her whenever she opened her lips----'

'Why, _I_ remember--how funny that you should have forgotten! Whenever
she opened her lips, roses, and diamonds, and rubies fell out. That
would be the very thing! Then they'd _have_ to attend to me! Oh, do be a
kind old fairy and give me a gift like that--do, _do_!'

'Now, don't be so impetuous! You forget that this is not the time of
year for roses, and, as for jewels, well, I don't think I can be very
far wrong in supposing that you open your lips pretty frequently in the
course of the day?'

'Alick does call me a "mag,"' said Priscilla; 'but that's wrong, because
I never speak without having something to say. I don't think people
ought to--it may do so _much_ harm; mayn't it?'

'Undoubtedly. But, anyhow, if we made it _every_ time you opened your
lips, you would soon ruin me in precious stones, that's plain! No, I
think we had better say that the jewels shall only drop when you are
saying something you wish to be particularly improving--how will that
do?'

'Very nicely indeed, ma'am, thank you,' said Priscilla, 'because, you
see, it comes to just the same thing.'

'Ah, well, try to be as economical of your good things as you
can--remember that in these hard times a poor old fairy's riches are
not as inexhaustible as they used to be.'

'And jewels really will drop out?'

'Whenever they are wanted to "point a moral and adorn a tale,"' said the
old woman (who, for a fairy, was particularly well-read). 'There, run
along home, do, and scatter your pearls before your relations.'

It need scarcely be said that Priscilla was only too willing to obey;
she ran all the way home with a light heart, eager to exhibit her
wonderful gift. 'How surprised they will be!' she was thinking. 'If it
had been Betty, instead of me, I suppose she would have come back
talking toads! It would have been a good lesson for her--but still,
toads are nasty things, and it would have been rather unpleasant for the
rest of us. I think I won't tell Betty _where_ I met the fairy.'

She came in and took her place demurely at the family luncheon, which
was the children's dinner; they were all seated already, including her
father, who had got through most of his writing in the course of the
morning.

'Now make haste and eat your dinner, Priscilla,' said her mother, 'or it
will be quite cold.'

'I always let it get a little cold, mother,' replied the good little
girl, 'so that I mayn't come to think too