within the hour you must bring methe dead body of the wasp. You have heard; Brownie, to your work!"

In the midst of a deep silence, the poor little trembling spider beganto spin thread after thread round and round the beautiful gauzy wingsof the disgraced and now sorrowful fay; one after the other thebeautiful tints of blue, and gold, and purple, first faded, then werehidden under the misty cloud-color of network. 

The court looked on in sorrow, for the elfin was beloved by many, butnot a fay dared murmur or question the justice of the sentence. Atlast his wings, of a dead dull gray, were prisoned fast; and theQueen, waving her sceptre, said--"Go, Slyboots; if you carry a rightspirit to your work, you will win the fight. "

The fairy said not a word, but bowed him low, and turned sadly away. The time was short, and he must hasten and don his stoutest armor, forthe foe was deadly. A friendly grasshopper offered to take him to thefoot of the window where he must enter. With a gleeful spring hemounted, and away with great leaps they went through the ferns andover the grass, scrambling painfully in and out of bramble bushes, andpricking themselves with the sharp nettles that lay in their path. Butthe grasshopper (that friend in need) carried him bravely throughthem all, and came at last to a little house under a great mushroom, where Slyboots kept bachelor's hall. 

Here he alighted, and hastily fastened on his acorn helmet, with itsbeautiful plume from the humming bird's breast; then he donned hisclose-fitting vest, made of the skin of the prickly-pear--the sharppoints bristling terror to invaders. On his left arm he carried histrusty shield, made of the back of the golden beetle, and his righthand grasped his sharp blade, fashioned out of the blue sword-grass. 

Swiftly he bestrode his grasshopper steed again, and in a few momentsthey were beneath the open window of the room where lay the sleepingchild. 

Alighting, and thanking his friendly courser, Slyboots clambered up bythe luxuriant rose-vine fastened against the cottage wall, and in amoment had dropped noiselessly into the room. 

It was flooded with sweet clear moonlight. Clusters of roses werepeeping in at the window, but none were half so lovely as the littlehuman rose-bud lying so quietly in her tiny white bed. She might havecome out of Elfin land--she was so fair and sweet; her merry blue eyesclosed, her little song-voice stilled, and a lovely flush on her softcheek from the kissing of the warm and balmy wind, which danced inand out of its own sweet will. 

Hovering over her--a malignant gleam in his eyes--was the wasp. Already was his body curved to inflict the mean and cruel sting uponthe defenceless child, when, with a bound, Slyboots was upon him, cuthim sharply with his sword, and then scampered out of the window andtook refuge in a great rose, apologizing to the little fairy whosehome it was. With his back against the rose-leaves, and his shield onguard, Slyboots waited for the fray. 

[Illustration: SLYBOOTS FIGHTING THE WASP. ]

Out came the wasp, breathing fire and fury; his usual snarling humchanged into a fiendish roar of rage. Then did begin a most tremendousbattle!! The fairy's blows fell thick and fast upon the horny headof his enemy, who vainly sought to sting him; but the trusty shieldwas never off duty. The wasp kept up a horrid din, as with maddeningferocity and desperation, he tried to find his foe, for he was nowblinded with the blows. Panting with pain, and roaring with rage, heflew wildly round and round, returning each time with fourfold fury tothe charge, till at last a well-directed stroke of the elfin's swordcleft his head asunder, and he fell prone to the earth, with oneprodigious kick of all his feet in the air together. 

Down jumped Slyboots from the friendly rose, and making sure of thedeath of his enemy by sundry bangs and whacks with the flat of hissword, quickly made a stout rope of corn silk, and fastening it roundthe head of the wasp, began his joyful journey back to the fairyhollow. 

The good grasshopper had been a deeply interested spectator of thebattle; his eyes hanging out like a lobster's with anxiety, andchirping a perfectly continuous rattle of encouragement to Slyboots, so that really he was as hoarse as a bull-frog when it was all over. With cheerful alacrity he helped the breathless fairy tie up the deadbody of the wasp, and willingly allowed the other end of the corn silkrope to be fastened to one of his long hind legs; and then Slybootsmounting him once more, he tugged and scrambled along with his doubleburthen with so much hearty _will_, that they arrived at the fairyground at least one minute and a quarter within the hour. 

Meanwhile harmony and order had been restored in the beautiful hollow. The old prime minister was fast asleep under a fern leaf, with hisprecious bumble-bee memorial under his head, and Charley was watchingwith delighted interest the many happy groups upon which the moonbeamslovingly rested. Some were dancing the Fairy Lancers, some eating andlaughing at the little tables, some having a childish game ofcats-cradle with the tendrils of the grape-vine, and all were full ofmirth and gaiety, as noisy and happy as it was possible to be; infact, the fairies were marvellously like you, little reader; you areboth full of fun and noise, and have no idea of going through theworld slowly and carefully, as if you were stepping on onefeather-bed, and had your head tied up in another. Not at all! theyand you just jump and tumble about with prodigious talents for frolic, wearing out your shoes, and tearing your clothes--that is, _you_, forthe fairies' shoes and clothes have a patent trick of always lookingfresh and new. Charley thought his dear brothers and sisters were verylike these little creatures in their fondness for fun, and he did wishthat they were here this Midsummer night to have "a real good time. "

Presently the Queen said to him, "Charley, did you ever blow bubbles?"

"Yes, often, beautiful lady. "

"And what have you seen in them?" asked the Queen. 

"Oh! the most lovely colors! and sometimes a charming tiny picture ofthe room where we were. "

"Would you like to see some _fairy_ bubbles?"

"Ah, yes! I should like it of all things. "

The Queen gently clapped her hands, and instantly a page was kneelingat her feet. 

"Go, Light-wing, " said the Queen, "and tell Fancy to come here withher basin of foam and magic pipe. "

The fairy rose from his knee, bowed low, and sped away. In an instanthe returned in company with the daintiest, most ethereal little elfin fairy-land. Her wings were of air--her golden ringlets danced inthe "tremulous, singing wind, " giving out the perfume of theblossoming lily; her tiny rose-bud of a mouth opened, disclosing thewhitest and smallest seed-pearl teeth, as with a smile beaming withlove and sweetness, she said:

"Beloved Queen, most gladly have I come at your bidding. Deign but tocommand, and I will hasten to obey. "

"Dear Fancy, " said the Queen, placing her hand tenderly upon Charley'sshoulder, "here is a lovely mortal who has suffered from his infancy;but all his pain has not been sufficient to sour his temper, orconquer his gratitude and love for the blessings and mercies whichremain to him. As flowers spring from the dust, so have love, andtruth, and every noble quality, sprung from the dark and bittersuffering of his life. For this I love him, and will strive to makethe few days left to him on earth less sad, less painful; and I willdo this by showing him all our fairy life. I have sent for you to askyou to exhibit, for his amusement, some magic bubbles; I would likehim to look at them now. "

For answer, the little elf bowed gracefully, dipped her pipe in thefoaming dew, and began to breathe softly through the stem. 

