BESSY'S FAIRY GODMOTHER.

BY JULIA K. HILDRETH.

Little Bessy believed in fairies, although her mother smiled and shook her head when she asked, "Did you ever see a fairy?"

At the time my story begins Bessy sat on the window-sill with a great book open on her knee, straining her eyes to catch the last words of the most delightful story she had ever read. It was all about fairy godmothers, shoes filled with gold, and other wonderful things to be found in such books.

As the light died out of the sky, and a soft purple mist settled down upon the hill-tops, she sighed, and closed her book, for the story was finished.

Bessy's father and mother were away from home, and she was alone that evening. The sound of voices and the rattling of dishes came from the kitchen. The crickets had begun their evening song; the lanes were growing dim and mysterious. Bessy could imagine a fairy head peeping from every tall flower by the garden gate, and the Queen of them all seemed to bow to her from the tall white lily in the pansy bed.

Bessy thought if ever fairy appeared to mortal child, it would be on such a night as this. And now, to crown all, just at the end of the lane appeared a light, moving backward and forward. First it would bob down, and then up quite high among the bushes.

At last Bessy could bear it no longer, and made up her mind to solve the mystery. So she stepped out of the window on the porch, and then, softly over the grass, for she was afraid Ann would hear her and call her back. She said to herself, "If it should be a fairy glow-worm lighting the fairies to their dancing ground, Ann would frighten them away, she is so big and heavy."

So down the path she went on tiptoe. Hardly daring to breathe, she pushed open the gate, and looked down the lane.

Bessy thought the light had disappeared. But by-and-by it came again, moving in the same strange manner. Although she trembled a great deal, she went bravely on. It was only a short lane leading to the main road, and shut in on one side by a large clump of trees. It was at the foot of one of these trees that the light seemed to be standing now.

At first Bessy crept softly on, keeping it in sight. How dark it had grown! The light shone from the bushes like a fallen star. When Bessy was within a few feet of the light, she was astonished to see a face peering out of the darkness, its eyes fixed on her with anything but a pleasant expression. The light went out, and Bessy, wishing she was safe at home, turned to scamper back, when a heavy hand was laid on her shoulder, and the light flashed in her face.

She now saw it was a lantern carried by a very small and disagreeable old woman dressed in black, and her head covered with a red handkerchief. In one hand she held the lantern, and under her arm was a crooked stick.

Now when Bessy saw the stick, she was sure it was a fairy godmother, for the old woman was exactly like the description of the fairy in her new book. The ugly black stick was her wand. So she whispered, timidly,

"Are you a fairy godmother?"

"A what?" growled the old woman.

"A fairy godmother," repeated Bessy.

"Oh, yes, yes; to be sure I'm a fairy. If you tell any one you saw me, I'll bring bad luck on your house."

"Please, please don't," sobbed Bessy. "I'll never, never tell any one."

"Well, shut up, then," said the fairy, "and don't make such a noise."

Bessy was not frightened now, for she remembered that fairy godmothers were always cross, and said hateful things just before they granted three wishes. So she said, softly,

"Will you please give me three wishes, madam?"

"I'll give you three slaps if you don't get out right off," grumbled the old fairy.

"Please, please," prayed Bessy. "I'll do anything you tell me if you will give me three wishes."

"I don't believe you. You ain't got spunk enough."

"Oh yes, I have," said Bessy. "Try me."

"Where do you live?" asked the fairy.

"Just down the lane, close by."

"You do, do you? I didn't see no house," said the fairy, in a startled voice.

"That's because mother and father are out, and there's no light in the front room," replied Bessy.

"Are you all alone?" asked the fairy.

"No," replied Bessy; "Ann and Lucy are at home."

"Who's them?"

"Mamma's two servants."

"Any men at the house?"

"Not now," answered Bessy. "Mother took Peter to drive. They'll be back soon, I think."

The old fairy turned out the light and sat down on the ground; then she pulled Bessy down by her, and put her hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Now remember," she began, "you promise never to tell nobody."

"I promise true and sure I never will, if you'll give me three wishes to-night."

But Bessy wondered if all fairies smelled so of tobacco.

"Will you do just what I tell you?" asked the fairy.

"Yes," said Bessy, nodding her head very hard, "I will."

"Let's hear your three wishes, then," growled the fairy.

"First, I want my shoes and papa's and mamma's filled with gold. Then I want an invisible cap for myself, and then—"

"Now stop," interrupted the old fairy; "you've had four a'ready."

"No," answered Bessy, "that's only two. Papa's and mamma's and my shoes filled with gold is one wish, you know."

"Well, go on."

"Let me see," pondered Bessy. "I guess you may give me happiness for the rest of my life, and that's all."

"All right," returned the fairy godmother, "you'll find them waiting for you at three in the morning, if you do what I tell you to."

"I'm ready," said Bessy.

"You just run home, and bring me the big key of the front door."

"But papa said I must not touch that. Besides, he would miss it, for he always locks the door himself, and hangs the key up by the hat stand."

"I sha'n't keep it," said the fairy. "I'll give it right back. You see, if I didn't know the size of the key-hole, I mightn't send a fairy small enough to go through."

"Oh!" said Bessy.

"Is the door fastened any other way?" asked the old fairy.

"Yes," said Bessy; "a big bolt at the bottom, but it's broken. Papa said he must send a man to fix it, but he didn't."

"All right. You run as fast as you can, and don't let any one see you, or the spell will be broken. Remember."

"I know," replied Bessy; and she sprang up and flew down the lane, through the gate, and up the steps. She could hear Ann and Lucy still talking and laughing in the kitchen, but no one seemed to be thinking of her; so she drew the key out softly, and ran back, thinking how delighted her father and mother would be in the morning. Bessy found the old fairy waiting in the same place.

