Shaun O'Day of Ireland Page 8

  CHAPTER VII

  THE GIRL FAIRY

  "To the fairyland afar Where the Little People are." --ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

  Marjorie was now grown up. She looked quite different from the tinygolden-haired girl Shaun had known. She was a tall, slender young lady.

  Her dimple still became a fairy ripple when she was happy. When she wascross, it still seemed a smudge of dirt.

  Marjorie was often cross now. The reason was a strange one. She had toomuch to make her happy. She had loving parents and a beautiful home. Shehad many friends who adored her.

  She was very beautiful, too. Everything lovely belonged to Marjorie.Even wealth was hers.

  Her father gave her everything she asked for. She had an automobile. Shehad a beautiful glossy horse to ride.

  She went to jolly parties, and all the boys wanted to dance with her.They sent her boxes of chocolate creams and rare flowers.

  MARJORIE WAS NOW GROWN UP]

  But Marjorie was not happy with all this. She wanted the one thing thatshe could not have.

  Often she spoke about Shaun O'Day. He had written to her from Irelandwhen he returned. He had sent her a shamrock and his picture. Afterthat, she had never heard from him again.

  She had cried bitterly for many days after Shaun's departure. She hadblamed her rude companions for having insulted the Irish lad. She wantedhim back.

  But of course Shaun never went back to America. He was too happy inIreland. You know why he was happy. He had his Dawn O'Day and his littlechildren.

  So he hardly ever thought of the baby Princess in "fairyland." He wastoo busy working hard to make a living for his family. He had so littlemoney. But it did not make him unhappy. Sometimes it is a good thingwhen people have to work. It makes them happy.

  You see how discontented Marjorie was. And she had so much! But shefinally found a wish that seemed impossible to grant.

  When she knew that she might never have Shaun again, she wanted him morethan ever. She pleaded with her father to send for him. But that was onething her father would not do.

  He knew that the lad could never be happy in this land. He knew thatShaun had the dreams of Ireland in his heart. Shaun belonged in Ireland.

  SHAUN HAD THE DREAMS OF IRELAND]

  Many years passed, and Marjorie never forgot Shaun. She often looked atthe young men who danced with her or who took her to the theater.

  She often thought, "He is not so nice as Shaun O'Day!"

  She imagined Shaun even finer than he was. She had really forgotten whathe was like, and she made a prince of him in her thoughts.

  "I shall never be happy until I find Shaun O'Day once more!" she said.

  One day Marjorie asked her father if he would take her abroad. Shewanted to visit the countries of Europe. Her father consented, and thefamily sailed away on a fine ship.

  They were going to France and Germany and Italy and many othercountries. They had not thought of going to Ireland. But Marjorie knewthat they were going to Ireland!

  And in Ireland, poor little John O'Day sat by the lake waiting for thefairies. He had waited there for many days. At first he sat very stillwith the clumsy trousers rolled up his legs and the big cap falling overhis eyes.

  He sat still and listened for a sound. He heard only the lake lapping.

  Then he began to bring his books along. He liked the books about Irelandthat they gave him at school.

  He thought the pictures of Dublin and Belfast looked very like thatfairy city of which his father had told. He looked at those pictures forhours and hours. And he waited there by the banks.

  --LOOKED AT THOSE PICTURES FOR HOURS AND HOURS]

  He always changed to his red petticoat before he went home. He did notwant anyone to know what he was doing. Some might laugh at him.

  His mother would be frightened and hold him close. She might make himpromise never to do it again. Then he would never see the fairies.

  His brother could not imagine what had become of his old suit ofclothes. He had to wear his Sunday suit until he could make enough moneyto buy a new suit. But the days slipped by, and the boy waited in vainfor the leprechaun. The longing for adventure was great in his heart.

  One day he stepped to the edge of the lake and cried out in a loudvoice, "Arrah, 'tis long I've waited and tired I am! Come, Good Folk,come! Give to the son of Shaun O'Day the great wonders of your fairypowers!"

