FOLK WHO SEE THE FAIRIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 9

FOLK WHO SEE THE FAIRIES

(By George A. Wade, in the "Daily Mail.") A book recently published, describing the-crossing of the. beautiful railway bridge at Saltash, from Devon into Corn, wall, uses these words, "And now we are iu the land of the real, pixies and fairies." This reminds me that the late Mr. H. D. Lowry, the Cornish novelist, used to delight in telling me tale 9 showing how. real and sincere is tho presentday belief of natives.of the "Delectable Duchy" in the actuality of fairies in this twentieth century of ours. 1 But it is nob only in Cornwall that these amazing beliefs still obtain. In North Wales I havo met with surprising illustrations.of this kind. Near the "Happy Valley," a few miles from T<iwyn, a farmer gravely told me ho-v the fairies took their oows and dogs for an airing at certain times in the evening. One of his. relations had captured a cow (this was many yoars before) whose progeny became . renowned for their lovely flesh, butter, and milk. The cow, when it was old, was sent to the butcher, but just as this tyrant was going to kill tho animal a fairy rescued -liar from his clutches by calling her home. When, lo! not only the cow herself, but also nil her young ones from far and near came along that same night and accompanied their mother back into the famous lake Llyn Barfog, where the fairies lived and on whose banks this event happened.

A few weeks ago I was walking with Halliwell Sutcliff in the Craven district of Yorkshire, when he told me that not long before he had chanced to cross a meadow with a schoolmaster belonging to Upper Wliarfedale, who had much him by saying suddenly, as they drew hear a certain spot in the field, "Thin is where I come to meet the fairies and talk with them!"

The novelist, surprised beyond measure, yet seeing the educated man's ovident sincerity, replied, "But you don't mean to say that you meet real fairies here at nights ?"

"Of course I do," replied the schoolmaster. "I havo met them many a time, and joined ih their talk and revels!"

, i Again I heard of a young woman in Skipton who was popularly reputed frequently to meet the fairies and elves in Upper Airedale, and to he 011 most familiar terms with tho "littlo peonle." When I spoke of this to Mr. William Riley, the author of "Windyridge," he nodded ancFsaid: "I could tell you of spvernl moorlnml folk whose belief in fairies and elves is not only unshakable but who also persis;. in declnrinp: that they have seen these pixies in their fnvnuritu haunts in Wliarfedale and Airedale!" In tho face of s-i much testimony and such widespread belief, who will _d_a.ro to affirm Hint there are not real fairies today? Or that the wide modern snrend of education lias done away with all romance and elfin delights in our midst?

In the report in yesterday's issue of tlio Supreme Court action against Robert William Martin it was stated that the witness Collins testified that Martin .was "not a frequent visitor" to his house. Wo are informed that the word "frequent" should not have appeared,