OUT OF THE FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 150, 21 December 1929, Page 20

OUT OF THE FIRE

"What a (Christmas!" sighed Tony. '^Santa Claus isn't coming," added Dave, dismally. Ivy, s^gdoSy. U "°Uld «es,» continued resign'^,! 1 ***** Nona ' orNonie ' as was called, in comic big iSS! -Si To* cfSavt S: aU Staled flamCS °f *» "What's that?" ' "Oh, shut up^" growled Tony. "Shut up, yourself, Tony, I heard that." • "Heard what?" . . •■<..■ ' /■ "Listen!" ••-. ■ " :\\;\ "'■.'■ :::.r..-:- : ::'": '• - ' They listened and heard a tiny voice coming out of the flames. breathed Ivy, in great excitement. Don tbe an idiot, Ivy! You don?t find fairies in the fire " Ui^S^^S^i^ FlamC-fairieS ' °f "~ » aor If ■SSS^Sio'tf ffickered 'as much as t0 "7. "Of — >y» ihem^nSS'soT 6' N°Die 3gain> little/° ice floated «P <° . Time of mirth, : ■■ Bright and gay, Best of all, Is Christmas Day. „. Swtas.gil'- ■■* ™> —•» -*- ■>»•■■ <tacrf and Buttered .U round the room all it was bright „ STen, and impatient pawings of the reindeer. • . "Well, children" said Santa Glaus, in his jolly voice. "So you kawa) are coming with us as well." ■ lv Ji* jS^dSJ j£ mUCh ' Sir'" rCplied T «* P<>Mr, the others 1 tt^V? 7 at-n e i ? arty ' f°r. then the children would ** no preSpW." WlU, dnTO y°« tome, or fly with you home, jj as jvf' d to drive home, please!" exclaimed Dave excitedly felK;i g.dEl^th^'-h^:?n the CloudCoach-Sarita," said Peter, and he S£ Ht? H<^ mR7' Which a bit sooty, really. At the Snft 67 I, the j^S^S le flame-fairies flying^ front to show them the way and off they dashed.,. On the way they pAS up^many more> fairy-folk,«ntil, by the time they reached 5S£ Hon the sleigh was full, Santa drove the-coach to Buttercup Glade and took them into the Shimmery Shop. Many.other fairies were in &X *™ «m dresses. Fairy Violetta took Ivy^nd Nonie Jo The Fays' Department, while Peter took the two boys into the Elves.' In a few mmutesthey.came out, Dave dressed in scarlet velvet and gold, Tony fe roy|l blue and gold, Ivy in rainbow silk, and Nonie in pale blue and: Peter then took them round to Rainbow Hall, where-the party was ■i- i/ jTr n Wa, S bu\ U Of pale P^ crystal. It was lit by rainbow lights and .foil, of rainbow flowers. The children were dazzled wi h thl !™J /' T- W- 3S jellies, cakes, fruits, bonbons :Kwb^^n^s damtieS- EaCh £* W3S;*? a"^ r-' . At last, after dancing, singing, playing fairy games,. swinging on fairy swings, sliding down moonbeam chutes, riding races on butterflies, and playmg on fairy see-saws, Peter told the children that it was time tor them to go. He had the _Cloud Coach ready, so they clambered in. When you sank down in it, it was like sitting on piles and piles 6f soft, fluffy cottonwool covered with grey silk. Outside it was like sunset clouds and the headlights were real stars. It was drawn by blue butterflies and the reins were of moonbeams. Itwas so comfortable that they went off to sleep, and never remembered^ being put into their thin, lumpy little beds. "What a funny dream," thought Nonie in the morning. But as she put her foot on the ground, she saw she still had on her blue and silver frock. She looked at the end of her bed. Her stocking, buKinwith toys, hung from the bedpost, and Ivy's and the two boys' also were chockfull! What a wonderful Christmas! For Mrs. Blair found on the kitchen table a beautiful hamper full of cakes, mince-pies, a Christmas pudding, and fruit. How it came there she was never able to tell. '- --'._ -.".„. "PETER PAN." JSTadestpwri,