The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-07
jim McG0WAN'S WISH.

Il WISH were u lOTu, sdiu az H.S'
Gowan, a lazy young fellow, as ne
stretched over his grandmother's turf
fire pair of brawny fists that were as
red rs the blaze that warmed them.
You wish to be a lord" answered
Granny MCGOWAN; "oh, then mighty
square lord you would make; but, as
Won live, Pat, never wish again: for who
knows but you might wish in the un'
lucky minute, and that it would be
granted to you9" 4.
Fax. then, Granny, I just wish
could have my wish this minute"
You're a fool, Pat, and have no more
sense in your head than cracked egg
has a chance of chicken inside of it
Maybe you'd never cease repenting OF
Your wish if you got it,"
Maybe so, granny, but for all that I'd
like to be lord. Tell ME, granny, when
comes the unlucky minute that body
may get their wish2"
why, you see, Pat, there is one par
ticular little bit of minute of time in
every twenty-four hours, that, if NOR
tai creature has the unlucky chance to
wish on that instant, his wish. for good
OF for bad, for life or death, fortune or
misfortune, sickness or health, for him
self or others, the wish is granted to him;
but seldom does it turn out for good to
the wisher, because it shows that he is
not satisfied with his lot, and it is con-
trary to what God in His goodness has
laid down for us all to do and suffer for
his sake. But, Pat, you BLACKBOARD, l
see you are laughing at your old granny
because you think am going to preach
d sermon to you; but you're mistaken, I'll
tell you what happened to an uncle Of
NV own, Jem MCGOWAN, who got his
wish when he asked for it,"
Got his wish-oh, the lucky old fell
low" cried Pat do granny, tell me all
about him. Got his wish! oh, how
wish was lord"
Listen to me, Pat, and don't be get
ting on with any foolish nonsense. MY
uncle, Jem MCGOWAN, was then some
thing like yourself, Pat, astrapping, able
chap, but one that would sooner he
scorching his shins over the fire than
be cutting the turf to make it, and rath-
er watch the potatoes boiling than dig
ging them out Of ridge. Instead of
working for new coat, he would wish
some one to giveit to him. When he got
up in the morning, he wished for his
breakfast, and when he had swallowed it
he wished for his dinner, and when he
had bolted down his dinner, he began to
wish for his supper, and when he ate his
supper, he wished to be in bed, and when
he was in bed, he wished to be asleep
in fact he did nothing but wish. and even
in his dreams am quite sure he wished
to be awake Uniucky for Jem, his cab
in was convenient to the great big house
of Squire Kavanagh, and when Jem went
ont in the morning. shivering with cold,
and wishing for glass of whiskey to put
spirits in him, and he saw the bedroom
windows of Esquire Kavanagh closed, and
knew that the squire was lying warm
and snug inside, he always wished to be
Squire Kavanagh. Then when he saw
the squire driving the horse and the
hounds before him, and he all the while
working in the field, he wished it still
more, and when he saw him dancing with
the beautiful young ladies and elegant
young gentlemen in the moonlight of u
summers evening in front of his fine hall
door, and under the shade of the old oak
trees, he wished it more than ever The
and so happy man did he seem that he
was always saying to himself 81 wish l
was Squire Kavanagh," from cOck-crow
to sunset, until he at last bit on the un-
fortunate minute in the twenty -four
hours when his wish was to be granted
He was Just after eating his dinner Of
iine, mealy potatoes, fresh butterlnilk,
and salt and salt butter to relish them;
when he stretched out his two legs and
threw up his arms and yawned out. "Oh,
dear, wish l was Squire Kavanagh"
The words were scarce uttered when
he found himself still yawning, in the
grand parlor of Kavanagh House, sitting
opposite to a table laid out with china,
and table cloth, silver forks and no end
of silver spoons, and a roaring hot beef
steak before him. Jem rubbed his eyes
and then his hands with Joy and thought
to himself, by dad, my wish is granted,
and I'll lay in plenty Of beefsteak first of
AL" He began cutting away, but, be-
fore he had finished, he was interrupted
by some people coming in. It was Sir
Harry McManus, Squire Brien and two
or three other grand gentlemen, and says
they to him, "kavanagh, don't you know
this is the day you are to decide your bet
for Ave hundred pounds, that you will
leap your horse over the widest part Of
the pond outside2"
"Is it me?" says Jem. why never
leapeda horse in my lifer'
Bother" says one, you're joking -
You told us yourself that you did it
twenty times, and there's the English
colonel that made the bet with you, and
hell be saying, if you don't do it. that
the Irish are all braggers; so. my dear
fellow, it's just come to this--you must
either leap the pond or fight ms-for, re-
lying upon your word, told the colonel
saw you do it myself"
Unjust fight you or leap the pond, is
it 2" answered Jsm, trembling firm head
to foot.
Certainly my dear fellow" replied
Sir Harry. EITHER must shoot y0n or
see you make the leap: 70 you may take
your choice"
"Oh, then, bring out the horse" within
pered Jem, who was Beginning to wish
he wasn't Squire Kavahagh:
In q minute afterward Jem found him
self ont in the lawn, opposite o pond that
appeared to him sixty feet wide at the
least.
why" said he, lyon might g well ask
me to jump over the ocean, or give .