hrew around
him the freshest and sweetest breath of the morning as he approached. He
leaned out of the window to draw the truant shutter to its place. He
was wide awake now. The soft sunbeams fell upon him. He drew a full
breath, and sent it forth again with an "ah--aa-ah!" of hearty relish.

"Well, this is a glorious morning," he muttered. "Ah, Nature gives us
our sweetest tastes of life, after all. How still it is here! A real
relief from the excitement and clamor of my life." He stood and gazed
quietly upon the lovely scene before him. His eyes were fixed upon the
rising sun, the glowing hill top and golden zoned river. A feeling of
sadness fell upon him. It deepened into regret, as he silently looked
and mused. He was thinking,--and who has not so thought?--of the
earlier, the purer, the happier morning of life, ere the ambitions and
struggles of manhood had awakened within him to warm the heart to fever
heat, and taint the freshness and purity of nobler and holier desires
and aims.

"Heigho!" he sighed, as he slowly drew the shutter to its place.

He felt a light touch upon his hand. A small, thin voice, but very sweet
and familiar, fell upon his ear. It was the well-known greeting of his
Brownie friends.

"God speed, Brother Wille; hail and good speed!"

He looked down, and saw standing upon the window-sill Ensign Lawe and
his troopers.

"Welcome, brothers hail and good speed!" he answered. There was a
heartiness in his tone and genuine pleasure in his face, which made the
hearts of the fairies jump for joy. It was so like the tone and look of
old time!

"What do you bring me, brothers?" continued Wille. "What can I do for
you, or what will you do for me?"

"Look yonder, please," said Lawe, pointing toward the lawn.

[Illustration: FIG. 147.--Fairy Sunbeam and Elf Keener Banishing Madam
Lacemaker Beyond the River.]

The Governor leaned over the window-sill and followed the direction of
the Ensign's pointed spear. He started! The Pixie encampment covered the
place! The dew drops on the tent-tops were glistening in the sunbeams
like jewels.

[Illustration: FIG. 148.--A Dew-Laden Web.]

"Look out of the west window, now," said Lawe. The Governor threw back
the shutter and saw the same dew-laden webs and silken tents stretching
in close array up toward the orchard to the very bank of the lake and
inlet.

"And has it come to this, my good friends?" cried Wille. His voice
trembled, and a tear started u