130 FOREST FANCIES 



to appropriate a few millions and make your 

 damp little home all clean — dredge it out, you 

 know; sort of house clean it/' 



**I wish you would do so every year/' she 

 said fretfully, shaking the clinging sand from 

 her hair, **or keep the hills out of the river, 

 where they don't belong." 



*^That is a big proposition," returned Jo- 

 siah. *^ However, we might plant some trees 

 upon the hills, and keep them there. That 

 would be cheaper in the end. I should cer- 

 tainly like to make you ladies comfortable." 



**I have been trying to turn your mill wheels, 

 but the streams are inconstant, for the springs 

 dry up. I want clean water for your cities. 

 I try to float your ships, but the silt chokes the 

 channels." 



** * Little drops of water, 

 Little grains of sand/ '* 



repeated Josiah thoughtfully. 



^'That's just it!" she cried. 



A sylph fluttered from the sky. ^^The for- 

 est draws the rain." 



