But I know that I played at dominos no more that day.

The next morning my father found me seated by myself under a tree in the garden; he paused, and looked at me with his grave bright eyes very steadily.
"My boy," said he, "I am going to walk to -- --," a town about two miles off: "will you come?
And, by the by, fetch your domino-box.

I should like to show it to a person there." I ran in for the box, and, not a little proud of walking with my father upon the high-road, we set out.
"Papa," said I by the way, "there are no fairies now." "What then, my child ?" "Why, how then can my domino-box be changed into a geranium and a blue-and-white flower-pot ?" "My dear," said my father, leaning his hand on my shoulder, "everybody who is in earnest to be good, carries two fairies about with him,--one here," and he touched my heart, "and one here," and he touched my forehead.
"I don't understand, papa." "I can wait till you do, Pisistratus.

What a name!" My father stopped at a nursery gardener's, and after looking over the flowers, paused before a large double geranium.

"Ah! this is finer than that which your mamma was so fond of.