THE FAIRIES' MIDSUMMER PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 208, 3 September 1927, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE FAIRIES' MIDSUMMER PARTY.

"Oh! Here's a pretty butterfly! I must have that one!" Roger chased down the garden path holding his butterfly net high in the air after the gorgeous brown-and-gold butterfly fluttered its wings in the sunshine a short distance away. "Please don't! Let it go!" cried Molly, hurrying after him. "Of course, I shan't! That's just like a girl, I want it for my collection." j The net" swooped down on the beautiful insect and tie next minute held it prisoner. With a loud whoop of triumph Roger lowered the net, but before he realised it Molly was at his side, shook the stick violently, turned the net upside down and the beautiful butterfly flew out into the garden. "Molly! That was spiteful of you! I Now. I have lost it! I won't play table tennis with you to-night," cried Roger angrily and, with a sulky frown, returned to the house. Molly sighed. She loved her cousin Roger, who was ten, two years older than herself; he knew such Wonderful games. And now she had offended him Molly was a fair-haired little girl, who, because she had been ill with measles in the spring, was on a visit to her Aunt Lucy in the country to get strong again. Her own home was in a town where there were nothing but streets of houses and busy thoroughfares. Oh! how she loved this garden, where red and white rosw grew, sweet-scented pinks and fragrant jasmine. Molly seated herself on the garden seat. She was sorry for Roger's disappointment, but ehe couldn't help feeling pleased that the butterfly was free. There it was again darting from flower to.. flower. It might be carrying a message to the fairies, for many of them lived in the flowers. In this garden one might even hope to see one! And then a fairy appeared in the rose bush beside her! It was one of the flower fairies wearing a deep green petal frock, with hair golden like the pollen dust, pair of shining gauzy wings, wide and pointed. A little cloak made of white rose petals, as soft . as. velvet, hung from her shoulders. She stood and gazed at Molly with bright ' eyes from between the leaves of the . rose bush. J "Good afternoon, Molly!" sle said, and - her voice was like the echo of a silver ; bell. i "Good afternoon, Fairy!" cried Molly, i a little shyly. ] "I have come to thank you for sav- j ing the butterfly from being taken in J the net," said the Fairy. "He was \ delivering some of the Queen's invita- i tions which have been delayed. Of i eourse you know what day it is?" Molly shook her head in a doubtful t way. : "I think I heard aunty 6ay it was \ Friday." c "That's not what I mean," said the t tairy. "It's Midsummer Day, and the i Fairy Queen is giving a picnic this I ifternoon as well as a dance to-night." t "Oh! how lovely!" cried Molly. t (Next week I will tell yon what ? lappened at the Fairy party.) t