Soon the thin bubble rose in the twinkling fire-fly light. At first itwas all of a gray-dark color; but out of this dark, like the sunbreaking through the mist, bright golden and ruby tints began toappear. 

It grew in size and splendor, till at last the fairy gently waving thepipe, the bubble slowly and gracefully floated away, and up a little, and then poised itself, and rested just before Charley. 

It was like a moving picture in an oval frame. Within appeared a largeand handsome parlor; a number of beautiful little children weregrouped about the room, evidently waiting for some event to happen. Presently a baby-boy entered--a perfect bud of beauty. His fine andsnowy-white garment was daintily embroidered and trimmed after a mostroyal fashion, with ivy leaves. Upon his beautiful head, crowned withlight and lovely pale golden curls, was a wreath also of ivy. 

With his luminous starry eyes uplifted, and the dimples peeping in andout of his rose-pink cheeks, he went around and offered a welcomingkiss to every one in the room. It was his birthday. Two sweet, happyyears, had been unfurled in his little life, and the children were nowgathered together in honor of the event. 

Charley gazed with lips apart, intent and eager. 

All at once he exclaimed, --

"Why! it is Howard! little Howard! Why, yes! and there is sweet littleCarrie, his sister, with the beautiful wreath of roses, and the roseson her dress! Oh! what wonders I am seeing!"

As he spoke, a lady entered, Howard's loving and lovely mother, withan immense paper bag, and proceeded to fasten it to the chandelier inthe centre of the ceiling; then some one else came in, and spread alarge white sheet upon the carpet immediately underneath. 

Then one of the little ones was blindfolded, and a cane was put intohis hands. He was to try to strike the bag, but instead, he made atremendous whack at nothing half a yard one side of the bag, whichmade the children laugh merrily. 

Charley laughed, too; you could _hear_ him, but he could only _see_that the children in the magic bubble were laughing. 

"I know them almost all!" he cried, in a voice of delight; "there areEva, and Robbie, and Alice, and Hattie, and Minnie, and Eddie, andsweet little Kitty and Mortie; and oh! how happy they all look! howperfect! and what a nice time they must be having!"

After two or three had tried to strike the bag, little baby Howard hadthe handkerchief tied _above_ his eyes, just for fun, because he wastoo little to be _really_ blindfolded; and, armed with the cane, hegrasped it with both tiny hands, his eyes dancing with glee, and agladsome smile parting his sweet little mouth, showing the pearlyteeth within. He gave the bag a sounding thump, and instantly itburst asunder, and a perfect cataract of candies and sugar-plumspoured down upon the carpet. Quick as a flash every child in the roomwas clustered together upon the sheet helter-skelter, head-over-heels, laughing, screaming, dashing after the candies; and then--the bubbleburst, and Charley saw no more. 

"Oh! oh! how beautiful! how wonderful!" said the lame boy; "dear, dearlittle fairy! I thank you; but I should so like to know what thechildren did after that. "

Again the pipe was dipped in the foam-dew, and the fairy blew outanother bubble, that floated away and rested as before. 

This time a wide hall, with a table in the centre, appeared. Upon thetable the colored waiters were quickly placing large dishes of cakes, oranges, mottoes, and pyramids of cream. A door, within which shone abright light, opened into this hall, and a little dancing formflitting past now and then, showed that the children were frolickinginside. 

When the table was so perfectly covered, that it very nearly brokedown under the weight of goodies, there was seen issuing from theparlor-door, first, the beautiful little king of the feast, carried inhis father's arms, his eyes sparkling, and his whole face radiant withsmiles. After him came, two and two, all the lovely little band; theymarched entirely round the table, and you may be sure they all lookedone way--and that way was the table-way, of course, where such a grandfeast was spread out. _That_ was the party, as I once heard a littlegirl say, and who added, "Oh! I'm so glad! the party has come--lookwhat a lot of it!"

And now what a tremendous time the boys had helping the little girls, and filling their laps with every thing they could lay their hands on, and then cramming their own pockets till they stuck out all over likeballoons. 

Just as they were in the height of eating, and laughing, andpresenting each other with mottoes, on which were printed the mostbeautiful poetry, declaring that they would love each other as long asthey lived, and nobody knows how much longer; and Charley was lookingon wild with delight--presto! the bubble suddenly burst, and thepicture was gone. 

"Oh! can any thing be more perfect!" cried Charley. "I am so happy!Dear little fairy! do let me kiss you for making me so happy. "

With a loving smile the beautiful elfin fluttered her wings and flewinto his breast, where she lay nestling like a little white dove. Charley tenderly lifted her up, kissed her soft tiny cheek, touchedher golden ringlets, and felt her breath, fragrant as the perfume ofviolets, fanning his face. He was silent with happiness, painting overin his mind Fancy's magic pictures. The beautiful Queen sat watchinghim, and enjoying his delight, when a far-off sound startled themboth--a sound of acclamation. Nearer and nearer it came, till the airrang with tiny shouts and joyful clapping of hands. The voices wererespectfully hushed as a crowd of fairies advanced into the Queen'spresence; and Charley saw that Slyboots was in their midst, weary andbreathless, his wings still hidden in the spider-net, but exultantlydragging the dead wasp by the corn-silk cord. His wee face lookedpale; but his eyes shone with the old brightness, as the Queen'sglance fell kindly and approvingly upon him. 

"Did you arrive in time to save Minnie from the cruel sting?" shesaid. 

"I did, please your gracious Majesty, " answered Slyboots. 

"And did you waken her?"

"No, my Queen; I struck the wasp, and drew him outside of the window, where I took refuge in a rose, and from thence, with my good sword, Igave him battle. Long and fiercely we fought in the moonlight. Thelittle yellow butterflies crept under the leaves affrighted; themidges in the air trembled, and whispered to each other that anearthquake was surely at hand; but at last my enemy bit the dust, andI pounded him till he was as dead as the prime minister's abominablebumble-bee's mem--"

"Silence!" interrupted the Queen; but she really had to laugh, forSlyboots looked at her with such a comical twist of his eye, whichchanged to a beam of happiness as her Majesty said to him:

"You have done your task aright, and gladly we forgive you; butremember, Slyboots, never let your love of fun carry you so far again;and put this piece of advice in your pocket--keep out of the way ofthe prime minister the next time you have tight ropes erected for yourfriends to dance on. "

Slyboots' face grew as red as a scarlet poppy at this allusion, andthe laugh that followed; and the Queen, seeing his confusion, said:"Quick, Ripple--quick, Firefly--release his wings. "

In a moment the fairy knights had cut away the gray network, andSlyboots joyfully shook his wings, now brighter than ever. 

Just at that moment a bugle-call sounded from the sentry at the top ofCrow Nest, and a faint twittering of a little bird was heard in a treeskirting the hollow. The dawn was coming, lifting the dew-mist fromthe lap of the earth; a faint light was streaking the east, as theQueen, gathering her shining band, with Charley in the midst, rose inthe air, and flitted away to the cottage window. Softly they laid himdown, and the Queen touched his eyes. The white lids drooped heavily, then closed, as a grateful balmy sleep wrapped his senses like amantle. 

