Private Citizen, but all were
handsome enough to be called palaces--as, in fact, they really were.

Chapter Twelve

The Lovely Lady of Light

The palace of the Queen of Light stood on a little eminence and was a
mass of crystal windows, surmounted by a vast crystal dome. When they
entered the portals Erma was greeted by six lovely maidens, evidently
of high degree, who at once aroused Betsy's admiration. Each bore a
wand in her hand, tipped with an emblem of light, and their costumes
were also emblematic of the lights they represented. Erma introduced
them to her guests and each made a graceful and courteous
acknowledgment.

First was Sunlight, radiantly beautiful and very fair; the second was
Moonlight, a soft, dreamy damsel with nut-brown hair; next came
Starlight, equally lovely but inclined to be retiring and shy. These
three were dressed in shimmering robes of silvery white. The fourth was
Daylight, a brilliant damsel with laughing eyes and frank manners, who
wore a variety of colors. Then came Firelight, clothed in a fleecy
flame-colored robe that wavered around her shapely form in a very
attractive manner. The sixth maiden, Electra, was the most beautiful of
all, and Betsy thought from the first that both Sunlight and Daylight
regarded Electra with envy and were a little jealous of her.

But all were cordial in their greetings to the strangers and seemed to
regard the Queen of Light with much affection, for they fluttered
around her in a flashing, radiant group as she led the way to her regal
drawing-room.

This apartment was richly and cosily furnished, the upholstery being of
many tints, and both Betsy and Polychrome enjoyed resting themselves
upon the downy divans after their strenuous adventures of the day.

The Queen sat down to chat with her guests, who noticed that Daylight
was the only maiden now seated beside Erma. The others had retired to
another part of the room, where they sat modestly with entwined arms
and did not intrude themselves at all.

The Queen told the strangers all about this beautiful land, which is
one of the chief residences of fairies who minister to the needs of
mankind. So many important fairies lived there that, to avoid rivalry,
they had elected as their Ruler the only important personage in the
country who had no duties to mankind to perform and was, in effect, a
Private Citizen. This Ruler, or Jinjin, as was his title, bore the name
of Tititi-Hoochoo, and the m