THE LITTLE FAIRIES. 115 



fessor Pepper caused a small curtain in front of and below 

 the stage to be lifted up, so that by looking down the spec- 

 tators could see the objects directly that they had before 

 seen reflected in the glass above the pasteboard statue, 

 the lizard, and the other similar monsters, and, what was 

 prettier than all, the little fairies, who proved to be young 

 and agile girls, dressed gayly as dancers. There was a 

 very bright light shining upon them, and the girls bowed 

 and smiled, and made salutations to the audience in a 

 charming manner. A moment afterward the light was 

 suddenly shut off, the fairies and hobgoblins all vanished 

 in an instant, the curtain which had concealed them was 

 dropped, the gas was turned on above so as to brighten up 

 the whole room, and the performance was over. 



