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Theyholdtheirgreatballsintheopenair,inwhatiscalledafairyring.Forweeksafterwardsyoucanseetheringonthegrass.Itisnottherewhentheybegin,buttheymakeitbywaltzingroundandround.Sometimesyouwillfindmushroomsinsidethering,andthesearefairychairsthattheservantshaveforgottentoclearaway.Thechairsandtheringsaretheonlytell-talemarkstheselittlepeopleleavebehindthem,andtheywouldremoveeventheseweretheynotsofondofdancingthattheytoeittilltheverymomentoftheopeningofthegates.DavidandIoncefoundafairyringquitewarm.
Butthereisalsoawayoffindingoutabouttheballbeforeittakesplace.YouknowtheboardswhichtellatwhattimetheGardensaretocloseto-day.Well,thesetrickyfairiessometimesslylychangetheboardonaballnight,sothatitsaystheGardensaretocloseatsix-thirty,forinstance,insteadofatseven.Thisenablesthemtogetbegunhalfanhourearlier.
IfonsuchanightwecouldremainbehindintheGardens,asthefamousMaimieManneringdid,wemightseedelicioussights;hundredsoflovelyfairieshasteningtotheball,themarriedoneswearingtheirweddingringsroundtheirwaists;thegentlemen,allinuniform,holdinguptheladies’trains,andlinkmenrunninginfrontcarryingwintercherries,whicharethefairy-lanterns;thecloakroomwheretheyputontheirsilverslippersandgetaticketfortheirwraps;theflowersstreamingupfromtheBabyWalktolookon,andalwayswelcomebecausetheycanlendapin;thesupper-table,withQueenMabattheheadofit,andbehindherchairtheLordChamberlain,whocarriesadandeliononwhichheblowswhenherMajestywantstoknowthetime.
Thetable-clothvariesaccordingtotheseasons,andinMayitismadeofchestnutblossom.
