THE TWINKLING STAR

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 23

THE TWINKLING STAR

—First Prize — Little Roy lay tossing restlessly on his snowy white bed. For a week he had been in bed, but the fever had not left him yet. The kindly nurse was arranging some beautiful roses in the vase on the table by his bed. “There, Roy! Little May Bain brought you those. Aren’t they lovely?” said the nurse cheerfully. "Yes, nurse, they’re very nice,” said Roy drowsily, as ho turned over towards the window. “Oh, nurse, there’s a great, big twinkling star up in the sky, and he's looking in my window. See?” said Roy excitedly, as he stared with sparkling eyes at the star. “Oh, nurse! Look! look! I’m sure he’s smiling—oh, no he’s not! Poor, dear, twinkling star. I think he’s very sad, an’ he’s smiling bravely—he must have been crying, I think, ’cause he’s blinkling hard,” said Roy sadly. "I’d love tp comfort him, ’cause I’m a bit sad, too, an’ we’d be sort o’ friends.” “Hush, Roy! Lie down quietly. You’ll never get better if you sit up like that, said the nurse, gently, as she sat beside the bed. '“Come —oh, nurse, I can’t see fy star now!” “Hush! I think he’s gone to see some other little boy. Now, I’ll read to you. Which story do you like?” asked the nurse, as she took Roy’s picture book. “Oh, nurse, please read the one about Peter Pan and Wendy, ’cause, see, 1 d like to be like him an’ never grow up. Course I’d go to school for a bit; but then well "Captain Hook,” the nurse began. “Ugh! I wouldn’t have liked —Poor Peter Pan! He was so young to fight a big cruel man,” said Roy, in a grown-up manner. “I’d like to see Peter Pan, you know—an’ Wendy; but I—l think I’d be scared of the crocodile.” “Hush, Roy! You must not talk so much. You should be asleep now, said the nurse. ’ Roy turned over again, murmuring "I m-ust see Peter Pan —and I’d like to be friends with Mr Twinkling Star, but —nurse, you'll thank May for the roses, won t you?” The nurse replied “Yes” very quietly,-'for she knew that Roy was at last asleep. »■»*» * * * * “Roy! Roy!” called a sweet voice. Roy jumped out of bed. He knew it was not his mother, or the nurse, or his father. He ran to the window, where he found a strange little person awaiting him. Roy stared at him a moment —surely he had seen that petal frock before! He laughed softly. “Oh, Peter Pan! Peter Pan! Do take me to the Never Never Land,” said Roy clapping his hands. x . “Ah, Roy, you did not know? The Never Never Land is no more. Wendy and I live in the Land of Frolic now. It is much better! More fun—and—no Captain Hooks.” Peter gave a little shudder. , “Oh, I’m so glad! Cap’n Hook was so cruel and he was —just horrid,” said Roy. “Come, Roy. I don’t like this Mortal Land—it’s so very cold,” said Peter Pan, with chattering teeth. “Just close your eyes, Roy. That’s right,” Peter added. Roy felt himself travelling upwards. He gave a shudder—what if his head struck the ceiling! But no, they went on and on —. He felt that they must be outside somewhere for it was chilly and besides—- “ Open your eyes, Roy,” said Peter Pan, as he danced round. “Oh,” gasped Roy, for he was no longer in his bedroom, but he was sitting in a little gold boat, that flew through the air on silver wings. “Where are we going, Peter P—” There was a bump. Peter Pan jumped out of the boat, Silver Wings, and told Roy to step out. Roy did so and stared below him. “Peter, are we really in the Land of Frolic ? Look, there’s all the houses below,” cried Roy delightedly. _ . “Yes, this is the Land of Frolic. Come, I’ll take you to Old King Cole. He rules here, you know. He’s as jolly as ever,” said Peter Pan as they went along. Roy found that he wore a golden suit and golden wings. “Do you know Mr Twinkling Star?” asked Roy, anxiously. “Oh, yes. He lives at No. 12 Moonshine Lane. Why?” said Peter Pan carelessly. “Because I’d like to know him,” replied Roy. “Oh, he’s not very popular! He’s in disgrace. The King lost one of his Magic Slippers, and most of us think Twinkling Star took it, said Peter 1 an. “So that’s why he was crying,” thought Roy. “I’m sure he wouldn’t do such a thing,” he said aloud, indignantly. “Oh, you don’t know him,” Peter Pan replied. "I mean to know him before I go home,” said Roy, in a determined way. "Oh, here’s the Dream Palace,” said Peter Pan. "I'll take you to the King now, because the ball begins as soon as you arrive.” Peter Pan and Roy passed along the beautiful corridor that glittered with jewels, and at last they came to the ball-room where all the guests were assembled. At their approach everyone bowed, and Roy walked to the king and kneeled. The king welcomed him, and then the music started. Roy looked round and saw Wendy seated in a pretty bay window. Roy walked up to her and they started talking. Wendy asked Roy to have a dance with her, but Roy said, “Oh, Wendy, you know I can’t dance!” “Oh, can’t you! Come and try,” replied Wendy. To his surprise Roy found that he could dance quite as well as his partner. “Oh, Wendy, do you know where Twinkling Star is?” Roy asked suddenly. “Twinkling Star! Yes, come and we’ll