MIDSUMMER FAIRIES AN ENGLISH SCHOOL STORY IN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

MIDSUMMER FAIRIES AN ENGLISH SCHOOL STORY IN

TWO PARTS

fConcluded from last tv«'«-k.> I would have called as 1 came up to her. But I didn't want to startle her. and I was so dreadfully putted with running. So. as things were. she saw nie before I spoke She laid down the envelope and then she got up. She wasn't looking unlike a fairy herself, really, in the moonlight, in spite of her flannel dressinggown: for her eyes sparkled and looked so very big and shiny. And her hair looked as golden as corn. "O-o-o-o: You've come t0..! Oh. Stella!" .-he said. "Oh. I might have guessed that you would! Oh. Stella, see—l think I've found a fairy ring, though they're difficult to find in this light. But I've posted my letter here, and I do hope they'll find it:" Of course, what I'd meant to do was to pick her up and hurry back to school as fast as possible. I'd meant to do it. and I would have done it —and scolded her all the way. most probably—but at that moment something most awfully queer happened .fust as I was stretching out to take her hand mere came another sound behind the trees. The sound of other voices coming nearer. "I think this is the very spot." said a voice. You may think I was dreaming But I wasn't. Though I own that just for a moment I thought I must ,be. It was all so dreadfully eerie 'and strange. "Betty'." I whispered. "Come along quickly." For. of course, my one idea was to get her back to bed. But it wasn't Betty's idea. She'd heard the voices too. Her eyes became starrier still, and she bent down and picked up her envelope. "Stella." she whispered. "It's the fairies coming for my letter!" It was then that the fairies, as she called them, came out of the wood. and I own I was—well, nonplussed. There were two figures, dressed in some strange draperies. As we stared

U,'t ■'«■ i '• z h *-« there I-.-:.! •■ w..,.. 1., ■ , e *» have !,.-. i! ~i ,i. sr .-«- *** "Th- y':-" < r •. z\: '- "" 3 kepi - A .j. '" VM '"' who ran d^ At la-' the dan. .- ,-.„-„ tn *« . an.! 1 xfrr.t-1 ... . ,v.■?* rk to .25 With iip.<p I.- iu-vv '.w^edhSS r"i a mk"?'rv"'" ran fr,rw " ar^ ' Oh.'" »h<- •:"• ■,>• i. bbed "Fairi -< Do dance agair Do read my w and help M, «. n arm .. ar<i her g* to go away f.,r a nohday'" At the very !ir>t sight of her ft. strangers tu.md. 1 myself, had tiS >_'.«.. ... ~ >)!,■ ~.: - r..;;nd thekne* of The i;.,!or ..! :;, dancer, Joojg so queer s.n«l *w«, and habyi*? her pink dr<■>.;■.- pr,-.vn -Why J: queer, funny ;;- c mortal: Wh«Z v™/™. lh .° >lran Se-- ffic 1 _ think ■ .; )..-•< . . \,.iain.~ I cc-ming forward p was a prZ awful moment, but T began to hw things nut "Von -c-c—it's Midsmr" mer Nicht. And Rem came out il find the rairk-<. because she's * something to ask them You see.*? wont on to ihe second of rt» strangers, whose hair was y£ bronze- autumn leaves, and 1 mS to speak softly because somehow-] didn t want Betty to be so dreadMr disappointed as I knew she'd be when she heard the truth "You see,"] whispered, -she—believes in fairfe And—she really and truly thinks v'ou are fairies! because she's smali"' Hut I need not have thought & dancers were coinp i>. hurt Betty's reelings v.-. laughing at her Iff funny .~,.;y : < •times, but one finds oa : that other people "understand" qua! well, really, though one doesn't always expect them to, at first. "Why, of course we came out and danced, just because it was Midsummer Night, and for no other reason." said the fairest strainer And she lifted Betty up in her arm? and held her close, pink dressW gown and all: "and of coureeri vend your letter, you little darlitur she said I had to speak, then, to the other dancer—the one with the aubnn hair—and to explain things projp-ir to her while Betty was adoringb=fairy. 1 told her all about Beep wish and about Mrs. Barnes. An-. how I'd seen her crossing thegardeL And how I'd come to fetch her bad "That's why we're here. I never expected to see you. of course" 1 said. "I suppose you really aredancers, or something."" "Yes. we are." she told roe "It friend and 1 are to dance in a ne* him before very long. This part o: the country is to be its settiw because it is so beautiful. We though". we'd motor down from town and make our first practice on Midsummer Night . . . well, just for luck! But what does the little thinr want?" I explained about Mrs. Barnt "But don't you worn.' about that. 1 added, "but please do let her keep on thinking that you're fairies:"' "Don't you be too sure about that." she smiled. "Maybe there are fairies, after all." So Betty was still thinking them both fairies when she waved goodbye, which she did until they were quite out of sight. "Stella." she said. "I'm so glad vt met them. I'm going to keep it a secret, for my fairy said so. She said that fairies are secret thines. Only not to Miss Hurst, of course" "All right,'' I said. "Only, as yon say. of course. Miss Hurst must know all about it."