Then the Queen softly detached the gauzy wings, and handed them to herpage, Lightwing, charging him to guard them carefully. The littlemother lay with her cheek in her hand, never stirring, and the kittenlooked on this time with a friendly purr; and just as the first dayglimpse had gilded the hill-tops, the fairy train had vanished intothe sweet hazy mist of the MIDSUMMER MORN. 

THE CHILDREN'S LIFE. 

Midsummer morning broke in gorgeous, glorious brightness. Light fleecyclouds floated swiftly over the blue heaven; a crisp fresh wind curledthe waters of the Hudson; and the beautiful little island oppositeWest Point lay on its bosom like an emerald; its green banks claspedby the loving tide. 

With the first drum-beat, the happy Nightcap children were up anddressed; and having, with more gratitude than usual, thanked theirHeavenly Father for so many blessings, they went first to inquire howtheir dear brother Charley had passed the night. 

"Hush!" said the little mother, as they came to the door, "don'tchatter now; Charley is still sleeping; do not make any noise; see howlovely he looks. "

The children crept in on tiptoe, and gazed lovingly at the sleepingboy. At that moment a warm glow flashed suddenly into his cheek, andhis lips parted in a glad smile. 

"Oh! see, see!" whispered the children, "Charley is dreaming; perhapshe is talking to the fairies the doctor told us about; when he awakeswe will ask him. "

Then they went softly down stairs and out into the fresh deliciousair. The birds were chanting their morning hymns; the lawn was goldengreen with the sun's rays, and spangled with dew. Bees were dreamilyhumming over the wealth of honeysuckles and roses that covered thecottage-wall, gathering their sweet and fragrant food at theirleisure. 

The children felt the blessed influences of all these lovely works ofthe great Creator in an increase (if such a thing were possible) oftheir happiness and joy. 

You would have thought they were made of corks, so lightly did theyskip here and there, running round the trees after each other, theboys turning somersets on the grass, and the girls declaring that theycould get to the top of Crow Nest with only a hop, skip, and jump. 

"Oh, delightful!" cried George, "to get up a mountain with threesteps! you'll have to borrow Jack's seven-leagued boots. I wonder wholives on the top?"

"Why, the crows, to be sure, " said Harry, "and they keep up _such_ atalking; it is like a hail-storm all the time; you never heard anything like the way crows can scold. If one crow is caught stealing, all the rest caw and croak at him, till he very nearly goes into fits, and then they all fly at him till he hasn't a feather left; I read allabout it in my Natural History. "

"Oh!" cried little Minnie, "how I like to hear stories about fishes!tell another crow story. "

While the children were good-naturedly laughing and explaining toMinnie that a crow was a bird, their mother appeared at thecottage-door and said, "Breakfast, children. "

In they all rushed, quite ready for the nice corn-bread, boiled eggs, and _real milk_--not _milkman's_ milk--but they looked round in somesurprise for Charley. 

"He is still sleeping, " said the little mother, "and smiling in hissleep; this quiet rest will do him so much good, I hope. Oh, myprecious Charley!" she exclaimed, "if I could only keep you a littlelonger;" and her eyes filled with tears. 

The children looked sad and grave, and two or three went round andkissed their mother, and patted her kind cheek, and said they weresure Charley was better. After breakfast they stole softly up stairsto look again at their darling brother. 

Charley was sitting up in bed as they entered: a strange bewilderedexpression was upon his face, and he had his hands behind him, tryingto feel his shoulders. 

"Do come here, George, " said he, "and see if there are wings upon myback. "

"WINGS!!!" shouted the children in amazement, "what _can_ Charleymean?"

"Yes, _wings_, " replied Charley; "the fairy Queen fastened them uponmy back last night, and I went with her and her beautiful maids ofhonor to the Midsummer ball. Oh! how delightful it was, and how Ilonged for you!"

"Goodness!" exclaimed the children, "did you really go? How perfect!Did you ever? Why didn't they take us, too? Oh, Charley! do begin atthe very beginning, and tell us all about it. Won't you? Say! do, come!"

Clustering around the bed, their eyes fastened upon his face, breathless with wonder and delight, and with no end of exclamations, they listened to the enchanting account of Charley's adventures. Thelittle mother came in the room just at the end; upon which they allrushed at her in a body, and told the amazing story over again, alltalking at the same time; and the little mother said quite as many"Ahs" and "Ohs" and "did you evers" as they did. But she smiledlovingly at her lame boy, and parting the golden curls on his whiteforehead, and kissing him tenderly, whispered, "My darling knows thathe has been DREAMING. "

Was it a dream?

Charley was so much better that day, that the good doctor, when hecame, was astonished; and when he heard that the fairies had done himthe honor to take him to their Midsummer festival, he was delighted, as well as astonished, and laughingly declared that the elves hadrobbed him of his patient. "Why, Charley, " he continued, "if the fairyQueen can put such a rosy color in your cheeks, and such a sparkle inyour eyes in one night, she beats me all to pieces at doctoring. Ishall have to give you up to her, and only come here every day to makea social call, so that you and I, two old fellows, can have a talkabout the state of the country. But I may as well put my pills andpowders into one of the cannons, and fire them off at some of the fineladies who go about, sweeping the parade-ground with their furbeloweddresses, and think they are dying of dyspepsia, when all they want issome useful occupation. I have lots of them to make bread pills for, and I may as well let the fairies have my dear little friend here. "

Just at that instant the drums made a prodigious clatter, and thechildren started up to see what it meant. 

"It is the call for the cavalry drill, " said the doctor; "you hadbetter run. "

Off scampered the children to the edge of the parade-ground, theireyes dancing with expectation and eagerness. 

On their way they passed the encampment; they gazed at the snow-whitetents of the cadets with the utmost interest, and indeed would ratherhave lived in these delightful canvas houses, than in a king's palace. 

"Oh! Harry!" exclaimed Anna, "I wonder if we mightn't just peep intoone of them. "

"Certainly, " answered Harry, who was always ready for adventures, andhe lifted up the opening of the tent nearest. 

"Oh! what a perfect place!" he cried; "come! look!" and he disappearedwithin. 

[Illustration: NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. ]

The children all peeped in, their heads looking like a bunch ofgrapes, all piled one on top of the other; while Harry, inside, pretended he was a showman, and made them a speech. 

"Walk in, ladies and gentlemen, " he said, "and see the show--all forsixpence; children half price. Here you have one small bed, or humblecot, one camp stool, one very small looking-glass, on the back ofwhich, " he continued, turning it suddenly over, "is a picture of thegreat Napoleon Bonaparte, running away, with his drawn sword in onehand, and a leg of mutton in the other; while just below is another ofan old cadet, poking a young one with his bayonet. "

The children were laughing heartily over these specimens of the finearts, drawn by one of the cadets, when

Bang! tr-tr-tr-tr-tr-tr. Bang! tr-tr-tr-tr-tr-tr went the drums again. Off they hurried to the parade-ground, and there, out in the brightmorning sunlight, which came down like "flickering gold" through theglowing air, galloped that fierce and brave Colonel Hardie, who lookedas if he should consider it the merest trifle to fight a dozen enemiesat once, and kill them all, as a matter of course. 