  As his voice died down, he stepped back from the edge of the water. Helooked about cautiously. Then his heart gave a leap. He had heard a tinysound. It was not the lapping lake. It was not the wind in the trees.

  It was surely a fairy. And as he was thinking these thoughts, he sawher.

  She came gliding over the ground like a rainbow. Her gown was lavenderand blue, flowing and billowy. Her dainty little shoes were snow-white.And her hair was spun gold.

  A many-colored scarf twined about her neck and fluttered in the breeze.There was a beautiful perfume in the air as she appeared.

  The boy backed into the bushes. He stared out at the lovely vision. Hiseyes were wild with fear.

  HE STARED OUT AT THE LOVELY VISION]

  The beautiful creature came closer. She held out her hand and smiled.Her hand was snow-white. Her smile was a sunbeam, with a dimple in it.

  "Do not be afraid," said her clear, sweet voice. "You called thefairies, son of Shaun O'Day?"

  John nodded, but could not speak. His mouth was dry.

  "I have come at your command," she smiled. Then she led John out andlooked at him for a long time. She was smiling kindly. At last shespoke.

  "You are the son of Shaun O'Day. And I am the fairy Princess who oncestole Shaun from the leprechaun. I used to hear his fine stories ofIreland. I loved to listen to him. He used to play with me in fairyland.Did he tell you?"

  John looked into her sparkling brown eyes and said, "Sure, and he did.He told me about it all. And I did be wanting to go with the fairies,too."

  She laughed a silvery laugh and put her arm about John. "And so youshall," she said. "Come with me. Let me show you to our fairy chariot."

  She led him away. They walked for quite a while until they came to adusty road. It was a road on which many donkey carts travel, but fewautomobiles.

  She drew him to the side of a shining automobile. It was the mostbeautiful thing John had ever seen.

  "Enter, Shaun," said the girl fairy.

  John looked at her for just an instant with a question on his lips. Shehad called him Shaun. Why?

  "YOU ARE THE SON OF SHAUN O'DAY"]

  But she stopped his question and said, "We shall fly over the groundnow. Hold on tight."

  For the next hour, the boy John hardly breathed with excitement. He wasbeing carried over the ground faster than ever he had gone in his life.

  Trees and fields and pigs and donkeys flew by. Thatched cottages seemedto dart out at them and then disappear.

  The girl fairy sat at the big wheel of the car and only smiled at himoccasionally. She said never a word.

  At last they drew up at the side of a lonely road. She stopped theflying car. She turned to him.

  She said, "Now Shauneen, what do you want me to do for you?"

  John took a deep breath and clutched the side of the car.

  Then he answered slowly, "Faith! I'm after longing to visit fairyland."

  The girl fairy's smile vanished for a moment. Then she took his hand inhers and spoke seriously.

  "Shauneen," she said, "I cannot take you there. But I can show you aland as beautiful as fairyland. I can take you all about your own land,Ireland. Do you know that the poets have called Ireland fairyland? Doyou know that there is no greener spot on earth?"

  John's eyes glowed.

  He answered, "Indeed, I do know it. And I'm forever seeing the picturesin the school books. Sure, I do believe I'd rather be seeing Irelandthan any fairyland at all!"

  "ENTER, SHAUN," SAID THE GIRL FAIRY]

  "Good!" laughed the girl f
airy. Then she grew serious again as she said,"But Shauneen, you must promise your fairy that you will not speak ofthis to anyone at all. You must also ask your father to come to theshore of the lake to-morrow morning while you are at school. Tell himthat there is some one who would speak with him on a serious matter. Butdo not say any more. If you obey these two commands, your fairy willcome again. She will come for you on the shores of the lake. She willtake you to all parts of your own beautiful country."

  John promised to carry out her wishes. Again they flew over the grounduntil at last they were back at the spot whence they had started.

  Then John stepped out of the glistening automobile. The girl fairy threwhim a kiss and was off in a cloud of dust.