Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1868-04-23
The Three Wishes.

The Three Wishes.
There was once a wise Emperor who
made law that to every stranger who
came to his court a fried fish should be
served. The servants were directed to
take notice, if when the stranger had
eaten the fish TO the bone OH one side,
he turned it over and began on the other
side. If he did, he was to be immedia-
tely seized, and on the third day there
after he was to be put to death. But by
a great streach of imperial clemency,
the culprit was permitted to utter one
wish each day, which the Emperor
pledged himself to grant, provided it
was not to spare his life. Many had al
ready persisted in consequence of this
edict, when, one day, q Count and his
young son presented 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 a
bout to commence on the other, when
he was suddenly seized and thrown into
prison, and was told OF his approaching
doom. Sorrow stricken, the Counts
young son besought the Emperor to al
low him to die in the place of his father,
favor which the monarch was pleased
to accord him. The Court was accord
ingly 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 goalers, "You
know have the right to make three de-
| mands before die; go and tell the EN-
peror to send me his daus liter, and a
priest to marry u.s." The first demand
| was not much to the Emperor's taste,
nevertheless he felt bound to keep his
word, and he therefore complied with
| the request, to which the Princess had
| no kind of objection. This occurred in
| the times when kings kept their treasu
res in cave, or in a tower set apart fol
! the purpose, and on the second day OF
his imprisonment the young man de
manded the kings treasures. If the
first demand was bold one the second
was no less so; still an Emperor's word
is sacred; and having made the promise
the was forced to keep it; and the treas
ures gold and silver were placed at the
prisoners disposal. On getting pos
session of them he distributed them pro
| fusely among the courties. and soon he
made host of friends by his liberality
| The Emperor began now to feel exceed
tingly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep
he rose early on the third morning, and
went with fear in his heart to the prisoI
to hear what the third wish was to be
| Snow" said he to the prisoner, "tel
me what your third demand is, that i
may be granted at once, and you may
be hung out of hand, for am tired o
your demands"
"Sire" answered his prisoner, have
lust one more favor to ask of your Ma
ijesty which when you have granted,
shall die content. 1t is merely that yol
will cause the eyes of those who saw m!
father turn the fish over to be put out.
Every good" replied the emperor
your demand is but natural and spring.
from a good heart. Let the chamber
lain be seized, he continued turning t.
his guards.
"I, Sire!'' cried the chamberlain, di,
not see anything-it was the steward
sLet the steward be seized, then, sait
the King.
But the steward protested with tear
in his eyes that he had not witnessed
anything of what had been reported
and said it was the butler. The butte
declared that he had seen nothing of tn
matter, and it must have been one o
the Wallets. But they protested tina
they were utterly ignorant of what hat
been charged upon the count in short
it turned out that nobody could be foun'
who had seen the Count commit the oil
Tense; upon which the Princess said {:
''I appeal to you, my father, as to an
other Solomon. If nobody saw the Of
fence committed the Count cannot b
guilty, and my husband is innocent"
The Emperor frowned, and forthwith
his couTtiers began to murmer; and the
he smiled, and Immediately theirvisage
became radiant.
''Let it be so,'' said his Majesty; 'le
, him live, though 1 have put many t
death for lighter offense than his. Blu
, if he is not hung, he is married. Justic
has been DONE"
Young men, go to work! There is n
time to idle now. You must carve OF
your own fortune. You have no inhe
itance on which to depend. You mu:
reconstruct your own fortunes by indu
! try and perseverance, and toll. Iabt