LITTLE GLAD HEART.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 35

LITTLE GLAD HEART.

A FAIRY TALE.

(Continued.)

So Little Glad Heart became from that hour the chief care and joy of the fairies, and never before or since were baby days made brigher and happier. When Glad Heart could walk she used to wander for hours and hours through the beautiful green fields and forests, gathering flowers of every lovely hue, for flowers were indeed her playthings — not dull playthings either — for you must remember that they could all talk.

When Glad Heart was about five years old she was the wonder and pride of all fairyland, for she was taller, and larger, and more beautiful than the most beautiful fairy there, and only that the fairy queen loved her adopted daughter so much, she would have grown jealous of her. But love was stronger in the fairy queen's heart than vanity, and that is not the first time a great thing has been in a little body; so instead of shutting Little Glad Heart selfishly away out of sight, for fear people would admire her, the fairy queen ordered banquets, and gave parties on the lake, and dressed Glad Heart in silver and satin, and precious stones, no that she should be indeed a sparkling as well as a beautiful thing. All this love and kindness made G-lad Heart's heart gladder and gladder, and every bright day you could hear her singing to her flowers : Oh, my heart is glad within me Little daisy, pink-lipped daisy ! Glad a 6 you are when your sweet lace Feels the dew of heaven upon it. When I wander through the green grass Every blade looks up to greet me, And the wild flowers 'mid it growing Smile upon me as I pass them. My glad heart doth bound within me When the roses— deep red roses (Deep as true love, and as fragrant) Breathe their breath of odours on me. The forget-me-nots— those blue stars, Twinkling through a cloud of clover, Say to me— be true, beloved, For of thee we ofb are thinking. I am happy, I am happy, Peaceful as the water-lilies Resting calmly on a deep pool That has not a ripple on it. All my days are like the sparkle Made by sun-beam 6on the water ; All my nights are like the shimmer Made by moon-gleams glinting o'er it. Like a Bimrise in mid-summer Bursts each new-made day upon me, Like a sunset rich in colour ■ Steals each evening gently o'er me. Like a hawthorn in full blossom Blooms my hopeful heart within me. I am happy, 1 am happy, Glad my heart is, glad my heart is ! (To be continued.)