a word of it.

"The maid's mazed," said her father, and the others agreed. But as time
went on Cherry repeated the tale so often, and always the same; and she
cried so bitterly for her master and his little boy, that they were
obliged to believe her, in spite of themselves. "There must be some truth
in it," they said, "it couldn't all be fancy."

Poor Cherry! She was never happy again after her experience. Many people
said she was bewitched, others declared she was wrong in her mind, but
that was only because whenever there was a moonlight night, she wandered
on the Lady Downs hour after hour, longing and hoping to see her master.
For hours together, too, she would sit on the stone at the four
cross-roads, in sunshine or snow, wind or rain, with the tears coursing
down her cheeks, and such a pain at her heart, that she hardly knew how to
endure it.

He never came, though. To all appearances he had entirely forgotten poor,
faulty Cherry, and by and by she died, unable to bear the loneliness any
longer.

THE FAIRIES ON THE GUMP.

Down by St. Just, not far from Cape Cornwall and the sea, is a small
hill,--or a very large mound would, perhaps, be the truer description,--
called 'The Gump,' where the Small People used to hold their revels, and
where our grandfathers and grandmothers used to be allowed to stand and
look on and listen.

In those good old times fairies and ordinary people were all good friends
together, and it is because they were all such friends and trusted one
another so, that our grandfathers and grandmothers were able to tell their
grandchildren so many tales about fairies, and piskies, and buccas, and
all the rest of the Little People.

People believed in the Fairies in those days, so the Fairies in return
often helped the people, and did them all sorts of kindnesses. Indeed,
they would do so now if folks had not grown so learned and disbelieving.
It seems strange that because they have got more knowledge of some
matters, they should have grown more ignorant of others, and declare that
there never were such things as Fairies, just because they have neither
the eyes nor the minds to see them!

Of course, no one could expect the sensitive little creatures to appear
when they are sneered at and scoffed at. All the same, though, they are
as much about us as ever they were, and if you or I, who do believe in the
Little People, were to go to the Gump on the right nights at the right
hour