ing like a star upon her breast.

Then the low voice spoke again in Annie's sleeping ear, saying:
"Remember well the lesson of the dream, dear child, and let the shining
spirits make your heart their home."

And with that voice sounding in her ear, little Annie woke to find it
was a dream; but like other dreams it did not pass away; and as she sat
alone, bathed in the rosy morning light, and watched the forest waken
into life, she silently resolved to strive, as she had striven in her
dream, to bring back light and beauty to its faded leaves, by being what
the Fairy hoped to render her, a patient, gentle little child. And as
the thought came to her mind, the flower raised its drooping head, and,
looking up into the earnest little face bent over it, seemed by its
fragrant breath to answer Annie's silent thought, and strengthen her for
what might come.

Meanwhile the forest was astir, birds sang their gay good-morrows from
tree to tree, while leaf and flower turned to greet the sun, who rose up
smiling on the world; and so beneath the forest boughs and through the
dewy fields went little Annie home, better and wiser for her dream.

* * *

Autumn flowers were dead and gone, white winter snow fell softly down;
yet now, when all without looked dark and dreary, on little Annie's
breast the fairy flower bloomed more beautiful than ever. The memory of
her forest dream had never passed away, and through trial and temptation
she had been true, and kept her resolution still unbroken; seldom now
did the warning bell sound in her ear, and seldom did the flower's
fragrance cease to float about her, or the fairy light to brighten all
whereon it fell.

So, through the long, cold winter, little Annie dwelt like a sunbeam in
her home, each day growing richer in the love of others, and happier in
herself; often was she tempted, but, remembering her dream, she listened
only to the music of the fairy bell, and the unkind thought or feeling
fled away, the smiling spirits of gentleness and love nestled in her
heart, and all was bright again.

At length, one day, as she sat singing in the sunny nook where all her
fairest flowers bloomed, weary with gazing at the far-off sky for the
little forms she hoped would come, she bent to look with joyful love
upon her bosom flower; and as she looked, its folded leaves spread wide
apart, and, rising slowly from the deep white cup, appeared the smiling
face of the lovely Elf wh