“JUST FAIRIES”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11955, 27 May 1933, Page 9

“JUST FAIRIES”

KING EDWARD AND FRIEND SUB. AT COTTAGE.

HOW THEY THANKED THEIR’ HUMBLE HOSTESS.

A. house party gathered at a. tim©,honoured hail of Buckinghamshire, in the Into oijjbtios, included the then Prince of Wales, afterward Edward VII. (writes' a correspondent ol the, "Christian Science Monitor”). One. morning the Prince and his host, Lord B—. set forth on a ramble together. It was 'November, and a sharp hoar frost had spangled the leafless trees and bushes and tangled in silver lacery the bracken and brambles'. Distances wore veiled inhaze and landmarks hard to distinguish, whorchv the two men soon were lost in the woodland mazes of Lord B—,’s wide estates. They wandered far, through glades and thickets, until emerging upon a grassy lane they followed it to its ending at, a small thatched cottage. At the door of this humble abode they knocked, and it was opened to them by a bent and ancient woman. To her the Prince said;—

"Good dame, we are two tired and hungry wayfarers. Can you direct us to somo inn where we could rest and procure some food?” "Poor lads,” exclaimed the old cottager, "it'll he a long ways from here to anywhere. Ye’ll just com© in and hide thee whilst Mother Robin, as they call me; gets ye a bite.”

So the wanderers sumptuously lunched on bread and cheese, Alothei Robin not knowing who wore her guests. When hunger and weariness had been forgotten and they soughtto testify to their gratitude in practical form, their hostess would accept nothing luit thanks- Happily the -expression of gratitude may take many forms.

Early next morning, when the woman went out into the neighbouring woods to gather faggots /for a fire, there arose from their hiding places in tho surrounding coverts several gamekeepers in the employ ot Lord B . These men silently unloaded from a cart waiting in the thickets, sundry heavily-laden crate- 5 , baskets and sacks, and bore them to the cottage. There they hastily filled every nook and corner with all imaginable viands and groceries.

Lastly they spread upon her table a roasted turkey. On its breast it bore a card inscribed: "I‘i’Orn your two grateful guest s ol yes ford a.\. Later the Prince was told how Mother Robin returned. Depositing her bundle of gathered faggots at the threshold of her cottage, site pushed open its door and stepped 111111111 lmi, drew hack in alarm as she behold tlie interior, glittering like Aladdin’s cave with piled treasures of coloured tins, bright, hollies, i-liin-ing jars, and gayly wrapped packages. Shyly, she approached arid touched some of the nearest ob-jects-—find found them very real. Presently she encountered the tiOk,..y, hearing like an ambassador its credentials on its breast.. . W ith. difficulty slit- read the inscribed message; "From your two grniol.nl guests of yesterday."

"Ah, no! Dear bodies! \e ''-ere jll st. fa iri e s —-p retell ding. I‘voh ea r d if said tlmt .sometimes They come like that!”