Copyiight]^" ^/d COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES CHARLES K. MESCHTER BOSTON : RICHARD G. BADGER The Copp Clark Co., Limited, Toronto Copyright, 1915, by Charles K. Meschter All Rights Reserved Some of the silhouettes are used through the courtesy of The Prang Company. Thh Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. OCT 251915 )CI.A41609 To All children and to all grown ups whose life is still sweetened by fairy fancy. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Mount Minsi Fairies Where Mount Minsi looms so high That it seems to touch the sky There's a wooded rocky place Peopled by a fairy race. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Here in laurel-scented June When the deep light of the moon Silvers glen and rock and tree With its wondrous witchery There is faintest noise and bustle, Spears of grass make feeblest rustle; Then a sentry calls out "Come!" In Mount Minsi's fairydom. lO MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Many fairies trip and fly To the trysting place that's nigh ; From their homes of woven grasses Hurry little lads and lasses, From their snowy toadstool tents Hasten small inhabitants, From snug niches in the rocks, From stout limbs which lightning shocks. Somewhere northward there's to be That night glorious revelry. II MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES At the trysting place await Curious coaches in great state; Eagles' feathers found in rocks Form the fairies' wagon box, In the magic moonlight glint Wheels cut from the mountain flint. For coach horses, bumblebees Lassoed in Mount Minsi's breeze — Ten pairs prancing, strong, bewitched To each gorgeous coach are hitched. Harness wrought of threads of gold Horse and coach together hold. On these golden trappings toss Plumes of dainty tufts of moss, Little bells whose fine tones seem Soft and sweet as in a dream. 12 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Fairy feet make dainty clatter, Round each coach there's tiny chatter; At this merriment of voices Minsi's great heart e'en rejoices. Half a score of coaches wait, In each fifty souls elate. Now each driver in this train Tightens up his golden rein, Each bee with its ears atip Listens for the word and whip. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Off^ — the wondrous cavalcade ! Off — upon their glorious raid! Where the craggy ways are not There these gaudy horses trot, Where the road is rough and high There these humming palf ries fly. H MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Now they've reached The Promontory Looming in the silver glory, Where they linger and alight To behold the rapturous sight; Each wee heart with heaven fills As they scan the vale and hills; Back, they see Mount Minsi's crown From the splendid stars look down; Yonder, Tammany grand and pale Gazes through his moonlight veil; Far below, the waters twist 'Neath their coverlet of mist ; Far beyond, hills, sky, and stream Melt together In a dream. 15 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES While these small hearts are elate Five score bumblebees await; While the fairies grow endearing Bees are champing, pawing, rearing; WTiile the fairies sweetly twitter Golden reins and traces glitter. i6 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Coaches on the trail bowl by With their steeds that run or fly, Magic horses whose sweet hum Cheers this jolly fairydom. Soon the merry riders reach A secluded lakelet's beach. All immediately explore Glinting waves and sandy shore. For canoes each tarnward heaves Turned up rhododendron leaves ; Butterflies are pilots brave In this riot on the wave, And unfurl in gentle gales Their artistic wings for sails; Captured fireflies give their light That these ships may sail aright; Laurel bells form canopies ; Cushions moss plucked from the trees. 17 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Laughter chorus fine and rare Echoes in the lakelet's air; Dainty songs are heard, that seem Floating from an oriole's dream. Sleepy fish come up to see All the wondrous riotry, And at once in nightgowns play Leapfrog to pass time away, Some e'en from the water vault Thrilling rainbow somersault; E'en the sober timid trout Acts as if he were a lout. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES But all carnivals must end ! To the shore the boatmen wend; Quickly flickering boatlights fly To the underbrush near by; In the night too disappear Sails and faithful gondolier. 19 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES By the brook the faifies talk, Long Caldeno's stream they walk, Often leap on mossy stones. Listen to the streamlet's tones. Sometimes rush beneath the spray Shining in a moonlight ray, Often on a leaf they glide To the brooklet's farther side, And again try catching fish That in shallows dart and swish; Sometimes by a laurel cluster There is fairylovers' fluster. 20 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES What astounds them in their path! They behold Diana's Bath And observe a strange commotion Fading from this classic ocean; They surmise they've put to flight That grace at her water rite. Instantly the crow^d is raving On delights of seashore bathing And without delay decide Going in this sacred tide. Into it some boldly dash, On the edge some shyly splash, Others are buoyed by the surf Out upon the mossy turf, Some bask far out on the beach Where the wavelets never reach, In the shadow suave addresses Mix with lovers' warm caresses. Fairies must be up and gone — Matin gods, delay the dawn! 21 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Down the brook the fairies trip Lightly as the dewdrops drip, Lovingly they wend their way Where Caldeno Falls display, Here the elfins congregate For their vaunted sumptuous fete. 22 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Here within the dell's expanse There is dainty dizzy dance. From the nooks and chinks around Fairies come so gaily gowned : Dresses made of sunset glow, Others of the Gap rainbow, Some created from the mist Dyed with morning's amethyst. Gorgeous gowns without a seam Woven from a baby's dream; Tiny jewels rich and rare Sparkle in the moonlight air, Glisten in bewitching tresses, Lighten from enchanting dresses. Flash from arms and turn the night Into marvelous daylight. 