The Fairy Godmothers. 7

by our friends in the lower world. ‘Thefe things
are, as it were, the abfolute neceffities of a happy
life; they are the beef and mutton (to borrow an
earthly fimile) of the entertainment. Fairy gifts
form the fomewhat unneceflary (and queftionably
wholefome) fecond courfe, the f{weets, the bonbons,
the lufcious luxuries of the repatt.

“ Very few, by comparifon, get them. Very
few infants you know have Fairy Godmothers,
but we make it a rule that thofe who have, fhall
_always' be diftinguifhed from the crowd. Other-
wife our power would not be believed in. No,
my little Aglaia, all our Godchildren ftart from the
point you fpoke of—‘ ceteris paribus,’ as thofe
dingy black lawyers fay—all other things being
equal—it is a queftion now of beftowing extra
fuperfine Fairy gifts.”

Aglaia tittered—‘ I know Sifter Euphrofyne
is thinking of the chriftening fuppers, and the
whipped creams, and the fyllabubs!” and away
fhe tripped to the other end of the bay, left the
older Fairies fhould fcold her for impertinence.

“ Certainly,” purfued Euphrofyne, “ I have a
great contempt for riches myfelf. Bah !' the idea
of all the troublefome as well as wicked things
men do in order that they may be able to keep a
lumbering thing they calla carriage, to drive them
round a dirty town. Juft think of that one thing
alone! It is hardly credible.” And Euphrofyne
laid her head by the fide of Leila’s, and looked
up into the deep blue fky.