speak to him. I feel sorry for him because I’m sure he is a sport,” said Wendy, leading Roy to the sad Twinkling Star. “Do you recognize me, Twinkling Star?” asked Roy, sitting down beside him. At that moment Little Boy Blue came to Wendy and took her away to dance. “Yes,” said Twinkling Star, “I know you. I saw you were ill. I tried to cure you, but I found that Old King Cole had taken all my magic.” “Oh!” said Roy, surprised. “Shall we go for a walk in the garden?” “Yes, do. I hate being here, because everyone despises me,” said Twinkling Star sadly. “Oh, never mind that! I don’t despise you, anyway,” said Roy, as they went out into the night. “Now - tell me about your troubles, Twinkling Star. I wanted to be your friend as soon as I saw you. "Well," Twinkling Star began, “I don’t know what I’ve done that is wrong, but the King doesn’t like me. He’s lost one of his Magic Slippers and—and I don’t know why he thinks I stole it.” “I say!” Roy exclaimed. “What was that?” “That,” said Twinkling Star, “was probably an owl.” There was a pause, and then they heard a crackling noise. Twinkling Star skipped forward. “Oh, do be careful, Twinkling Star,” cried Roy. There was a scream. Roy rushed forward, and to his horror saw an old witch woman striking Twinkling Star with her staff. “You’d dare to spy on me, would you,” she growled. Roy ran to take her staff, but Twinkling Star called to him to leave her. “I’ll see to her, Roy. This Witch Woman has a kingdom of her own, many miles from here. She should not be here. But we might have known she was doing some evil,” cried Twinkling Star, wrenching the staff from her grasp. “You dare to betray me,” she grumbled, as she rushed at- Twinkling Star and roughly pushed him over. Then it was that Roy remembered seeing a notice on the door of Dream Palace. There was to be a handsome reward for the person who could capture the Witch Woman. - , Roy rushed at the Witch Woman, calling for help as he did so. Wendy and Little Boy Blue came running out to them: “Come, Little Boy Blue, help me to take this wicked creature to the king,” cried Roy. The witch made a struggle to get free, and as she did so something dropped to the ground. Twinkling Star crawled to the spot where they were standing and picked up a glittering object. "Ah! So I stole His Majesty’s slipper, did I? We have discovered your reason for being here, Madam Witch,” he called after the three who had gone towards the palace. “Ah! You shall pay for this! You will regret this deed! you —, you —she choked for words, and stumbled up the steps. “Your Majestty may be pleased to see whom we have taken prisoner,” said Roy, as they crossed the ball-rooin to the king s throne. -. Ha! Ha! So they have caught you at last! And, pray, why are you here, in my kingdom ?” the king asked, with a hideous grin. “Ah, you’d like to know! Ask ’im as you call The Twinkling Star!” replied the Witch Woman, pointing a long, bony thumb at twinkling Star. “Your Majesty, I was fortunate in finding that this prisoner was the person—l mean the CREATURE who stole your treasured Magic Slipper,” said Twinkling Star, and with great solemnity, he knelt before the king, placing the slipper in his sovereign’s hand. "I see, my Twinkling Star, that we have misjudged you. We know now that you are indeed a loyal subject. We sincerely hope that you will forgive us,”- said the king. “That I gladly do, sire,” said Twinkling Star. At that moment someone called for cheers for Twinkling Star, and Roy patted his friend heartily on the back. A great booming noise sounded! The guests stood silent and the king said in a cheerful tone, “I see, my friends, that we must with all haste break up this ball. Two soldiers come and lock this creature in the second dungeon. I trust you will not let her escape. I must now follow my lord, King Sol, .to a warmer clime. Adieu, my friends.” With a start, Roy rubbed his eyes. “Oh, dear!” he said, looking round the.room, "I thought it was real. It’s only a dream. Ah! I see my friend the twinkling star is shining brightly now. He does not blink and smile so wanly. I must go to sleep again, I suppose.” -5/- and 4 marks to Cousin Hazel Stewart (15), 270 Ythan street, Invercargill. • —Second Prize—* Charles was hungry! This was no unusual thing for him, but to-day to add to his hunger, a lot of tempting apples hung just out of reach in a nearby orchard. He turned to his comrades, Ginger and Pat,,who were vainly trying to knock down the fruit with a stick. “Hist!” he said and adopted a dark and sinister attitude. He would have liked to twirl a heavy black moustache, but one can’t have everything, so he stroked his nose in a way that would have done credit to any bandit. /‘We will come here later on to-night when it is properly dark; till then we can go over to Ginger’s and tell stories.” They, crept off, Indian fashion, for a while, till Charles, unable to resist temptation, absconded with a water-melon from the front of a shop. They then threw dignity to the winds and ran. Arriving at Ginger’s place they put down the water-melon, and argued as to who was to tell the story.