And out galloped a regiment of cadets, while Colonel Hardie, wheelinground, awaited their coming. 

With their drawn swords flashing in the glorious brightness, and thegallant Colonel now at their head; they wheeled about, and turnedabout, dashed here and there, suddenly advancing, then as suddenlyretreating, with their horses rearing and prancing, and snorting anddancing, till you would have been sure they were in the greatestpossible hurry to rush full tilt at somebody, no matter who, andinstantly run them through with their sharp naked swords, withoutgiving them a ghost of a chance to cry "Quarter. "

The children looked on with great eyes and a kind of delicious fear, and were almost crazy after the drill was over, to run and beg thecadets to lend them their horses and swords, so as to practise thecavalry drill themselves. 

They walked on the edge of the parade-ground, looking all around themwith the most amused and delighted interest; at times fairly singingand skipping for joy, and eagerly planning long walks and voyages ofdiscovery. 

Minnie thought there must be a "day party" somewhere, the people weredressed so fine, and everybody seemed so very happy. 

Numbers of elegantly dressed ladies were walking about, and somefine-looking officers were paying them all the compliments they couldthink of. In the midst of a group of gentlemen, high above them all, towered the majestic form of the brave General Scott, who has won somany battles for us in Mexico, and who is Commander-in-Chief of allthe soldiers in our country. The children looked at him with thegreatest admiration; and the boys made up their minds that it wasabsolutely necessary they should be soldiers when they grew up; andthey would have given all they possessed to sleep now in the canvastents like the brave cadets. 

And now the children began to descend a winding path, and wandereddown a beautiful road where the trees met overhead. The air wasfragrant with the woodbine which curled round the trunks of the trees, while, at their feet, tiny harebells and the purple violet modestlypeeped up. 

Jumping, skipping, and gathering wild flowers, they came at length toa lovely open space scooped out of the rock, as it seemed, in thecentre of which is a crystal spring, which comes up sweet and clearinto a stone basin. 

Upon this basin they read the name of the great "Kosciusko;" and thiswas his garden, where he used to sit for many hours in the day readinghis book, or admiring the glorious works of God spread before him. Thechildren looked with love and admiration upon the name and place wherethe good and brave Pole had been; and the boys audibly hoped that theywould do something very noble and brave when they grew up, so thateverybody might speak well of them. 

As they drew near the house, they saw a lady sitting in the boweryporch with their mother. 

"Goodness!" cried half a dozen of them, "it's Aunt Fanny! Did youever?" And thereupon they charged like a company of cadets going tofire on the run, and shot Aunt Fanny with a whole volley of kisses. 

It was really a wonder she looked so well after it; fifty kisses in aminute is pretty severe loving; but Aunt Fanny only laughed when shecould catch her breath, and, taking Minnie on her lap, asked whatparticular fun and mischief they had been about lately. 

Then didn't they have a grand time, telling about their journey? andthe wonderful fairy adventures of Charley? And Charley, who wassitting leaning against his mother, declared that he could not havedreamt them, because he remembered them all so well, and he had feltso much better ever since the beautiful fairy Queen had taken him incharge. 

"Why, " cried Aunt Fanny, "I shall have to go back to Idlewild, where Ipassed two delightful hours this morning, right away, and tell allthis to the lovely children I saw there. I am sure Edith, and Daisy, and sweet little Bailey, would go straightway down to their beautifulGlen, to hunt up the fairies that no doubt live there hidden under theferns and mosses, so fairily fine and delicate. 

"O Aunt Fanny!" cried the children, "do tell us about Idlewild anddear little Edith, and Daisy, and Bailey Idlewild. "

"That is not the name of the children, you monkeys, " said Aunt Fanny, laughing, "any more than you are Harry and Minnie Nightcap. It is thefanciful, dreamily sweet name of the place; and the pure life andneighborly love ever adorning and brightening that graceful and kindlyhouse-roof, make June sunshine all over the lovely place the yearround. "

"Ah! how delightful it must be, " cried the children; "do tell us, AuntFanny, all about your visit. "

"Well, to begin at the beginning, I went up to Cornwall upon somebusiness, and I staid all night at a house just this side of thebeautiful Idlewild Glen. In the evening I was invited to go to aSunday-school celebration; I was very glad to get this invitation, because I love children so much. The services were all veryinteresting, but the best thing of all was a most beautiful storywhich was told, to prove the blessed effect of love upon the heart, and how much better it was to govern by _love_, than by fear andcontinual punishment. "

"_We_ know that!" exclaimed the children, "that's the very way mothergoverns us--don't you, mamma?" and they all had to give her a kissbefore they said, "Please go on, Aunt Fanny; do tell us the story. "

"The teacher said it was true, every word of it, but I do not knowwhether he got it out of a book, or whether it happened to somechildren he knew; perhaps you have read it already. "

"O dear! no, we haven't, I'm sure, " said the children, "and if wehave, your way of telling it will make it new again. Come, Aunt Fanny, tell the story. "

"Well, then, here it is--Once on a time a good old farmer said to hiswife, 'Wife, you know poor neighbor Jones died a little while ago, andhis little son Johnny is left alone in the world. Suppose we take him?One more will make very little difference. Shall we?'

"'O deary me! no, ' said the wife, 'I wouldn't have him among ourchildren for any thing! Why, he's worse than a little heathen!'

"'So he is, ' said the farmer, 'I'm a little afraid to try itmyself--that's a fact!'

"Now while the old farmer was talking, he was also busily engaged ineating his dinner of pork and greens, and his children had kept theirears open, and had heard all that was said. 

"Presently one of the boys, whose name was Luke, looked up and said, 'Father, you know we send _one good missionary_ among a _great manyheathen_. Now, why can't we bring this _one little heathen_ among agreat many good people? I'll lend Johnny my kite and ball, and we'llbe so kind to him he will never _want_ to be bad. Father, WE'LL LOVEHIM GOOD. '

"The good old farmer, who tried his best to keep God's holycommandments, and especially to 'love his neighbor, ' thought this anexcellent plan; so he brought Johnny home with him the very next day. 

"Sure enough, Johnny was worse than any heathen. He broke the goodlittle boy's ball, tore his kite all to pieces, pulled little Susie'shair, pinched the baby, kicked the small children, and butted thelarge boys with his head, and, in short, behaved so badly, that theywere all nearly crying: still they would not give up Luke's plan, butkept on trying to be kind to him. 

"But it was all of no use; Johnny was really a dreadful boy. At lastthe old farmer said, 'Well, we can't go on so with Johnny; he musthave obedience knocked into him like a nail in a plank of wood. I musttry if I can't whip him into better behavior:' so he beat the badboy, and whipped him, and shook him till his teeth rattled in hishead, and his hair was all in a friz about his eyes. But, alas! it didno good; Johnny was as bad as ever. 

"Then the farmer said, 'Wife, this is a very bad business; whippingdoes not make Johnny any better; we must try if we can't STARVE theobstinacy out of him. '

"'I don't like to do that, ' said the wife. 

