"Very well," said Mr. Raymond, "I will. What sort of a story shall
it be?"

"A true story," said one little girl.

"A fairy tale," said a little boy.

"Well," said Mr. Raymond, "I suppose, as there is a difference,
I may choose. I can't think of any true story just at this moment,
so I will tell you a sort of a fairy one."

"Oh, jolly!" exclaimed the little boy who had called out for
a fairy tale.

"It came into my head this morning as I got out of bed,"
continued Mr. Raymond; "and if it turns out pretty well,
I will write it down, and get somebody to print it for me,
and then you shall read it when you like."

"Then nobody ever heard it before?" asked one older child.

"No, nobody."

"Oh!" exclaimed several, thinking it very grand to have the first telling;
and I daresay there might be a peculiar freshness about it,
because everything would be nearly as new to the story-teller
himself as to the listeners.

Some were only sitting up and some were lying down, so there could
not be the same busy gathering, bustling, and shifting to and fro