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 most singular thing about him was that he had
no heart. But instead of this he possessed a high degree of Reason and
Justice and while he showed no mercy in his judgments he never punished
unjustly or without reason. To wrong-doers Tititi-Hoochoo was as terrible
as he was heartless, but those who were innocent of evil had nothing to
fear from him.
All the Kings and Queens of this fairyland paid reverence to Jinjin, for
as they expected to be obeyed by others they were willing to obey the one
in authority over them.
The inhabitants of the Land of Oz had heard many tales of this fearfully
just Jinjin, whose punishments were always equal to the faults committed.
Polychrome also knew of him, although this was the first time she had
ever seen him face to face. But to Betsy the story was all new, and she
was greatly interested in Tititi-Hoochoo, whom she no longer feared.
Time sped swiftly during their talk and suddenly Betsy noticed that
Moonlight was sitting beside the Queen of Light, instead of Daylight.
"But tell me, please," she pleaded, "why do you all wear a dragon's head
embroidered on your gowns?"
Erma's pleasant face became grave as she answered:
"The Dragon, as you must know, was the first living creature ever made;
therefore the Dragon is the oldest and wisest of living things. By good
fortune the Original Dragon, who still lives, is a resident of this land
and supplies us with wisdom whenever we are in need of it. He is old as
the world and remembers everything that has happened since the world was
created."
"Did he ever have any children?" inquired the girl.
"Yes, many of them. Some wandered into other lands, where men, not
understanding them, made war upon them; but many still reside in this
country. None, however, is as wise as the Original Dragon, for whom we
have great respect. As he was the first resident here, we wear the emblem
of the dragon's head to show that we are the favored people who alone
have the right to inhabit this fairyland, which in beauty almost equal
the Fairyland of Oz, and in power quite surpasses it."
"I understand about the dragon, now," said Polychrome, nodding her lovely
head. Betsy did not quite understand, but she was at present interested
in observing the changing lights. As Daylight had given way to Moonlight,
so now Starlight sat at the right hand of Erma the Queen, and with her
coming a spirit of peace and content seemed to fill the room. Polychrome,
being herself a fairy, had many questions to ask about the various Kings
and Queens who lived in this far-away, secluded place, and before Erma
had finished answering them a rosy glow filled the room and Firelight
took her place beside the Queen.
Betsy liked Firelight, but to gaze upon her warm and glowing features
made the little girl sleepy, and presently she began to nod. Thereupon
Erma rose and took Betsy's hand gently in her own.
"Come," said she; "the feast time has arrived and the feast is spread."
"That's nice," exclaimed the small mortal. "Now that I think of it, I'm
awful hungry. But p'raps I can't eat your fairy food."
The Queen smiled and led her to a doorway. As she pushed aside a heavy
drapery a flood of silvery light greeted them, and Betsy saw before her a
splendid banquet hall, with a table spread with snowy linen and crystal
and silver. At one side was a broad, throne-like seat for Erma and beside
her now sat the brilliant maid Electra. Polychrome was placed on the
Queen's right hand and Betsy upon her left. The other five messengers of
light now waited upon them, and each person was supplied with just the
food she liked best. Polychrome found her dish of dewdrops, all fresh and
sparkling, while Betsy was so lavishly served that she decided she had
never in her life eaten a dinner half so good.
"I s'pose," she said to the Queen, "that Miss Electra is the youngest of
all these girls."
"Why do you suppose that?" inquired Erma, with a smile.
"'Cause electric'ty is the newest light we know of. Didn't Mr. Edison
discover it?"
"Perhaps he was the first mortal to discover it," replied the Queen. "But
electricity was a part of the world from its creation, and therefore my
Electra is as old as Daylight or Moonlight, and equally beneficent to
mortals and fairies alike."
Betsy was thoughtful for a time. Then she remarked, as she looked at the
six messengers of light:
"We couldn't very well do without any of 'em; could we?"
Erma laughed softly. "_I_ couldn't, I'm sure," she replied, "and I think
mortals would miss any one of my maidens, as well. Daylight cannot take
the place of Sunlight, which gives us strength and energy. Moonlight
is of value when Daylight, worn out with her long watch, retires to
rest. If the moon in its course is hidden behind the earth's rim, and
my sweet Moonlight cannot cheer us, Starlight takes her place, for the
skies always lend her power. Without Firelight we should miss much of
our warmth and comfort, as well as much cheer when the walls of houses
encompass us. But always, when other lights forsake us, our glorious
Electra is ready to flood us with bright rays. As Queen of Light, I love
all my maidens, for I know them to be faithful and true."
"I love 'em, too!" declared Betsy. "But sometimes, when I'm _real_
sleepy, I can get along without any light at all."
"Are you sleepy now?" inquired Erma, for the feast had ended.
"A little," admitted the girl.
So Electra showed her to a pretty chamber where there was a soft, white
bed, and waited patiently until Betsy had undressed and put on a shimmery
silken nightrobe that lay beside her pillow. Then the light-maid bade her
good night and opened the door.
When she closed it after her Betsy was in darkness. In six winks the
little girl was fast asleep.
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