EVANGELINE’S LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18043, 31 December 1926, Page 19

EVANGELINE’S LETTER.

jyjY DEAREST TWINKLING STARS— Since my Christmas letter to you, all kinds of mysteriouslooking little packets and bulging envelopes have found their ■way up the stairs to my room. I had a lovely time opening them all, 'and I want to thank everyone of you for your gifts and Christmas letters and gay cards. When I try to tell you how much I appreciate all your good wishes, niv pen just stops and won’t go on. I really don’t think it is able to write all my big words of thanks, but I treasure every greeting you have sent to me. What a wonderful year nineteen twenty-seven is going to be with* this happy band* of little people helping me all the lime with their bright letters, full of interesting news. This is the last day of the year, and I was feeling very sad at having to bid it farewell, but I got a very cheerful message just now, which has brightened everything up again. I’ll just tell you how it came to me. I was walking along a liill-side path near my home; it is such a pretty path, very narrow, and bordered with bright flowers which like to grow half-way across it. They almost try to make me step on them, but I carefully avoid them whenever I can. Suddenly, as I reached the acacia tree, which is the goldfinches’ playground and concert platform, I heard a tiny voice from the air. I looked up and saw one of the acacia fairies swinging herself slowly to and fro on a miniature swing attached to one of the smallest twigs of the tree. There was something familiar-looking about the swiig, and I noticed that the sides of it were composed of two sftrands of lavender silk which I had been using the day before to embroider sweet peas on a cushion. I did not know, as I sat there benealii the tree the previous afternoon, that a fairy was watching mel This is what the voice said: “ The New' Year that is going to lake the place of this tired, worn-out, old year is a wonderful year. Trust it and visit the fairies whenever you can. They are going to hold great celebrations.” When the fairy had finished her speech she came down on to the path beside me and asked me to follow her. We walked on a few yards together and I was just going to speak to her when, to my astonishment, she w'as nowhere to be seen. Instead, I heard the sea dashing on to the rocks, and as I looked towards it I saw' a lighthouse, on the edge of the cliff. I hurried on by myself to see if it was inhabited. At last I reached it, and could see that a crowd of busy little people had taken possession of it and were evidently preparing for a great event. The outside w 7 as being painted white, and on the scaffolding stood myriads of elves with pots of white pa ini. They finished their w'ork as I was standing there, and the foreman elf came over to speak to me, and told me that they were holding a big party on New Year's Day. He and I walked round the lighthouse and then he asked me what I thought of it. “It looks very plain and bare,” I said, “but perhaps you are letting it for advertising purposes!” He was shocked, and replied hastily: “Do you think we would disfigure our home with advertisements,” Just come with me, and he took me through a white gate on to a beautiful stretch of grass. Hero, there w'ere countless fairies almost buried in roses, which they were using for making festoons. I was curious to know what they were going’ to be used for, so I asked him. “ Oh,” he replied, “ when the paint is dry we are hanging them all round the lighthouse and are going to put up a big welcome to the New Year, all written in roses.” .‘‘That is a pretty scheme,” I said. “ and I’d like to stay and see it finished, but as it is growing late 1 must go.” I was rather afraid of losing my way, as the. cliffs looked very dangerous, so wishing the busy fairies “ A Bright New Year,” I walked back past the lighthouse with my elfin guide. The workmen elves were busy cleaning their brushes, but, at a word from the foreman, brushes were put down and a mixture of queer little, voices sang out: “A New Year full of sunshine and joy.” Wasn’t that a wish worth walking over the lid I for? And on "the eve of another year that same wish, with a little bit added to it, I pass on to you: “May 1927 be full of sunshine and joy for you, and may you shed sunshine and joy on those around - ou!”—With love, EVANGELINE. miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii