Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-03-01
The Three Wishes.

Tne TQree WISHES.
There was oncea wise emperor who made
law, that, to every stranger who came to
his court, fried fish should be served
The servants were directed to take notice
if, when the stranger had eaten the fish to
the bone on one side, he turned it over and
began on the other side. If be did, be
was to be Immediately seized, and, on the
third day thereafter, he was to be put to
death. But, by great stretch Of imperial
clemency, the culprit was permitted to at
ter wish each day, which the emperor
pledged himself to grant, provided it was
not to spare his life. Many had already
perished in consequence of this edict, when,
one day, count and his young son pre-
sented themselves at court.
The fish was served as usual, and when
the count had removed all the fish from one
side, he turned it over, and was about to
commence on the other, when he was sud.
denly seized, and thrown into prison, and
was told of his approaching doom. Sorrow
stricken, the counts young son besought
the emperor to die in the place Of his fa'
ther; a favor which the monarch was
pleased to accord him The count was &C.
cordingly released from prison, and his son
was thrown into his cell in his stead. As
soon as this had been done, the young man
said to his jailors :-"You know l have
the right to make three demands before
die: go and tell the emperor to send me
his daughter, and priest to marry Us. -
The first demand was not so much to the
euperor's taste; nevertheless, be felt bound
to keep his word, and be, therefore, COM
piled With his request, to which the prin'
cess had no kind of objection. This 90.
Cured in the times when kings kept their
treasures in cave, or in tower set apart
for the purpose, like the Emperor of Mo.
rocco in these days; and, on the second
day of his Imprisonment, the yonng man
demanded the kings treasures. If bis first
demand was bold one, the second was not
less so; still, an emperor's word is sacred,
and, having made the promise, he was
forced to keepit; and the treasures of gold
and silver were placed at his prisoners dis
posal % getting possession of them, he
distributed them profusely among the cour-
tiers, and soon he had made host of friends
by his liberality.
The emperor began now to feel exceed
ingIy uncomfortable. Unable to sleep, he
rose early on the third morning, and went,
with fear in his heart, to the prison to hear
what the third wish was to be.
"Now," said he to his prisoner, "tell me
what your third demand is, that it may be
granted at once, that you may be hung out
of hand, for I am tired of your demands" "
"Sire," answered his prisoner, 81 have
but one more favor to request of your ma
jesty, which, when you have granted, |
shall die content 1t is merely that you will
cause the eyes of those who saw my father
turn the fish over to be put out"
avery good" replied the emperor, ."your
demand is but natural, and springs from a
good heart Let the chamberlain be seiz-
ed," he continued, turning to his guards.
aI,- sire !" cried the chamberlain; 81 did
not see anything-it was the steward "
"Let the steward be seized, then," said
the king.
. But the steward protested, with tears in
his eyes, that he had not witnessed any
thing of what had been reported, and said
it was the butler. The butler declared that
he had seen nothing of the matter, and that
it must have been one of the Wallets. But
they protested that they were utterly igno-
rant of what had been charged against the
count in short, it turned out that nobody
could be found who had seen the count com.
NIT the offence, upon which the princess
said -
"I appeal to you, my father, as to anoth-
er Solomon. If nobody saw the offence
committed, the count cannot be guilty, and
my husband is innocent.
The emperor frowned; forthwith the
courtiers began to murmur then he smiled,
and Immediately their visages became ra'
diant.
"Let it be so," said his majesty; "let
him live, though 1 have put many man to
death for lighter offence than his. But
if he is not hung, he is married. Justice
has been done"
AFFAIRS IN MISSISSIPPI. We have just
returned from trip to the Northern por'
ton of the State; and thinking that fair
and truthful account of the condition of af.
fairs in that section will interest our readers,
we propose in this issue to give it. In pass
ing, few remarks concerning the railroads
of the State may not be deemed inappro.
pirate. The Southern road,.in spite of the
difficulties and seeming impossibility of its
reconstruction, is now in fine running order
from this city to Meridian, with the excep
tion of the bridge at Big Black. This, we