Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 161, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1918 — DADSY'S EVENING FAIRY TALE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DADSY'S EVENING FAIRY TALE

by MARY GRAHAM BONNER

| MR. SUN'S FRECKLES. “Whatever Is the matter with you, Mr. Sun?” asked the fairies.

“Why do you ask?” inquired Mr. Sun. “Do I look ill, or dangerously sick in any way?” “No,” said Fairy Princess Joy slowly, “you don’t look a little bit ill or very dangerously so—you just look a little queer, if you will pardon me for saying so, dear Mr. Sun.” “PU pardon you for saying so,” smiled the sun. “I am glad, though, that I haven’t a sick look. Td not

mind being sick nearly so much as I would mind looking sick. I’d hate to be a miserable, wretched, pale and forlorn sun. I want to be bright and Strong.” “Well,” said Fairy Twilight Bell who (enjoyed the daytime even though the twilight was her favorite time of the day. “Well,” she repeated, “you needn't worry about being bright and Strong. You certainly aren’t feeling weak!” “Then why should Fairy Princess Joy ask me what is the matter with jne?” inquired Mr. Sun. “I said that you didn’t look ill," answered Fairy Princess Joy. “To be sure you did,” said Mr. Sun. •You told me I looked a little queer.” “I do hope I didn’t hurt your feelings'” said Princess Joy. “You asked me if I thought you looked ill and I didn’t want to say you did —when you most decidedly did not —and too I thought it might worry you to have some one think you looked ill. You might imagine that all sorts of things Were the matter with you if I thought so.” “I don’t believe,” said Mr. Sun slowly, “that I would be so foolish.” “Of course not,” said Fairy Princess Joy. “I am getting very much muddled. Oh, dear, and I never want to make anyone feel unhappy or sad or blue.” ‘T don’t feel blue,” said Mr. Sun, "nor do I feel unhappy and sad. But I do feel a .little spotty!” “The very thing,” said Fairy Princess Joy. “Oh, is that what made you say I looked queer?” asked the sun. “Yes,” she answered. “No wonder you spoke as you did,” said Mr. Sun, and Fairy Princess Joy looked very much pleased that Mr. Sun was really not at all hurt but was simply very understanding. “I must look queer, of course,” Mr. Sun continued. “But there is a reason for It” “I am sure there must be,” said Fairy Princess Joy. “Will you tell us the reason?” asked Fairy Twilight Bell. “Do,” urged all the fairies. “You know what very hot weather we have been having lately?” began Mr. Sun. All ’ the fairies fiddded their heads. “We know, Mr. Sun, it was very hard to* keep cool, especially for the grownups and the children and the horses.” “Well, we’ve had a very, very hot wave. Now the hot wave came to me and said: “ ‘Look here old Sun, folks often say you give them freckles; they say that, after all the good you do. They forget that you cure them and make them well by your sunshine and that you make the flowers grow and the leaves come out in the spring. They just get mad at you if you give them freckles and try to hide their faces from you by broad-brimmed hats and sunshades. What have you got to say to that, old Sun?’ “Now that made me very mad. I always get mad when I hear such

things, and when I get mad of course I blaze and it makes every one still warmer. Well, old Hot Wave talked to me like this and urged me on. “Til help you,’ he said. ‘We’ll get even with them.’ f “So we went on to regular tear—and hasn’t it been hot?”

“It most certainly has,” said the fairies. “But what do you think happened to me?” asked the sun. “The spots,” said the fairies. “Yes,” said Mr. Sun, “the spots are freckles —freckles on the face of the sun. Just fancy that! Mr. Sun was the receiver of a number of freckles during the very hot season! Isn’t that a Joke on me? But I don’t mind. It’s been a record-breaking hot wave.” And learned men they call scientists took pictures of Mr. Sun and his freckles ! t

"It Was Very Hard to Keep Cool."

“You Give Them Freckles.”