FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14688, 24 May 1911, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

TWO LITTLE BROWN LEAVES.-

Nellie sat on a seat under the trees and sulked. It was a lovely day, and a holiday, so her brothers and sisters, had gone "for a long walk with a basket of nice things which they were to eat when they, got hungry.

By and by, two little girls came past on bicycles. One was in a blue frock, and was very pretty, the other, in pink, was rather plain, and did not look goodtempered, but both children rode well, and were laughing as they passed Nellie, who looked after them with envious eyes. After a little time, a pony-carriage came past. It was a little low carriage shaped like a shell, and was drawn by two pretty grey ponies. In it. was a child in white silk, stretched out at full length on the back seat. By the side of the wood ran a broad stream, and on the opposite bank stood a large and beautiful house, the gardens of which sloped down to tho water's edge. A little girl came from the house, and walked slowly' down through the flower beds. had a book in her hand, and was reading, earnestly. "A nice story book. I daresay," thought Nellie. "How 1 wish I. were that little girl, and live in that beautiful house." The little girl soon went indoors again, and nobobv else passed by. Nellie sat watching the fallen leaves as they were whired about by the wind, sweeping along the ground like a flock ox little hopping birds.

"Poor little dead leaves." murmured Nellie, "they are unhappy like myself." "They're not dead, and they're not, unhappy," said a sweet voice like the sighing of a summer breeze among the trees, and the oak beside Nellie's seat opened to let a lovely girl come out. ." lam the wood fairy," she went on, as Nellie sat staring at her, " and the leaves are under my care. " Look at them again." "You see, they are quite happy," said the fairy. "They do not wish to be roses or lilies, or anything else but what they are." _ "Well, I do," said Nellie. "I know almost every girl is happier and better off than I am, and I want to , be someone else." The fairy smiled. "I daresay L can manage that for you. Who would you like to be?" "Oh. the child in that grand house. No, the one on the bicycle. No, the one in the carriage," cried Nellie. " Remember, vou must . keep to your choice," said the fairy, "so you must lie quit© sure which child you really want to be. You had better come and see more of the children before you make up your mind. Come." The next minute, Nellie and the ; fairy were, two little brown 1 leaves/ whirling before the wind, and Nellie enjoyed the merry dance to the music of the wind. "Now, where shall we go first?" asked the fairy as she swept _ to and _ fro, _ curtseyed and bent from side to side in the prettiest dance Nellie had ever seen. . " Oh, to the home of the bicycle girls, cried Nellie. "I'm sure I shall choose to be one of them ; the pretty one in blue. In a moment the wind had swept her off her feet, and after blowing her about for some time, blew her in at the window of a large nursery, where two little 'girls were playing with a dolls' house, nearly as big .as themselves. All sorts of lovely toys lay about, and Nellie was just going to tell tho fairy she was quite sure she wanted to be the little girl in blue, when the sisters began to quarrel,.ana to Weilie's horror, the two little girls began to slap and kick each other as hard as they C0 "I don't want to be one of those little girls please," whisnered Nellie, all in a hurry "My brothers and sisters are ahvavs kind to me, and I shouldn't change for the better if I changed places with her. But I know I should like to bo the child in the lovely house by the 11V The wind swept the two little brown leaves in at the window of a large, bare, shabbily-furnished room where a little girl sat reading aloud from the same book "Nellie had seen her reading in the garden. 'It was a French lesson book, and the child was reading to a very looking lady, who kept scolding her the whole "Nellie looked on very much puzzled. "Is that her mother.' she asked the

"*No," answered the fairy. " That is her governess. How will that suit youi - "Oh, not at. all," cried Nelhe. My life is much happier than that. but, the little girl in the carriage must be happy. I'm sure; and I know her mother is kind to her. I'll change places with the rich little, girl m the carriage. - So the wind blew the two little brown leaves away again, and in another minute Nellie found herself in the most beautiful room she had ever seen in her lite; it was full of pretty things, lovely pictures hung on the walls; the soft carpet was like thick green moss; and the furniture ornaments were unlike anything Nellie had even seen before. . . , _ The child, 'who had: been in the car- . riage lav on a couch, still dressed in white and with a blue ribbon tying back her golden hair. By her side was a tray laden ttitli dainties, roast chicken,, jellies, creams, and fruit. Nellie felt quite sure she had chosen wisely,this time. The mother was carving a dainty iporsel of chicken, and now held it to the little °' 1 " Do try to eat; darling." she coaxed, but the child shook her head. . "I can't, mother. Nothing tastes nice to me now." 1 , The mother sighed, and sent away tho tempting tray. . , , . "Oh, mother.. I'm so tired of being ill." she sobbed. " I'd give all my toys ,-uid books if I could only run and play; like other children." „ ... * "Why can't she? asked Nellie. ;.. .. " Because there's • somthing wrong with 'her back. She can never, walk; she is always in pain; she can enjoy nothing. Will' you change places with her?" "With nobody, with nobody in all the "world V cried Nellie* Oh, dear Wow mo homo again, to my own dear "happy home." • ' The wind blew hard, and Nellie found "herself standing at her own door, once more a little girl. She ran straight to the dining-room, where the other children who had got home before hero were at tea. 'Nobody said a cross word ,to her. Mother smiled at her, as she put a big cup of milk before her big brother Bob made room for her beside him, and piled jam on a hot cake for her, and little Meg began to tell her all about the picnic, i A small brown leaf drifted slowly out of the open window, but only Nellie saw the smiling face of the wood fairy looking 'back at the happy little girl who had learned to value her own home. —Countess SerkcC ' '