Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-06-10
YOUTHS DEPARTM ENT.
If WISHES WERE HORSES.
BY RUTH CHEsTERFIELD.

stalks grew hundred feet high--when
gorgeous palaces sprang up like mush-
rooms in a single night, and geese laid
golden eggs-in short about the time
when "wishes were horses" that hap
pened which am going to relate.
Once upon time, then, little girl was
walking by herself through a quiet coun-
try lane. