For The Young Folks

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19346, 27 June 1925, Page 13

For The Young Folks

THE “PLEASE-I’M-SORRY” FAIRY Maureen lived in Ireland when mother and father were alive. Now she lived in England with her aunt and two cousins. She was happy—in a way —but they didn’t understand her very well; they laughed at her and said she was getting ever so much too big to believe in fairies. But their laughter only drove her nearer to the fairies, till she felt so near to them she almost saw them—and—one day she did quite! She wasn’t a bit surprised. She just smiled and said “good-morning” in her sweet, soft voice, with its wee bit of a brogue. And the fairy smiled back. But it was such a sad smile that Maureen started impulsively forward and cuddled it all up in her arms.

“Och! and what's it that’s troublin’ ye, me darlint?” she cried. “I always thought fairies were laughing an’ happy!’ ’ “So they arc—the good ones!” answered the little fairy. “An’ is it bad ye are, then?” asked Maureen, opening her eyes in astonishment.

“Well—not exactly,” said the fairy uncomfortably, “I’m the Plcase-I’m-Sorry fairy. ’ ’

“Sure, then, why be sad? If you’ve been naughty an’ have said you’re

sorry, I’m certain your mother will forgive you. Mine always used to.”

But the little fairy shook her head and looked as miserable as ever. ‘ ‘ I’m everybody’s ‘ ‘ Please-I’m-Sorry fairy,” she said. “And sometimes they say it just to got what they want, but they aren’t really sorry a bit, so I can’t find the Queen’s lost jewels. ’ ’ Maureen’s eyes opened wider than ever. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked. The Please-I’m-Sorry fairy settled herself on a flower by Maureen’s side. “It happened a long time ago,'* she said. “1 was Her Majesty’s lady-in-wmiting, and I had charge of Her Majesty’s jewels. They were such lovely ones.” (Here her little face grew wistful and her thoughts seemed miles away!) “There were pearls all snowy white, made from mother-love; diamonds that gleamed and sparkled, made from courage and hope; red rubies of self-sacrifice; turquoises of delicate blue, mada from Happiness —ah —and lots of others. Then one night Will-o’-thc-Wisp beckoned me away to a dance; I followed his little light and went, leaving the jewels unguarded. When I got back —they had gone! I said I was sorry, but Will-o ’-the-Wisp’s lamp was still shining, and the joy of the dance and the music seemed to be with me still and take half my sorrow’ away. So the Queen sent me to be everybody’s Please-I ’m-Sorry fairy. She told me I’d never, never find the jewels until I met someone who really was sorry—someone who forgot herself —forgot everything but being sorry, really and truly, for the lovely lost jewels of mother-love, courage and hope, sclf-sacrifice and happiness. I’ve tried for years and years to find them again—but I can’t. That’s why I am the saddest fairy of all.” Her voice died away into silence. Maureen sat like a little statue, and two tears chased each other down her cheeks. “Och —you poor wee thing—you poor wee thing—sure, an’ where can the lovely jewels had gone? It’s finding them for yez mcself that I’ll be tryin’!” she whispered. “Oh—look—look!” cried the Please-I’m-Sorry fairy. Maureen looked. And what she. saw made her gasp. From the tree above hung sparkling jewels of every colour. “Sure—an’ they’re here.’” she cried

when she could speak. “An’ it isn’t meself as said I was sorry even! ” The Pleasc-I’m-Sorry fairy smiled softly. “You arc, but you didn’t say so. Others aren’t—and do!” And that’s how the Please-I’m-Sorry fairy turned into the Pleasc-I’m-Glad one and restored the lost jewels to the Queen at last! OUR DRESSMAKING CORNER* My dear children, —How would you like to make a nice new bathing-gown? There’s nothing like being prepared for the holidays, is there? So You’d better make it soon, then you won’t have to hurry over it at the last minute. Cretonne, or good strong gingham will do very well for the bathing dress, and you can choose one with an amusing pattern. Something with fishes, or lobsters, or seaweed printed all over would be very appropriate. We’ll make the garment in two pieces—a tunic part, and little knickers underneath. Measure your length from your shoulder to just above your knees, for the tunic, and take a piece of stuff twice this length. Fold it, and cut out as shown in diagram A. Sew

up the side scams, and hem the bottom edges—then either hem the neck hole and arms, or bind them with strips of contrasting coloured stuff. Heave the neck opening fairly wide, won’t you, so’s you can get in and and out easily. Now for the knicks. Measure yourself from waist to knees, and across you from side to side, and cut a piece of material twice this size. Fold it, and cut according to the second diagram B. Open it up, sew up the little inner leg scams, C, D, and join the outer edges, E, F. Now hem the top, and run a tape or elastic through this casting. That’s all. You can cither wear the tunic outside the knickers, or tuck it into the top underneath them; oh, and if there’s any stuff left over, cut a triangular piece, hem it, and wear it tied round your head, to keep your hair dry. The Doll ’s Dressmaker. OUR CROSS-WORD PUZZLES Well, my teeny-tiny Tinkites, how did you get on with your very own puzzle last week? Here arc the words you should have made. Arc yours all i right? ! Down:—l, a female pig (sow); 2, a horse is sometimes called it (gee); 3, fairy (elf); 4, a busy insect (bee); 7, a large bird (emu); 9, a wriggly fish (eel); 10, for fishing (net); 11, golfers use it (tec); 12, you did it yesterday (ate); 13, a limb (leg). Across: —To hang loosely (sag); 3, flow away (ebb); 5, snake-like fish (eel); 6, tiny (wee); 8, payment (fee); 10, something to eat (nut); 12, everything (all); 14, you do it at meal times (eat); 15, part of your foot (toe); 16, a hen lays it (egg). Here’s this week’s effort! It’s neither too easy nor too hard, I think so you all will be able to do it. At least I hope so! Here are the clues. Down: —1, you spin it; 2, conjunction; 3, boy; 4, more than one; 5, beginning and end of ‘right’; 6, pry; 10, used on wash days; 11, infant; 12, myself; 14, a degree, 15, you have it in puddings; 17, you play with them; 18, A Government office (abbreviated); 20, insane; 22, denotes time; 24, to exist. Across: —1, people who tip; 7, preposition; 8, two-thirds of ‘cow’; 9, beginning and end of ‘top’; 10, vulgar person; 12, short of ‘money order’; 13, seaman; 15, colour; 16, animal with wings; 18, organised body; 21, famous railway (abbreviated); 23, French for ‘the’; 24, preposition; 25, includes. Save your solutions until 1 give you the correct words next week.