THE GREY HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 189, 12 August 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GREY HOUSE.

(By Agnes Wirfskcll, 2.12, Queen Street, Onehuuga, Auckland, age IG.)

The grey house, surrounded by the whispering trees, nestled in the valley, a fanciful little relic of the quaint long ago. And on each side of the narrow cobbled pathway that encircled the cottage tile luxurious blooms of summer blossomed forth in all their glory, bringing sunshine to the garden on even the darkest days. The little old lady who resided there lived in a haven of peacefulness and contentment, for with her dainty home and her young granddaughter for company, she wished ioi nothing more.

It was lier granddaughter for whom she was waiting now—little niue-yeaV-ohl Rosemary, who was a child in every sense ot the word. Santa Clans and the fairy folk were still of her world, for she was not as city children, who delight iu "growing big." In body and in spirit. Rosemary was a child, and the birds and tne (lowers were all lier friends.

She came down the hillside towards the cottage, a creature of life and energy, her checks aglow from the sharp touch of the wind and her hair flying. She reached the gateway a quivering little ligure, h'er eyes shining as they Look in the surroundings.'

"Oh, granny," she cried, as she ran to the arms of the old lady, standing in the doorway, "tin* hills and the bush yonder are wonderful, but our own little garden is the loveliest place in the whole of Suuuvside. Its —its beautiful!"

"Yes, its beautiful, all right, darling.'

The old lady glanced around her, as she answered. "I'm glad you love it so. But come, we must have tea. We are late already."

They passed into the cottage, the woman ancl the child, and sat do.wn to the evening meal. When darkness fell, the flickering light of the lamp shone through the window and danced up 011 the pathway, until some time later, came the bedtime hour.

Rosemary awoke to see the moonlight streaming through the window, and with the sound of bells ringing on the air. The bells wore like music to Rosemary's ears —tinkling bells, silvery and fairylike.

Curiosity filling her, the girl slipped from between the sheets, donned her dressing gown and slippers, and crept softly from the room. The large, mellow moon, sailing overhead, bathed the garden in a pale light, although beneath the trees hung a soft shadow.

But it was not these things that paused Rosemary to gazo inercduously before her, her expression one of amazement arid yet delight. No, it was the sight of

little fairy figures that danced upon the lawn at the bottom of the garden —a lawn' that stretched soft and green, like a carpet beneath their feet. Rosemary could hardly , believe her eyes. Rosemary found that she was known to these little people, for they greeted her by name and then imparted exciting news. "It is the wedding to-night," they told her, "of the Princess Kola, and we are to be bridesmaids. See, these frocks of ours, they were specially made from the sweet-scented petals of the buttercup, and we are to wear garlands of forget-me-nots around our hai/." v After ' ' e ceremony, there was dancing after singing, until at last Rosemary felt she could dance and sing no longer. So she said good-bye to them all—the bride and the groom, the dainty little,bridesmaids, and the quaint pageboys, in their crimson breeches. With a last wave of her hand she tripped lightly up the path and entered the little cottage once again. "When she looked from her bedroom window she found her little friends had gone, and the garden seemed strangely silent now that the tinkling bells rang no more. It was a long time before Rosemary slept, and when at last her tired lids closed the scenes of the ■ evening were before her, for she was again with the fairies in the wonderful land of dreams. If there had beien anyone interested enough to follow the movements of our heroine, and had seen a chain of faded forget-me-nots placcd carefully amongst a child's treasures, they would surely have asked themselves "why?" But, my readers, I think that you and I can guess! -