“I Believe in Fairies.”

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 20

“I Believe in Fairies.”

COUSIN BETTY’S LETTER

—QUOTATION FOR TO-DAY— |

| For he comes, the human child, H With a faerie, hand in hand. —W. B. Yeats. | ; (Sent in by Cousin Lesley Shand).

Cousins, my dearest people, What a thing of beauty you have fashioned for me this week. Out of your youth and the ideals that will always be youth in you, out of your singing thoughts and the sunshine and the inspiration of the flowers, you have woven thread upon thread of loveliness into a very beautiful page. What is greater because it is more important, you have peopled a woodland with fairy folk, and the leaves will always be green with the dewy freshness of your beliefs. I am sending souvenir gifts to three cousins whose contributions this week seemed to me to have some essential magic. These are they: “Why”—Cousin Chrissie Ross. “Fairies and Fairyland”—Cousin Lesley Shand. “I Believe in Fairies”—Cousin Faith Campbell. Of course I should have liked to choose a number of others, too; but this is what I decided: I have chosen, the three I liked “best; now you Little Southlanders can choose the three you like best from the remainder. Consider the drawings as well as the writings, and send me your selection by Tuesday, October 18, On the following Saturday I will publish the result, and send out your three awards. Now I don’t want to take up room this week, while there are still so many cousins’ contributions to be squeezed in. I’ll leave the account of the mother’s meeting till next week, because there’s so much I will have to tell you. Two more things: a lampshade was won at he bazaar by “C. Whyte, Hops,” and so far remains unclaimed. If this is not claimed within the next fortnight, I will have to draw another number. Two: The story set last week is to be not more than 1500 words. Last week, owing to a misprint, the number appeared as 2500. My cousins, the greatest gift I can wish for you is that there will always be a happiness fairy enthroned in the heart of each of you. Cherish your belief, my dears, because therein lies eternal youth. My love to you.