"'But it must be done, ' answered the old farmer; 'it is our duty totry to make him a good boy. '

"So they shut him up in the great garret, where paper bags of driedherbs, and strings of red peppers, and great cobwebs, kept himcompany. They gave him nothing to eat and drink but dry bread and acup of water. 

"Every now and then the farmer's wife would come, tap at the door, andsay, 'Johnny, will you be good _now_?' and Johnny would shout out in afierce defiant voice, 'No! no! I won't! You may lock me up forever andever, and I won't be good. ' So the poor farmer's wife would heave asigh and go away. 

"All the morning little Susie had been very silent, with the tearsjust trembling on her eyelids. She felt very much grieved that Johnnywas such a bad boy, and she could not bear to think of him in thelonely garret with no company but his wicked thoughts: so, afterdinner, she crept softly up to her mother, and said, 'Mother, I thinkI can get Johnny to be good, if you will let me try. '

"'Well, ' said her mother, smoothing her hair lovingly, 'what is yourplan?'

"'Why, mother, ' answered the little girl, 'I will go and tell Johnnythat I will be locked up instead of him, and he may go play with mydear little boat that brother made, and named for me. '

"The mother looked at her a moment with a loving tear swelling in hereyes, then she said, 'Very well, you may go. '

"So Susie took down the key of the garret, which hung behind the door, and went up stairs, unlocked the door, and then tapped gently. 'Johnny, may I come in?' said she. 

"'What do you want _now_?' grumbled the bad boy. Susie went in, andgoing softly up to him, she said--'Johnny, mother says you may goand play with my little boat this afternoon, and I will be locked upinstead. '

"I am ashamed to say that Johnny was mean enough to accept this offer, and let the little girl bear his punishment; for without even stoppingto thank her, he started up and made off, slamming the door behindhim, and locking it with a spiteful snap. 

"He had a famous time sailing the pretty little boat in the brook; andonly came in at tea-time--as hungry as a bear. 

"After he had eaten a hearty meal of bread and butter, baked pears, and a great piece of nice gingerbread, he noticed that the farmer'swife commenced to clear away the things, and then he remembered poorlittle Susie. He sat silent a good while, but at last he could notstand it any longer, and he said--'Say? ain't you agoing to give thatlittle gal up stairs any tea? say?'

"'Yes, Johnny, ' answered the mother, 'you can take this to her, ' andshe handed him a piece of dry bread on a plate. 

"Johnny took the plate, carried it up stairs, and began to kick andbang at the door--Thump! bump! thump!

"'Unlock it and come in, ' cried Susie. So Johnny did so, and went in;but when he saw the dear little child sitting there so patiently andsmiling at him, a strange trembling came to his lips, and withoutsaying a word, he put down the plate, and darted away. 

"All that night Susie staid in the garret, and slept as quietly andsweetly as if she had been in her own little room. 

"When the next day came, Johnny felt very much like asking pardon forhis bad conduct, and begging that Susie might come down from hercaptivity, while he took her place; but the sun was shininggloriously, and Johnny thought of the little boat; and so, drivingaway the good thoughts and impulses, he eat his breakfast, snatched upthe boat, and ran out to play. 

"When dinner-time came, he was the very first to come in, he was sohungry; and soon after the rest of the family, _except_ one, tooktheir places. 

"'Where's Susie?' asked Johnny. 

"'She is locked up in the garret, ' said her mother. 

"'Can't she have any dinner?'

"'Yes; she can have some dry bread;' and the farmer's wife gave him apiece on a plate, as before. 

"Johnny took it, and went slowly up stairs. He opened the door. Theresat Susie, patient and silent. He put the plate beside her, butinstead of going away, he stood looking at her in silence. 

"Presently he burst out with--'Susie! you're a fool, I say! a perfectfool! Before I'd let myself be locked up, I'd--I'd--' here Johnnystopped; a great lump came into his throat, and was choking him. Hedrew in his breath with a painful sob, and then burst into an agony oftears, and rushing up to Susie, he threw his arms about her neck, andcried out--

"'O Susie! Susie! please forgive me. I'll never be so bad again, never. They might have whipped me forever, and starved me forever, andit would just have made me worse; but you (and here the great tearscame fast and faster)--you have LOVED ME GOOD. '"

"O----h!" cried the children, taking long breaths, and wiping theireyes, "how lovely!--what a good, _GOOD_ story--what a dear, darlingSusie! She must have heard of mamma, when she wanted to _LOVE_ Johnnygood. "

"Yes, " said Aunt Fanny, "I think she was very much like your dearmother, and you children can hardly know what a blessed lot is yours, in having a mother who rules you by LOVE. "

"Yes, we do! yes, we do!" cried the children; we know she is a perfectdarling; and thereupon the little mother underwent a series ofcaresses quite alarming to witness. 

"And now about my visit to Idlewild, " said Aunt Fanny, when they wereonce more quiet. "Soon after breakfast I commenced my walk. I had tocross the wild and beautiful ravine. I am afraid I looked a littlelike a figure of fun, scrambling and scratching down the slipperydescent. I have no doubt some of Charley's fairies were laughing at meall the time; and I am sure the beautiful little waterfall did, as itcame joyously dancing down the great black rocks. Really, some of theplaces were as slippery as ice; and I had to go a-sliding in thesummer time, whether I wanted to or not. "

"How nice!" cried the children; "that would just have suited the oldwoman in Mother Goose, who wanted her children to slide on dry ground. You can't drown that way, you know. "

"Not exactly; but at last I stood upon the famous zigzag bridge, whichis only a single plank with a railing on one side, made of a long, slender sapling. And now, how lovely the scene was that I lookedupon! The sun came in dimples and ripples of light through the trees, and the waterfall, with its soft white foam, talked to me in a voicefull of power and beauty, of the greatness and goodness of God. 

"When I got to the house, I was welcomed by its fair and gentlemistress with a simple courtesy, that made me feel at home at once. Very soon a sweet little maiden came to me, and shyly offered herhand; she told me her name was Daisy, and then she called her babybrother. He was afraid of me at first, but when I said, 'Why, Bailey, I know all about you. I know how you fed the little birds lastwinter'"--

"Oh, " interrupted the children, "how did he feed the little birds, Aunt Fanny?"

"If you will put me in mind, I will tell you by and by. Then Baileylooked at me when I said that, with wide-open eyes; and I continued, 'I know all about the peacock, too, so I do--more, too. '

"Then he came right up to me, and laid his dear little curly head inmy lap, and looking up in my face with his merry, bright blue eyes, hesaid--'I've got a horse. '

"'Why, no! You don't tell me so!' I exclaimed. 'Why, I'm astonished!How many legs has he?'

"'Two, nailed fast, and two, kicking up in the air. '

"'My patience! what a horse!' said I. 

"'But come!' said the little darling fellow, pulling at my dress, 'come see my horse! come!'

