Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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questions,as to how one might see fairies. “Well,” said mother, “on your next birthday I will tell you how to see fairies.” “But,” said Isabel peevishly, “mother its, its, why its two and one- half months ’til my birthday.” The weeks flew by, as weeks always do to little follks, and even to big follks. It seemed hard to wait the last two weeks which came be¬ fore the eventful birthday with its presents and party. The fairies almost always had something very beautiful for Isabel on her birthday. But fairies are very self-conscious creatures, and they dislike to be seen. Very, very often we seen them, but we do not always recognize them, and so it was with Isabel. At last the morning of the birthday arrived. It was an unusual birthday because Isabel was to find out how to see fairies, the fairies she longed to find. A day of presents, good things to eat and most of all, the wonderful party. It was a shame that it only came once a year. All things have an end and birthdays are no exception. After all was over it came upon Isabel that it was this day, the very day that she was to find fairies. Her mother was sitting at the table and Isabel burst into the room. “Mother, let me find a fairy.” “Surely,” said mother smiling, “I had almost forgotten about it,” Mother stopped her work and they went into the drawing room. After mother had found a comfortable chair, and Isabel was seated on. a hassock at her feet, mother began the old story that she had told to Isabel a long time ago. She finished, and noticing that Isabel was wrapped thought, she sat back in her chair and waited for Isabel to speak. But Isabel was evidently very much disappointed, for she arose and left the room. Mother sat very still, staring at the door bv which Isabel had retreated. Mother was hurt a little because Isabel did not appreciate her kind ef¬ forts to help her see fairies. Mother did not follow her. She knew that Isabel must soon learn to find fairies for herself. Isabel went to her room and sulked. By and by she began to turn the story over in her mind. Very suddenly she realized that she had hurt her mother’s feel¬ ings. She straightened the spread and brushed her curls for dinner and went down stairs, still turning the story over in her mind. A guilty conscience was more than Isabel could bear and as she hesitated to go into the dining room she became aware that no one was in the room. The table was not set. and Isabel quielv set the table. Tt was done and she slipped into the kitchen with her eyes like two very PAGE 20

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could master: ‘I am Dick, and tlie Fairy Queen sent me because you have been kind to our bugs and flowers.’ She gathered the tiny crea¬ ture into her arms and ran home.” Mother finished and set Isabel on her feet again. “Now,” said mother, “All good people are rewarded by the fairies.” “But,” said perplexed Isabel, “Where do you find the fairies?” Mother laughed. “Some day when you grow up you will she fairies, my dear.” Isabel skipped out of doors and began to hunt for the fairies, but she could find none. Every day she spent most of her time in hunting and plying her mother with innumerable questions concerning the fairies, the mysterious little winged creatures. One night g great commotion was heard in Fairy Land. The Princes and Princesses were busy making room for the new comers. The Fairy Queen was very worried and was giving orders so fast that the Heralds had their gold note books so thickly covered with orders that they did not know where to begin to give them out, but as was their custom they began with the nursery, which was just as they should have done. The last few days a great many little kindnesses had suddenly been pouring in. Occasionally a big one would arrive, but most of them were tiny ones. All these little kindnesses were coming from Isabel and accordingly a Fairy Spy was sent out to find the reason why so many were coming to Fairy Land. It took him many days before he found out that Isabel wanted to see a fairy and this was the cause of so much kindness. Thereafter the fairies made room for the little kindnesses. One day a terribly black unk’ndness passed Fairy 1 and on the way to the Goblin’s Cave. All the fairies hid their eyes in their tiny hands. Isabel l ad told her mother that she would not go to the store, and so poor tired mother had to go. The Goblins rejoiced because Isabel had done an unkindness and they jeered at the Fairies in their new found companion, the unkindness. = Isabel gradually grew up, as all children must do, and not being an unusual child, no one noticed her any more than they did anv other girls of twelve years. Only there was one thing that separated be fiom the others, she believed in fairies. Many girls at school laughed at her and called her a baby, for none of them thought of such babyish things. They scorned to. r Isabel, as she was always wont to do, plied her mother with useless PAGE 19

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bright stars. She kissed her mother and said, 4 ‘Mother, I have seen a fairy.” “A what?” ejaculated mother. “Yes,” said Isabel, and brightly added, “Mother, dear, I didn’t know before that fairies were little kindnesses we do to others.” Then Isabel asked as a last thought to see if she were correct, “When we do kindnesses and are happy, they are the fairies we see. isn’t it that way, mother?” Mother did not answer for a minute, but only nodded her head. Then she very quickly stooped and gathered Isabel in her arms and whispered: “Now, dearie, are you happy that you know what fairies PAGE: 21