CHILDREN'S TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 7

CHILDREN'S TALK.

(Specially written for the Witness ChrislmtH

Number 0f1594.)

By OSWALD HUGO.

"Will you kindly keep a look at th» children while Igo in next door ? I will nob be very long. I had better light tbe lamp before I go, if yon wish to continue your writing."

" No, please don'fc," I answered. " I wIU enjoy the children's hour, and see faces and fairy tales in the fire until yon return."

The embors from tbe fire ipread a dim light over the room, as from a lamp with a red screen, but the sofa stood in darknees—only a couple of peacock' 6 feathers over a picture above reached out into tbe light.

" Look," said George, pointing to the door, upon which the back of tbe rocking-chair made a shadov picture that lookid like, rail* ings— " look, that Js a prison j see how tho prisoners shak« the railings," and he gave the chair a puih with his foot, so that tha shadows on the door moved. "Look, the prisoners are breaking out 1 "

In the (same moment a guet of wind rushed down the chimney, tbe embers fell together, and it was quite dark in tbe room.

" Here they are i " orled George, and threw himself down in front of the sofa, Annie and little Doris screamed with fright.

" You must not frighten your little sister like that," I said.

George laughed. " I can tell storks too," he said, and sat down on a footstool by my side. Doris climbed up on my knee, and Annie stood loar.iog against my ohair. The fire glared up again, and a thin streak of light fell across the floor, and reached up to the figure of Thorvaldrea's Christ that stood on the piano. " Tell us a Btory," George asked.

I began : " Oat in a big forest " " No ; not that one," George interrupted j "we know that one. Toll us one about L giant." " No ; about a fairy," Annie said. " When I was a little boy I sailed with my father in a big »hip, far away to foreign countries, where there are blaok people and wild anlraab, and high trees with golden apples on " "Was your mother with you!" Annia asked.

"B« quiet, can't you 1 " George said. "Trees with golden apples on; and tho flowers there were so large tbat the birda could build their nests in them ; and every morning all tbe children got a pretty flowet and a big golden applo. And when they had boon very good the whole day they wore allowed at night, beforo going to bed, tc^ break the shell, and a little fairy jumped out; j of the apple, with a doll or a tea set or su rocking horse. But the naughty children'^ apples had rats and mice in them whioh bi6 thoir fingers." " That Btory was no good," George eaid. 11 You tell one yourself, then," Annie said. 11 Yes. I will tell one." And he opened hit eyes wide, and looked very earnestly while he told.

11 Once there was a king who had a castle with many rooms in it. And his wife and all his obildron died, and there wa» no one who cared for him then. And all bis servants went about the castle and scrubbed and dusted tbe rooms. But there was one room in which none was allowed to enter. There were big padlooks on the door, and only tha king had the keys. And every day he went into the room and stopped away a long time, and no one dared to call him. Bud all the people would be glad to know what was in that room. And do you know what* was in it ? "

" I don'fc," Annie answered.

11 Neither do I, George," I said. " There was only a fly," he answered, and nodded his head.

" A fly 1 " Annie exolaimed, surprised. " Yob ; a winter fly," nodded the boy ; "it is a fly that cannot die. It creeps all th? time round the walls and np the ceiling, and when It blows and ruins outside it creeps into a corner and bides itself, but when the sun begins to shine it sits on the window pane and longs for the summer to come." "Is it called a winter fly ? " Annie asked. " Yos," answered the boy ; " and all men have got one to play with." " We haven't one," the sieter replied.

"No; but mother «ays we will get one when we get big," George answered. "Oh 1 here comes mamma with the lamp. What a pity— no more stories."