"So Daisy and the mother, and Bailey and I, went out of the room. Ofcourse I expected to be conducted to the stables; but we began tomount the stairs, and up we went till we arrived at the third story, Bailey holding me fast by the hand. We went into a large room--thechildren's play-room--from the windows of which there was amagnificent view. Sitting at one of them, was the kind, motherly-looking nurse, to whom I was introduced as to an old friend. As I pressed her hand, her eyes turned fondly upon her mistress andthe lovely children. I looked around, and sure enough, in one cornerwas a prancing charger, standing on his hind legs, which were madefast to a spring rocker, while the others were kicking up in the air, just as Bailey had told me. 

"Then the little fellow was lifted up on his horse, and I said, "Getup, pony;" and then all of a sudden such a funny little shy fit cameover Bailey, that down went his curly head on the horse's neck, and hevery nearly tumbled off. After that he dismounted, and pulling downthe prancing legs of the horse, got between them, and holding fast, hehad a fine ride after an ingenious invention of his own; for, as thehorse's legs rose in the air, up went little Bailey, and then down hecame with a funny little stamp of his feet on the carpet, which senthim into the air again. 

"Then the dear little fair-haired Daisy showed me her birds, 'Buttercup' and 'Primrose, ' and two others whose names I did not hear;and then we went down stairs again. 

"In the charming library we met another daughter, a lovely young lady, and a friend who was visiting her. I knew this young lady before, andloved her very much; and I was very glad to meet her; and you may besure we were very merry together. 

"Just then we heard Bailey's voice in the hall, lifted up in loudwailing and weeping. We all rushed out, thinking the sweet littlefellow had fallen down stairs. But he was safe, though the great tearswere running down his cheeks; and he sobbed out, 'Mamma! mamma! Edithwon't come to see Aunt Fanny!' Dear little fellow! It seems thatEdith was the shyest little maiden in the world, and Bailey, in hisloving endeavor to get her to come to me, had first coaxed her, thenkissed her over and over again, and at last, broken-hearted about it, had burst into loud crying. Edith stood at the turn of the stairs, ready to dart away; and when I said, 'Do come, darling--come, littleEdith, ' she fled like a frightened fawn, upon which Bailey beganlamenting again, and I had hard work to bring the peace once more intohis little, loving, troubled heart. 

"When we returned to the room, Miss Laura, the young lady who wasvisiting the family, told a funny story about Bailey. She was walkingin the beautiful glen before breakfast, and frolicking round her wereGouldy, and Cæsar, and Bailey. "

"Were they all boys? or what?" asked the children. 

"Not exactly, for two of them were dogs; but far better and gentlercompanions than _some_ boys I know. Gouldy was a dear old fellow, thatwould not have hurt a hair of your head for a thousand dollars ingold, even if he knew about or cared for money; and Cæsar--Oh! he wassomething and somebody very extra indeed. "

"What! did he have horns on his head?" asked Harry. 

[Illustration: DR. KANE AND CAESAR IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS. ]

"Not a horn; but he once belonged to the good and famous Dr. Kane, thegreat Arctic explorer; and Cæsar had seen as many icebergs andwhite bears as he wanted to, and a few over, I imagine; for Dr. Kanegave him to his friend, the owner of Idlewild; and the good dog tellshis new master every day by an extra flourish of his tail, how happyhe is, and how much he loves to live in such a lovely place, and withsuch lovely children. 

"Well, as I was telling you, the dogs and little Bailey werescampering here and there, while Miss Laura walked in the glen, thinking how sweetly the rippling golden light came down through thegreen leaves. After a while she thought it was time to return, so shecalled--'Come, Gouldy, come, Cæsar, come, Bailey. It is time to gohome. ' Up bounded the two dogs at her bidding, but the darling littlerogue, Bailey, pretended to be very busy looking for something in thegrass. Then the dogs, seeing that _he_ did not mind, went leaping off, tumbling over each other, pretending to bite, and growling at a greatrate. So Miss Laura walked a few steps nearer Bailey, and calledagain--'Come, Gouldy, come, Cæsar, come, _Bailey_. ' The dogs ran toher as before, but Bailey walked as grave as any deacon, and lookingsideways at her, with a merry twinkle in his blue eyes, and a comicallittle chuckle, he said--'Miss Laura, there is no _dog_ of that namein this place. ' His face looked so full of fun and mischief, that MissLaura screamed out laughing, and then Bailey laughed, and was veryglad he had been so funny. "

"What a funny little fellow, " exclaimed the children, "to make believeMiss Laura did not mean him when she called. I _do_ wish he could comeand play with us. He's a darling! Well, please go on Aunt Fanny. "

"While we were sitting in the parlor, Bailey brought me a superb bookof engravings to look at. They were flowers. I only wish you couldhave heard him telling me the long names, slowly and carefully, insuch a sweet little voice--'This is the Rho-de-den-dron, ' and thengiving a quick, satisfied sigh, because he had gotten it all right. When he showed me a picture of a splendid lily, I looked at thebeautiful flower, and then at his innocent baby-brow, and in hisunclouded eyes, through which the immortal soul shone purer andwhiter than any lily, and softly said--'Consider the lilies of thefield; they toil not, neither do they spin;' and as I bent over tokiss this immortal lily, I heard the gentle little mother murmur--'YetSolomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ' Truly theinnocence of a little child invests him with a greater glory than anythis world can give. Why may we not always retain it, pure andundefiled?

"At last the carriage came to take me away; and they all bid me a kindadieu; and Bailey and Daisy kissed me so lovingly, that I felt thekisses all the way to my heart, where I mean to keep the memory ofthem as long as I live. Wonderful to relate, something happened at thevery last moment, that made Bailey dance with delight, for Edith, shyEdith, ran to me and put up her sweet pink and white cheek for a kiss;and so I left beautiful Idlewild, a very happy Aunt Fanny. "

The children were delighted with this account, which Minnie called "avery nice _inscription_. "

"And now about the birds, Aunt Fanny. You know you told us to put youin mind. "

"Oh, yes. Well, I will try to remember what I read in the Home Journala year ago about the dear little winter birds at Idlewild. "

"There is a charming study at the north-west corner of the house; andthe father of Daisy, and Edith, and Bailey, began his beautiful littlestory, by saying that he had two very sociable sets of visitors inhis study early every morning. First the little folks jump out oftheir beds, and run in to him in their slippers and nightgowns, justas Laina the cook, with her kind dark face, comes along with thetea-tray for him, and bread for the second set of visitors. Thechildren crumble the bread very joyfully and carefully, and the windowis quickly opened, (for it is winter, and snowing, ) and thebread-feast is spread out over the roof of the portico. 

"Then the children cluster round the fire, and talk about the dogs andthe peacock and their lessons, keeping one eye upon the window, nearwhich the snow-white hemlocks are bowing in the wintry wind. 

