120 WiéTISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [uur.

(which first attracted Simon’s attention) had continued
for a short time, the front part of the piece of furniture
deliberately opened itself, just as if it had been un-
fastened by an invisible hand. Immediately afterwards,
a low, sweet strain of music broke upon the astonished
ears of the old milkman, and from the pigeon-holes
(as it seemed to him) there issued a variety of little
figures of the most extraordinary character. They
were all apparently made of frosted silver, or clad in
garments of that metal, which fitted so closely to
their bodies as to give the latter the appearance of
being really made of the same. As nearly as Simon
could judge, his visitors averaged from six to eight
inches in height ; their figures were all excellently well
proportioned ; they wore hats of varied and fantastic
shape upon their heads, but all of silver also, and the
beauty of their general dress and appearance was
perfectly marvellous .to behold. When as many as
twenty or thirty of these little creatures had come
down upon the desk which was formed by the open-
ing of the front of their abode, the music struck up a
more lively air, and they began to dance.

Simon knew very little about dancing, but he had
seen various shows perambulating the streets, in which
puppets hopped and skipped about, to the great
amusement of children whose parents could be
prevailed upon to allow the said shows to stop before
their windows. But no dolls of this kind that Simon
had ever seen could dance like the little figures now
before him. They moved lightly, nimbly, and in
perfect time with the music; they twisted themselves
about in the strangest and most fantastic attitudes,