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Show 118 A LTOGE'I‘HER I)IF FE RENT PRINCESS MARY‘S GIFT BOOK "Thank you," said the child nervously. "but really I would so much rather you did not take the trouble." ‘-' The trouble," replied the good fairy, striking the floor with her silver stick in an impatient way, " is no concern of yours. You mustn't when you pushed at it it came in. The iron gate which led to the pavement had another form of behaviour. Determined not to be bothered here, she gave a touch with her boot, and instantly the iron "I don‘t know what that means," declared the other earnestly, " and if I did. I wouldnt do it, ma‘am, I wouldn't really. Good evening, and, of course, thank you ever so much for calling." gate offered her boot a pinch; she placed her hand upon it and the gate gripped it, much in the way that Uncle Iilenry did when he said " How do you do ? " She put her back agalnst 1t, and the iron gate gave her a clutch around the waist, and said, in rasping tones, as it waltzcd to the pavement, " Do you reverse ? " It was then that she perceived the fairy had left her. finger and thumb, fully and completely costumed, boots laced up, hair A pavement is expected to behave in a calm and demure manner; taken out of curlers and properly brushed. hat set at the correct angle, parasol in hand, gloves buttoned, and everything ready for a walk out even when it takes you up-hill it does this in the gentlest way. But this pavement, so soon as the little girl set foot upon it, at once changed of doors. to something like a switchback, and a switchback. mark you, she enjoyed She gave a cry of delight and astonishment. "I am about to give you the great treat of your life," said the fairy, " something that no one has ever yet experienced, something that will give you a subject to talk about for the rest of your days. will believe you, but that must be endured. world as nobody else has seen it. Nobody You are about to see the And if you ask me why you have been selected for this high and special honour " when seated on a trolley at Shepherd‘s Bush Exhibitions; it was less \/ C ii 5:; ‘ agreeable to try to walk up and down the uneven parts here. Other people (lid not seem to experience her dltli- culties, and this she failed to understand until she observed that they mum went along on their hands and toes, "Please, I don"t ! " \\ \ The fairy did not seem to mind, but the child found it extremely odd that when you pulled at the door it opened outwards, and that baggie." " Dress l " ordered the good fairy. 0n the instant something happened which the little girl had often thought about; more than once she had talked it over with nurse, She found herself, in the space of less time than it takes to click your \k'dw" tasks. 119 "My answer is," taking no notice of the interruption, "that you are receiving the award for your wonderful discovery." " But I have discovered nothing." " Nothing!" echoed the lady, with amazement. " You call it nothing to have found out the secret that has puzzled clever people for thousands and thousands of years? How often folk have said, ‘ If only I could live some part ofmy life over again !' and they never have been able to do it. You, child, were the first." The staircase had always gone straight down until it neared the next landing, where it took a slight curve; now it was all curves and had nothing about it that could be called straight. It went up, it went down, it went to the left, it went to the right, so that wherever you put your foot expecting to find a step, you did not find it, and wherever you put your foot expecting to find nothing, you hurt your toes. " This is very strange, ma'am !" " That," replied the other. " should be its great attraction. Don't lag. \Ve shall get to the end of the staircase in less than ten minutes." Going out of the street doorway proved one of the most difficult pretending to have four legs: she tried the same method and found it made her back ache : discovered, too, |