"Presently--'Hush! There they are!' and the little nightgowns fluttersoftly to the window, and gaze lovingly at fifteen or twenty littlebirds, in only their bare feet and feathers, who have come with thefirst peep of dawn, and are made happy with a bountiful breakfast. They were dear old birds, that had been before, and no doubt someinvited friends. Such a nice time as they all have! inside the windowand out; and the children are so delighted that they can soften thewinter for those poor little houseless ones out in the cold, who, remembering the kindness of last year, came so trustingly again. Itwas this confidence and love that was shown by the dear little birds, that made the children so glad; and a rosier, happier troop of littlefolk, could hardly be found than this early morning party in Idlewildstudy. "

"Oh! oh! how sweet! how lovely!" cried the children. "How we wish welived at Idlewild, or at any rate in the country, where we could feedthe little birds. We wish it would snow like every thing this veryminute. "

Aunt Fanny laughed, and said she was delighted, the story had pleasedthem so much, but was afraid she had not done it justice, as it hadbeen most beautifully told in the Home Journal; but she could notremember the exact words. 

[Illustration: THE WICKED WATER FAIRY. ]

After tea that evening, the whole family went out in a large row-boat. It was bright moonlight. A light breeze stole through thetree-tops, making soft music; and it was so still and sweet on thewater, that everybody felt a thrill of delight. 

Charley had been carried down to the water, and he sat in the bow ofthe boat, leaning his head upon his mother's breast. He was in nopain, and soothed by the measured and musical drip of the oars, heclosed his blue eyes and fell into a sweet sleep. 

In a few moments he was awakened by a tap upon his arm; opening hiseyes, he beheld, close by him, seated upon the back of a flying-fish, an ugly kelpie, or water-fairy, with a malevolent, evil aspect, whoregarded him with a look of hate. 

"Come out of the boat! come out of the boat!" he said, in a balefulwhisper. 

Spite of his terror and shrinking, Charley felt himself impelled tolean over and look down into the moon-lit water. 

Oh! what frightful forms he saw! Some riding on crabs, some on greatleeches, and more on the backs of flying-fishes, who took tremendousleaps in the air, while their riders uttered frantic yells of delight. 

[Illustration: THE BATTLE OF THE FAIRIES. ]

The poor boy felt that some horrible but irresistible power wasdragging him down, down into the deep water, where these wicked impswould bury him in some dark cave. He struggled to resist the impulseto plunge, but it grew stronger and stronger, till, with a faint moanof despair, he was just yielding to his hapless fate, when the soundof distant fairy music broke upon his ear, and raising his head, hebeheld, riding swiftly down on the moonbeams, in all the pomp andblazonry of military equipment, a band of armed fairy knights, withFirefly at their head. On they came, with dash and hurry, and soon theair was darkened with arrows and javelins hurled at the hatefulwater-sprites. 

Fast and sharp they came, and in a very few moments a still morebrilliant light gleamed from the eyes of the victorious army, as thekelpies, after a short but furious resistance, sank yelling with rageand disappointment beneath the wave, and the water became still andglassy as before. 

The agitated boy heard a tiny but hearty shout of triumph, and thenthe brave little fairy soldiers, after kissing their hands and wavingtheir gossamer scarfs at Charley, turned and flew on their light andwinged steeds, towards the beautiful hollow from which the good Queenhad sent them, for she knew, by her fairy power, the danger herbeloved Charley was in. 

The music, faint and sweet, lingered till the last lance had flashedin the moonbeams, as it disappeared over the tall tree-tops, and thenit died insensibly away, so lingering were the delicious notes. 

Then the wondering boy looking round, saw only the bright moon, thestill water, and the row-boat full of his brothers and sisters. 

"Why, Charley, " said his mother, kissing him, "you have had a nicelittle sleep; haven't you?"

"Sleep? Oh no!" answered the bewildered child. "Did you see thebattle?"

"BATTLE!" screamed all the children. "Why, Charley, you must begetting crazy!"

"Not at all, " said Charley, very earnestly, "this time it reallyhappened;" and he told of the battle of the fairies, while thechildren opened their eyes and mouths so wide with astonishment, thattheir faces looked all holes; and they stared with all their might upat the moonbeams and down into the water, in the hope that at leastsome one fairy might have found it necessary to see Charley safe ondry land; but I am sorry to have to relate that they were notgratified with a sight, though their very eye-balls stuck out, sointense and eager did they look, and so sure was Charley that he hadnot been asleep. 

_Had he been asleep?_

And now, for more than a month after this, Charley and the rest of thechildren lived a most delightful life. They were up at drum-beatevery morning. They would not have missed a parade on any accountwhatever, that is, all except Charley, and he enjoyed it almost asmuch as the rest. They were so enthusiastic and glowing in theirdescriptions. They even went to a stag-dance at night, and almostkilled themselves laughing at the cadets. 

This stag-dance is performed on the green. A ring is formed, and atallow candle is stuck in a cut potato, and placed at intervals roundthe circle; and within this not very brilliant illumination, thecadets dance with each other to the excellent music of the band. Thosewho personate ladies, take hold of their little bob-tailed jackets, and prink and mince, and take fine airs upon themselves, and look soprecisely like fine ladies, that the real fine ladies looking at them, want to give them a good shaking. 

But the children went off into fits of laughter at the long andquizzical shadows on the ground. When the cadets dance a figure, theirshadows look like a company of sickly, melancholy monkeys, which dodgeabout in a distracting way, and look so irresistibly funny, thateverybody shouts with laughter--and it is a very merry spectacle. 

Then this pleasant family had the most delightful tea parties in anarbor at the back of the house. To be sure the ear-wigs anddaddy-long-legs, _would_ drop into their tea once in a while, makingthem first squeal, and jump up, and then laugh, and a grasshopper ortwo, _would_ hop suddenly on the cake, and hop more suddenly off, before they could catch him; but what of that? Some people shriek soif a grasshopper hops near them, you would think it was an elephantcome to pack them up in his trunk, for the rest of their lives; butthese children had more sense, and did not mind a little insect athousand times smaller than themselves. 

 * * * * *

And now I must come to a sad, sad part of my story--I dread to beginit--and would gladly have told you a great deal more about thefairies, and what they did for Charley; but Mr. Appleton says, youwould not like to have the same story go through two books, and this, I am afraid, is already too long. 

But I must relate one circumstance. Charley had retired to his littlebed one evening earlier than usual; dark, lowering clouds had spedquickly over the sky, soon after he fell asleep. The tops of the hightrees, skirting the fairy hollow, waved restlessly to and fro, and theangry growls of the thunder portended a violent storm. This night, there was to have been a festival in the beautiful hollow. 

As the fairies flew along in the troubled air, and the Queen triedvainly to charm away the coming tempest, (for they were to carryCharley to the hollow that night, ) a dark form, like gathered mist, went slowly past, her head bent, her arms folded. 

And now, the lightnings came with a blinding glare, and the grandbooming of Heaven's artillery awoke the solemn echoes. Fast theaffrighted, shuddering fairies sped away, to hide under the fernleaves, and in the tiny caves at the foot of the rocks. But the misty, shadowy form still floated past, till it arrived at the open window ofCharley's room. 

