130 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [I11.

 

before the graver and sterner views of the others had
been asserted and established as indisputably correct.

Money—more money—-was the first and great
advantage to be desired from the Silver Fairy’s visit.
Next came the question, on what scale would she
be likely to enrich the family she had thus honoured
with her presence? Then came before the eyes of the
worthy people visions of the abolition of certain petty
economies in their household arrangements which had
always been practised but which might be suffered to
pass away without regret.

There might certainly henceforth (Gf the Fairy
were half a Fairy) be meat for dinner every day; the
‘appearance of pudding need not be restricted to
Sundays and High Holidays, and Martha might be
less chary of the tea when the hour arrived for par-
taking of that precious beverage. Sundry old and
dilapidated articles of furniture might be replaced with
new, provided always that the liberality of the Silver
Queen sufficed for such extravagance, and I am not
sure that the idea did not flit before the minds of the
female members of the council, that the papering of
one or more of the rooms in the house might possibly
be within their reach.

It was abundantly clear, however, that it would be
worse than useless to make any definite plans as to the
appropriation of the expected addition to their wealth
until the amount of such addition had been safely as-
certained, and the three accordingly resolved that the
first step to be taken was to bring this to a test.
They therefore determined to follow the directions
given by the Fairy, and having waited until it was