Mr. James T. Fields was obliged to fulfil a lecture engagement soon after the speaking began, else he would have read the following fairy tale:—
Once upon a time a company of good-natured fairies assembled for a summer moonlight dance on a green lawn in front of a certain picturesque old house in Cambridge. They had come out for a midnight lark, and as their twinkling feet flew about among the musical dewdrops they were suddenly interrupted by the well-known figure of the village doctor, which, emerging from the old mansion, rapidly made its way homeward.
"Another new mortal has alighted on our happy planet," whispered a fairy gossip to her near companion.
"Evidently so," replied the tiny creature, smiling good-naturedly on the doctor's footprints in the grass.
"That is the minister's house," said another small personage, with a wink of satisfaction.
"Perhaps it is a boy," ejaculated Fairy Number One.
"I know it is a boy!" said Fairy Number Two. I read it in the Doctor's face when the moon lighted up his countenance as he shut the door so softly behind him.
"It is a boy!" responded the Fairy Queen, who always knew everything, and that settled the question.
"If that is the case," cried all the fairies at once, "let us try what magic still remains to us in this busy, bustling New England. Let us make that child's life a happy and a famous one if we can."
"Agreed," replied the queen; "and I will lead off with a substantial gift to the little new-comer. I will crown him with Cheerfulness, a sunny temperament, brimming over with mirth and happiness."