[Illustration: THE ANGEL OF DEATH. ]

With noiseless motion it glided to the bed, bent over Charley, andwhispered in a soft, sweet voice, "Beloved one, you are taken away inyour early and lovely spring-time, because for you, to live, is tosuffer. You will go where there are no storms, no sorrows, nosufferings; clasped in my arms, you will sleep, and be at restforever. "

And Charley smiled lovingly upon the ANGEL OF DEATH, and his sleepgrew deeper, and calmer, and sweeter. But the next day, he told hismother, and sisters, and brothers, of his mournful visitor, who hadpassed out of the window into the veiling clouds, and disappeared. Thechildren burst into passionate weeping, and clasped him in their arms, and refused to let him go. The little mother knew he had been_dreaming as before_; but alas! she knew also only too well, that herdarling's time had come. He suffered no pain; but he became weaker andweaker, and life was slowly but surely ebbing away. Consumption, thatfell disease, had nearly finished her baleful work, and his lamp oflife, flickering and dim, would soon pass away into the dark valley ofthe shadow of death. 

God knew best, and in His infinite wisdom saw fit to take Charley outof this wearisome world, in which, if he had lived, he would suffer somuch. 

But the child was so much beloved. _He was the sunlight of the house_;and the pang of parting would be so cruel. They knew that they wouldmeet again in the place Jesus had prepared for them in His Father'shouse--they knew _that_; but how could they help grieving now?

The good doctor came every day, and used his utmost skill, for hedearly loved the sweet, patient child; but it was of no avail, Charley's everlasting HOME was ready for him. 

Slowly and sadly the poor children wandered around; for their sorrowpressed like a weight upon them. They would come softly to hisbedside, smooth his golden hair, and kiss his forehead, and hope hewould yet get well; then seeing his pallid face, and little wastedhands lying so still outside of the white bedspread, they would gohastily away, and shed bitter, bitter tears; vainly struggling torepress them, lest he should hear and be grieved. 

The joyous little birds still sang in the trees; the majesticHighlands still rose in the blue air; and the splendid sunset cloudsstill covered their summits with a glory; the glittering water wasbeautiful as ever. The drums beat to reveille, and crowds of gaypeople walked about the parade-ground. 

And Charley was dying. 

Even now, the loving guardian angels were waiting on the other side ofthe dark valley, to conduct this summer blossom to his heavenly home. Myriads of little children were tuning their golden harps, to greethis purified spirit with a hymn of joyful welcome, and Jesus wassaying, "Come. "

And now, his last day on earth was passing--lovely and serene. Charley's little bed had been moved in the afternoon, close to theopen window, where he could see the white sails gliding by on thesmooth silvery water. A peace from within, not of this world, illuminated his sweet face. He had sent for all his brothers andsisters, and with a faint voice, and at broken intervals, was talkingto them, and giving to each one some little trifle belonging to him;and one by one, convulsed with sobs, they would rush from theroom--and after a painful struggle would return, with their tearsforced back; their loving gaze fastened upon him, whom in a few shorthours they would see no more. 

When the good doctor entered, and saw that the end was so near, hisfeatures worked painfully, and covering his face with his hands, inanother moment the great scalding tears trickled through. This braveman, in the midst of battle, with the death strokes falling right andleft, and the great cannons booming destruction before him, had walkedwithout fear or flinching among the dead and wounded, giving help andsuccor; but now, loving and tender-hearted as he was brave, he hadcovered his face, and was weeping like a child. 

"Tell the doctor not to cry, " whispered the dying boy. "I am goinghome to Jesus. I am going _now_, " he said, with a gasping sigh. "Kissme, mother. Oh! how I thank you for all your love and kindness. Ithank you all; I bless you all. God bless you all;" and thus to theend, grateful and loving, Charley spoke his last words. 

For now his silken hair lay heavy and damp upon his snow-whiteforehead; and as the solemn twilight deepened into shade, and thefirst star broke like a promise in the sky, one little upwardfluttering sigh was heard, and they knew that this life was ended, andCharley was winging his bright way to HEAVEN. 

Not a word was spoken, not a sob broke the stillness. The moonbeams, struggling into the room, disclosed the little mother on her knees bythe small white couch, her head buried in the white coverings. Thechildren sat sorrow-stricken, motionless, almost breathless, theireyes fastened on the face of the dead child, in a despairing hope thathe might speak again; but not a breath stirred those still lips. Thegood doctor, after a while, tenderly raised the heart-broken mother, and led her away, and then sending for some kind neighbors, theygently and lovingly prepared the remains of Charley for their lastquiet resting-place. 

How lovely now looked what was left of the good and lovely boy. Theglistening golden curls pressed closely around the broad, open brow, white as a lily, and a heaven-sent smile just parted the pale lips. The leaves of a cluster of white roses curled around his little hands, which were folded so tenderly above his stilled and quiet heart; andevery flower that he loved was placed with tears and kisses all abouthim. 

But oh! what a desolate cry arose in those children's hearts when thelittle coffin was closed, and the sweet, peaceful face was seen nomore. Charley was in heaven--Charley was happy, but they wanted him, _they wanted him_. 

It seemed so cruel that the world should go on gay as ever, and theirCharley dead. They wondered, as they came on board the boat, which wasto carry what was left of their darling back to New York, theywondered why every face was not tearful, when theirs was so full ofsorrow. 

They made a little grave for him in the beautiful Greenwood Cemetery. The soft moonlight sleeps lovingly upon it, and people tread lightlyas they approach and read the name of "LAME CHARLEY. "

Slowly and sadly passed the rest of the summer, for the little mothertold no more stories. Once she tried, for she could not bear to seethe sad faces of her children; alas! that one vanished face, with itssweet, grateful smile, and little tender ways, came before her, andthe story was lost in a flood of tears. 

But late one lovely evening, as she was sitting by the open window, thinking of her loved and lost one, some friend, unseen beneath, sangthese words, to a sweet and tender melody--

 "Mildly, sweet summer moon, Shine on this mother, weeping; Whisper within her heart, 'He is not dead, but sleeping. '

 "Softly, sweet summer stars, Evermore vigil keeping, Tell her, in steadfast tones, 'He is not dead, but sleeping. '

 "Gently, sweet summer wind, All things in perfume steeping; Breathe in her sorrowing soul, 'He is not dead, but sleeping;

 "'And safe in Jesus' arms, His great reward is reaping. ' Up! mother, up! and cry, 'He is not dead, but sleeping. '"

A faint flush passed over the mother's pale cheek, for she knew thatsome one who loved her, had thus tenderly warned her that her griefwas not endured as hopefully as it should be. She had not rememberedthat her beloved Charley was only "gone before, not lost. "

With an earnest, prayerful effort, she once more grew cheerful, andwith her cheerfulness came happiness to the children's hearts, thoughthey all their lives will remember their good, pure, and tenderlybeloved brother--whom you, dear little reader, also love, and know as

LAME CHARLEY. 

Dear little readers, you and I have now followed Charley togetherthrough six books, in which his life, and the lives of his brothersand sisters, have been faithfully portrayed. If the good and pure lifeof the little lame child, now happy in heaven, gives you _one_steadfast resolution, to endeavor, from this time forth, to lead agood and pure life, it will gladden the inmost heart of your loving

 AUNT FANNY. 

THE END. 

Transcriber's Note:

 Variations and inconsistencies in spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation in the original text have been retained in this ebook.