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III] THE SILVER FAIRIES. 17I

 

and above which was quite worth having. Ere long,
therefore, he was not only back in his old home, but
re-engaged in his old trade, having resigned his seat
in Parliament, and returned with real pleasure to his
cows. In one thing only did he venture to act if not
in opposition to, at least quite independently of, the
suggestions of the Fairy Queen. He had the old piece
of furniture carefully repaired, and placed once more
in the recess in the old den which it had formerly
occupied. And whenever Simon felt an angry ora
covetous thought rising in his heart, he would go and
sit down before the old piece of furniture, and as he
contemplated it, would call to mind the occurrences
with which it had been connected, and forthwith
banish from his heart the unworthy guest.

After all, he had no great reason to regret what
had happened. He had learnt the great lesson of
contentment, and had, at the expense of a short time
of trouble and vexation, rather improved his prospect
of ending his days comfortably. Things continued to
go right with him, and before he died he was gener-
ally looked upon as a well-to-do man, and that upon
very good grounds, as he had greatly increased his
business and had evidently prospered therein. Neither
did he leave this world until he had seen his grand-
daughter happily married to a deserving young farmer
who had long looked upon her with loving eyes, and
to whom she made an excellent wife when he took her
to his country home.

Joe Muggins, after the return of Simon to his old
trade, fought rather shy of him at first, fearing to be
accused of having been the cause of his loss of wealth,