23 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES For lights closely in a line Fireflies gladly sit and shine; For an orchestra ten frogs Take their seats on sodden logs And with white vests, coats of green, Think their like has ne'er been seen. Now their leader clears his throat. Makes each player get his note, And upon amphibious fiddles They perform their music-riddles; Every string is wildly twanged, Frantically the bassdrum's banged: Fairies so complexly twirl Every frog's brain's in a whirl: Like confusion in a trance Is Caldeno's devious dance. 24 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Every bird has left its bed For the big trees overhead, All the bees and butterflies Come and open wide their eyes, Bugs and insects almost fall In the dell so near they crawl — One poor June bug dressed in yellow Broke his neck, pushed by a fellow. 25 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Now the dancing's almost o'er, There's a change, all clear the floor; Jonah Frog steps forth and sings, With his voice the forest rings; With his great deep quavering bass He's a genius 'mong his race: Any mortal w^ith that tone Easily would stand alone. I Sfcf^^fc: .;*^^iS^# #;PS 26 'MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES THE FROGS SONG For Nao7?ii my love is like a grief. For her my heart beats like An aspen leaf. Refrain Ker chug, ker chug! A grassy rug And the sky's blue make home for tuo. Ker chug, ker chug! Her love no other maid- en can displace, I show my sweetheart's love upon my face. For her my heart is like a mountain oak. For her all day and night I croak and choke. For Naomi I some- times almost die. For her I'll pluck a star out of the sky. 27 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Strings again are wildly twanged And the bassdrum's loudly banged. Dancing over, night goes fast; Glory waits as a repast. Just beyond Caldeno's spray Banquet boards are in array. Round the boards attendants wait In dress suit and pompous state, Now the orchestra plays low While the fairies march in slow. Arms of each elf-man are laden With a captivating maiden — Each maid's splendor dulls the luster Of her gems' and jewels' cluster, And all tiny violets wear On their breast and in their hair. Several dapper lads, who found Too few ladies to go round, Stragglingly bring up the rear, Feel and look a little queer. 28 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Delicacies are growing higher, Waiters move as jerked by wire ; Everything each fairy wishes Is before him on the dishes. Greedy bugs push toward the fare Just as closely as they dare, While in their orchestral seat Sit the frogs and meekly eat. Oh, how savory that meal Where there 're friends and laughter-peal! Hunger sated, 'tis made plain Artists are to entertain — One among them, 'tis averred, Sings far finer than a bird. (Hereupon birds nudge each other And the bitterest feelings smother.) 29 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Now the prima donna rises And with song the night baptizes. THE fairy's song Where moss-shadows creep And are cool and deep All day I lie and dream And sleep. When the night tolls ten I am up again To wend wild ways in hill and glen. In the soft sweet spray Down the brook's blithe way I lightly flit and softly stray. In Mount Minsi's gale I sublimely sail Until the mellow stars turn pale. 30 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Echo bares this song away While it makes gay hearts more gay. Ere they end their festal rite All insist that one recite: She consents reluctantly To recite about the sea, Telling of a youth who mourns For a nymph that loves its storms. Her rich voice sounds in the air Grander than a hermit's prayer. 31 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES THE MAID OF THE STORM Upon a golden beach there lay A hopeful youth one summer's day While fragrance from the tropic lands Was wafted to those seashore sands. Just when the sun was dropping low, When gulls flew wildly to and fro, A fearful storm drew swiftly nigh And pitched the breakers to the sky, And hurled the sea against the rocks, That shook the shore like earthquake shocks; The frantic deep sprayed thick and far And hid with mist the evening star: Then from the foaming sea a form Game dripping up — Maid of the Storm. 32 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES Her head was scarfed in flying mist, Her robe was Neptune's amethyst, Her locks shone like a comet's tail That makes the brightest stars look pale, Her cheeks and breast were like the white That newly falls on winter's night. And in her eyes of deepest blue An endless universe shone through. This mermaid's song then sounded clear And reached the youth, brought heaven near. 33 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES THE MERMAID S SONG Down within this zuild wide sea Is the happy home for me. Where the rich-hued fishes play There I while the time away. There's ?ny sea-home built of pearl. There the waters spout and swirl. On a cliff of gold it stands Sweeping leagues' of watery lands. Seagrass stretches on and on To where mortals view the dawn. For the stars of my rich night Countless diamonds flash their light. M MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES There are spires with pearly tips. Domes where soothing water dripSj Chimes of seashells that sound far Sweeter than all earth strains are. Pretty mortal, couldst thou be Happy doivn in my fine sea? Fare thee well, I go away Where my rich-hued fishes play. MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES The sea grew calm, the clouds passed on, The Maiden of the Storm was gone. Each day the youth frequents that spot To see the Maid who rises not. From five-hundred hearts more light Praises sound upon the night. Since they scent the morning air Fairies for their home prepare. But the anguish on those faces In the coils of love's embraces. For in scores of little hearts Fairy Cupid shot gold darts! MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES By Caldeno's tiny strand Coaches wait for Minsiland, Once again in moonlight glint Wheels cut from the mountain flint, For the fairies so endearing Bees are waiting, champing, rearing, Golden reins and traces glitter While the people fondly twitter. Plumes of dainty tufts of moss On the golden harness toss. Little bells whose fine tones seem Soft and low as in a dream. Whips are cracked and coaches dash Homeward like a lightning flash! Every pretty elf has come In Mount Minsi's fairydom. 37 MOUNT MINSI FAIRIES From the mountains darkness rolled; On them morning's molten gold. 38 LIBRARY OF CONGHts= 015 9295011