CHRISTMAS EVE, 1906.

Otago Witness, Issue 2756, 9 January 1907, Page 75

CHRISTMAS EVE, 1906.

Dear Dot,— The days of fairies have not yet depwted. In fact, recent events go far to P^rove that fairies are more potent than ever in their gentle art. Take Ceres, for example. We. all know Ceres as well as we know sunlight, dinner-time, and such-like commonplace tilings; but ifi the doings of December 24, 1906, have not proved him a fairy — well, it's nobody's business- How else could he know about the coming of Daisy Primrose, and issue post-cards to the various D.L.F., making appointments to meet her, long before even the lightho»»c-ki eper at the Bluff had sighted the Wimmera? How— had he not been a fairy— could he have been waiting at the wharf ready to welcome the Queen of the West to the isles of ihe south? Or how could he have remembered everything except himself and the prosy old box that took it into its cunning head to get lost amid the Christmas paraphernalia that littered the space around the hatchways? So much for Ceres and necromancy. Fairy number two was discovered standing amid si a pile of "trunks, hat boxes, etc., on ihe deck of the Wimmera, with a cluster of big sun daisies and a bunch c-f delightful primroses in her hat. This I was Daisy Primrose. Outwardly matter-of-fact, she leaned over the bulwarks and beamed smiles upon the shy though eager fairy on the wharf, compelling him to return in kind. Indeed, she senied to have the practical power of making everyone and everything reflect the sunshine of her presence. Yet, m ; spite of all this practical power, she is the deputy of Santa Claus, 1906, and! has journeyed from the far West to find out and pro- I vide for the happiness of the South. My i Lady Bountiful had not been minutes in the 'and ere she knew -that Ceres loved Thomas . Moore, and that,Blondel adored Emersonj j and already she had found out a pathway ! beautiful into the hearts of all. After Cere* , had loyally welcomed her to New Zealand with a eaicwe heart that vented itself in blushes, the- pair ast to work planning. Not that fairies need prepare for anything: but with unusual modesty theee fairies of the West and South endeavoured to make folk believe they were not fairies. To this end Ceres proposed j dinner. This was a capital move. Who ever witnessed fairies plying knife mid fork! I The idea wa» so funny that the daisies and primroses in the dainty hat fairly danced with laughter. Just fancy fairies with appetites! rf So well did they carry out this joke, that the waiter made •them pay full fare for two din- i ners. To c»rxy out the delusion that they i were just ordinary folk the Western Queen I made believe that one of her boxes had gone , missing; the box, however, was also of the i fairy tribe, and, tired of being cabined so long, j bad taken the first chance of visiting Dunedin, from whence it returned next day, brimful of beautiful things and merriment at the fun it was having. It waa not till long after the evening sun liad gone to rest that the fairies set about their real work. This may seem a curious remark, but you must remember that the real work of fairies is necromancy. Already Santa, Claus had been down the chimney and filed the tiny stockings that ' hung by the three trundle bad* in the big brick house. Already three tired little folk were dreaming that perhaps their stockings might be filled right up to the top, but anyway there was sure to be something in them Just then might be heard the wheals of a cab stopping at the gateway, followed quickly by a tap-tap-tap at the front door. This was the deputy fairy and her indefatigable i secretary. At first they could not be seen. so hidden were they behind mysterious parcels, out of which poked ends of trumpets and the military heads of tin soldiers. At last, amid whimpered laughter, they made it understood that they wished to come in. Down the hall -they struggled with their burdens, settling at last in the dining room. What a display! First one thing untied, then another. This was for Goldilocks," that for the curly-headed boy with the black eyes, and these— a- real wooden gun and a proper | nrumraer— were for Roby's sweetheart. Poor j old Santa Claus! His deputy had put him completely in the shade. Stockings! Why there was never a> stocky woven big enough ' to hold a tithe of the many good things that were piled up on the long table. Then there were other mysterious parcels, which had to j be addressed in kindly words to those who j could read real writing, and knew from whence j came the fairies. Nor was Santa Claus angry | at being thus outdone, for though it was ioi- ' possible for Him to give his deputy a tangible ' present, he left by her door a bunch of white ■ roses, tied fo a note which ran thus — -"Dear Daisy Primrose,— l could not get down th.9 j chimney with all the nice good things I j would like to have brought you from Fairy- I land, so I have to leave them on the roof, and just leave you this note to let you know i that all the other fairies love you very much, < and trust you may have a merry time in New j Zealand, and go home again to the wonderful | "W'oit, with its ohcioeat rose? in your cheeks.— Ycurs for ever, Father Xxas.' II was a. merry, busy night and long past be3"tirr.e before some sort of order had been restored. Already the deputy fairy looked tired, and her valiant secretary was preparing to take leave, when tick-tack, tick-tack came sounding through the hall. Everyone started. Could it be more faiiies! Surely never I With beating heart the door was opened. No one there! Only a bit of flooring board about 6t long fell into the hall ; to this was attached a linen thread. The clue was followed up and led. to the shadows outside the gate. The murder was out: with a, shout of laughter that echoed do^n the Estuary the redoubtable Harry and Willowbrook were discovered, and straightway condemned by Rewa>, Bolivia, Pakeha, and a host of other ipakehas, to imprisonment in the now fairy castle. Once there Christmas cake and wine disappeared with avidity whilst merriment, Tepartee, and anecdote chased the hours till ijm litlte band gl tho marble clock nudged I

its big fleeting brother at th« figure $. remarking in a frowning voice something about it being nearly time for the milkman. Harry heard the remark, and soon the tick-t&ckers took a lively farewell. Breathing time followed, and then the deputy fairy and the mistress and master of the house took affectionate farewell of their esteemed friend and Secretary Ceres. It iras a glorious mornmg, and in many hearts the happiness that pervaded the divine air of its Sabbath was mingled with fond memory and a silent prayer for one who slept. Before long the house overlooking the lo\ ely Estuary, with ii + s companion hills loomirg like shadow sentinels by its side, and the moon lending just sufficient light to give its shimmering waters a golden tint, became a house of dreams. Some dreamed their dreams oi pleasure that would like its short, noisy day to-nioirow ; others dreamed perchance of the fairyland that love and thoughtfulness can create, — which, after all, is no fairyland, but the real world, where all should dwell. And one, upon the snewy, peaceful couch of kindness fulfilled, dreamed of a western land whose grandeur and freedom commingled in sun-kissed blessedness with the peaceful, rose-scented, health-giving breszes of the south, — Your devoted BLONDEL.