"SHE SNATCHED THE KEY, AND SAID, 'I'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT.'"

She snatched the key, and said, "I'll be back in a moment," and vanished into the darkness. Bessy was almost wild with excitement, but she kept as quiet as she could, and presently the fairy re-appeared.

Her first words astonished Bessy:

"Have you a dog?"

"Yes," answered Bessy, "but he's the best dog that ever lived. He never bites any but bad people, and his name is Watch."

"What do you do with him at night?"

"Why, we let him run around the garden to keep away thieves."

"You do, do you? That's right," said the old fairy. "You just give him this fairy meat; it will keep him from barking at the fairy I send, and scaring her away."

"Yes, Madam Fairy," returned Bessy; "I'll remember, and I'll put my shoes and papa's and mamma's all in a row by the door, and please tell your fairy servant to fill them up to the brim with gold. Remember."

"Good-by," said the old fairy, and when Bessy looked around she was alone. So she scampered back, and meeting Watch by the gate, whispered in his ear,

"Here is a piece of meat the fairy sent you. Now be a good dog, and don't bark when she comes to-night."

Watch took the meat, ate, and growled over it.

Bessy put the key back softly. Then feeling very lonely and excited, she crept softly around to the kitchen door for light and companionship. There stood Lucy kneading bread for breakfast, while Ann sat by the door knitting a long cotton stocking.

Bessy came close up to her and stood still, looking into the kitchen. With everything shining and clean, so cozy and comfortable, it was quite delightful after the mysterious lane, and the old fairy who smelled of tobacco.

"Why, you darling," said Ann, "I was just coming to look for you. Where have you been? You look as scared as a cat, and as wild as a witch. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," answered Bessy. "I wish mother would come. What time is it?"

"Half past eight," said Lucy, looking at the clock. "She'll be along soon now. Don't fret, and I'll give you a big piece of cake."

Bessy was as fond of cake as other little girls; so she sat down on the door-step to eat the cake, and listened for the wheels of the carriage.

At last they came, and Bessy flew down to meet her parents with delight, for she felt lonesome and queer.

Mamma called Ann to light the big lamp on the round table; then she looked at her little girl, sat down, and took her on her lap, saying:

"Well, what have you been doing, little one? You look tired and cold. Have you had your tea?"

How Bessy longed to tell them of the wonderful good luck in store for them! But she remembered her promise, and only answered:

"Yes, mamma. I am sleepy."

So mamma took a candle from the mantel-piece, and led Bessy to bed, undressed her, and listened to her little prayer, and tucked in the quilt; then she said:

"I'll be back for the light after I have had my supper. Shut your eyes, like a good girl, and go to sleep."

As soon as her mother left the room Bessy slid off of the bed and into the next room, which was her mother's, to hunt for two pairs of shoes. After some fumbling, she found a pair of slippers of her mother's and a large pair of boots of her father's. She put them in a row by the door, and then jumped into bed again.

It was not until after what seemed to Bessy a long, long time that she heard her father and mother come out of the dining-room. Then she heard papa say:

"Why, what's the matter with the key? I can't turn it." She heard the key taken out, and papa say again: "What is this in the key? It looks like wax."

After a little, she heard her father turn the key and hang it up on the hook. Pretty soon mamma came into Bessy's room. Bessy closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She felt mamma kiss her, and heard her close the door.

How long she slept she never knew; but suddenly she started up wide awake, to find the stars shining down on her through the window. Everything was as still as it could be. Bessy wondered if the fairies had come yet.

She stepped out of bed and across the room, and put her hand into the big boots. They were empty; so were her own little shoes and mamma's slippers.

"Well, they haven't come yet," she whispered.

She was about to return, when her attention was attracted by a flash of light in the hall. Bessy peeped out, thinking it might be the fairy; but what was her surprise at seeing two large men, in stocking feet, coming up the lower stairs on tiptoe. The one behind carried a lantern, and was making it flash backward and forward, up and down, as the old fairy did in the lane.

What could they want? she wondered.

The first man carried a sack over his shoulder, and pointed toward the closet where Bessy knew all the silver-ware was kept. Then the man with the lantern began pushing what looked like an enormous nail between the lock and the door, stopping every now and then to listen.

In a few moments the door flew open, and both went in together. Then Bessy saw them take down the beautiful silver pitchers, tea-pots, trays, and forks and spoons, and put them into the bag. They did it so softly that there was not even the least little chink from them.

Though Bessy was a very little girl, and believed in fairies, she knew these men had no right to take papa's silver. So she thought she must tell him. She ran to the door between their rooms, and pushed it open a little way.

"Papa! papa!" she cried, "two big men are in the house. They have taken everything in the silver closet. Take a stick and drive them away."

Up jumped papa, seizing a pair of great pistols, and made a rush for the stairs, with Bessy behind him.

They had not reached the first step when the two men darted out of the room below.

But on seeing papa with a pistol in each hand, they dropped the bag and ran toward the open hall door, and were out of sight in a moment.

Mamma, awakened by the noise, came hurrying out to see what was the matter, and found Bessy crying in the corner, and papa rushing through the house with a pair of pistols. Bessy's mother clasped her very closely in her arms.

In a little while papa came back, looking very serious. The men had disappeared, and Watch lay dead on the mat outside of the door.

By the time they had emptied the bag, and put everything in its place, it was quite daylight, and Bessy knew the fairy had been frightened away. So she climbed up in her mother's lap and began sobbing softly. Then, when her mother coaxed her to tell what ailed her, she pointed to the shoes, and told her about the old fairy in the lane and the key.

Bessy had to tell that story ever so many times that day. And for a long time her mamma did not leave her alone in the evenings; so that Bessy never saw the fairy godmother again.