O'er the sleeping earth we silently pass , Unseen by mortal eye , And send sweet dreams , as we lightly float Through the quiet moonlit sky ; -- For the stars ' soft eyes alone may see , And the flowers alone may know , The feasts we hold , the tales we tell : So ' t is time for the Elves to go . From bird , and blossom , and bee , We learn the lessons they teach ; And seek , by kindly deeds , to win A loving friend in each . And though unseen on earth we dwell , Sweet voices whisper low , And gentle hearts most joyously greet The Elves where'er they go . When next we meet in the Fairy dell , May the silver moon 's soft light Shine then on faces gay as now , And Elfin hearts as light . Now spread each wing , for the eastern sky With sunlight soon will glow . The morning star shall light us home : Farewell ! for the Elves must go . Chapter I . The Catastrophe `` Clear the lulla ! '' was the general cry on a bright December afternoon , when all the boys and girls of Harmony Village were out enjoying the first good snow of the season . Up and down three long coasts they went as fast as legs and sleds could carry them . One smooth path led into the meadow , and here the little folk congregated ; one swept across the pond , where skaters were darting about like water-bugs ; and the third , from the very top of the steep hill , ended abruptly at a rail fence on the high bank above the road . There was a group of lads and lasses sitting or leaning on this fence to rest after an exciting race , and , as they reposed , they amused themselves with criticising their mates , still absorbed in this most delightful of out-door sports . `` Here comes Frank Minot , looking as solemn as a judge , '' cried one , as a tall fellow of sixteen spun by , with a set look about the mouth and a keen sparkle of the eyes , fixed on the distant goal with a do-or-die expression . `` Here 's Molly Loo And little Boo ! '' sang out another ; and down came a girl with flying hair , carrying a small boy behind her , so fat that his short legs stuck out from the sides , and his round face looked over her shoulder like a full moon . `` There 's Gus Burton ; does n't he go it ? '' and such a very long boy whizzed by , that it looked almost as if his heels were at the top of the hill when his head was at the bottom ! `` Hurrah for Ed Devlin ! '' and a general shout greeted a sweet-faced lad , with a laugh on his lips , a fine color on his brown cheek , and a gay word for every girl he passed .
`` Laura and Lotty keep to the safe coast into the meadow , and Molly XXXXX is the only girl that dares to try this long one to the pond .
Burton Devlin Elves Loo afternoon first lulla morning skaters water-bugs