Rewards and Fairies - Penn State University

an ass, as you’ll see presently. Come!’
Rewards and Fairies
carrier, who hath lately been afflicted by Gemini. Aren’t I right,
Their shadows jumped and slid on the fruit-tree walls. They Una?’ Mr Culpeper snorted contemptuously.
filed out of the garden by the snoring pig-pound and the ‘No. It’s the village nurse going down to the Mill about
crooning hen-house, to the shed where Middenboro the old some fresh twins that came there last week. Nurse,’ Una called,
lawn-mower pony lives. His friendly eyes showed green in as the light stopped on the flat, ‘when can I see the Morris
the light as they set their lamps down on the chickens’ drink- twins? And how are they?’
ing-trough outside, and pushed past to the hay-mow. Mr ‘Next Sunday, perhaps. Doing beautifully,’ the Nurse called
Culpeper stooped at the door.
back, and with a ping-ping-ping of the bell brushed round
‘Mind where you lie,’ said Dan. ‘This hay’s full of hedge- the corner.
brishings.
‘Her uncle’s a vetinary surgeon near Banbury,’ Una explained,
‘In! in!’ said Puck. ‘You’ve lain in fouler places than this, and if you ring her bell at night, it rings right beside her bed—
Nick. Ah! Let us keep touch with the stars!’ He kicked open not downstairs at all. Then she ‘umps up—she always keeps a
the top of the half-door, and pointed to the clear sky. ‘There pair of dry boots in the fender, you know—and goes anywhere
be the planets you conjure with! What does your wisdom she’s wanted. We help her bicycle through gaps sometimes. Most
make of that wandering and variable star behind those apple of her babies do beautifully. She told us so herself.’
boughs?’
‘I doubt not, then, that she reads in my books,’ said Mr
The children smiled. A bicycle that they knew well was Culpeper quietly. ‘Twins at the Mill!’ he muttered half aloud.
being walked down the steep lane. ‘Where?’ Mr Culpeper “And again He sayeth, Return, ye children of men.” ‘
leaned forward quickly. ‘That? Some countryman’s lantern.’ ‘Are you a doctor or a rector?’ Una asked, and Puck with a
‘Wrong, Nick,’ said Puck. ‘’Tis a singular bright star in shout turned head over heels in the hay. But Mr Culpeper
Virgo, declining towards the house of Aquarius the water- was quite serious. He told them that he was a physician-as-
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