. And only of late had Sally
found the place in the hedge where she could venture through. But now it
would indeed have been a strong power that could have kept her long away
from the charmed spot.

It mattered nothing that before the early supper she must build up the
smart wood fire, get down the great spider, and stew herself along with
the sizzling rashers, or mix the ash-cake or corn pone; oh, no matter
for anything that must be done before supper, because now, as soon as it
was over, off she could run to her enchanted ground!

But on the night when ended the Fairy tale we have seen that a new Sally
began springing into life. Ah, it was true, the child could scarcely
read, could neither write nor spell, and all at once--Sally cared!

And if it were strange, it yet were true, that she grew dignified, and
correct in manner and speech, as she asked herself new, hard questions.
She had come, oh, very slowly and very soberly, back through Shady Path
and Lover's Lane, to the piece of woods lying to the left of Slipside
Row.

Pretty soon Mistress Cory Ann's sharp voice would call her in, and order
her to bed in the close attic. Sitting on the warm, mossy turf, under
the great pine-trees, she talked aloud in quaint, old-fashioned speech:

"Now, what, prithee, Sally, are we to do? Neither reading, writing, or
spelling are properly known to Sally Dukeen, and what are the words that
have just come to my ears?"

She repeated in low tones, and with a good show of memory: "'Who would
wish to live without being useful? How can one be fitted to live
properly without learning? It is the learning that comes through study
and books that one must have to rightly understand things. The lad or
the maid who is determined to learn can find the way! The lad or the
maid who pushes through everything that would hinder, and _will get_
learning, is the one to succeed and to be admired.'"

Then up glowed the picture again: the manly figure on the wall, the
glory of the setting sun lighting up the proud young face, the clothes
he wore, his lace-shadowed hands, the shining ring on his finger. All
the scene flamed up before her keen imagination as the child glanced
down at her brown little hands, her scanty dress, and her rough, bare
feet.

And the child-sorrow that is very hard to bear, burst forth in a deep,
choking sound, as slipping to the ground, face down, Sally cried out:

"O Fairy Prince! Fairy Prince! You stand so high, so high