The Heart's Kingdom

"And Charlotte said they is no fairies anywhere and I say they is," he

declaimed, while father listened attentively. Suddenly I saw what I had

never seen before, that father's white hair rose in a crest on one side

and descended in a cascade on the other at exactly the same angle as the

black locks of the young arguer before him, and as they calmly regarded

each other I thought I had never seen such a likeness in personality as

well as form of feature. Love flooded all over me and I wanted to hug

them both but was restrained to silence by the gravity of the

situation.

"And why did you argue that there are fairies?" father interrogated

calmly and judicially.

"Charlotte said they ain't here 'cause she and me had never saw one, and

I said, 'How could a book and pictures be about nothing at all?' I

showed her this book that Lady gaved me and she said, 'Maybe, but ask

Minister.' I said, no, I'd ask you 'cause you are older and mighter saw

one onct. Did you?"

"Well, sir, you argued from a positive, about ten pounds of positive, I

should judge from the size of that volume, while Charlotte certainly

argued from a negative viewpoint," said father, and his eyes twinkled as

he gave me an almost imperceptible wink. By his answer he also avoided

answering the question of faith put to him.

"Did you see one?" came back the question in a tone that demanded an

answer.

"Here comes Minister now and you can ask him," father said in all

cravenness as Mr. Goodloe came in the door behind me and came and stood

at my side. He had a huge yellow plume of goldenrod which he handed me

without looking at me directly. I buried my nose in its crispness and

watched to see him meet the issue.

The boy put the question carefully just as he had put it to father, but

there was a quaver in his voice as he ended with his plea.

"Is they no fairies, 'cause you can't see 'em?"

"Do you feel them in your heart?" was the counter question that came

gravely from the lips of the Reverend Mr. Goodloe.

"Yes, here," answered the pleader as he laid his hand carefully on the

pit of his stomach, which is nearer the seat of heartache than many a

perturbed older person has come.

"Then for you there are fairies, right there in your heart, even if

Charlotte has lost them out of hers," was the answer, with a theology

that staggered me and set father smiling back into his youth.

"I'll go tell her and maybe give her some of mine," exclaimed the boy as

he ran from the room.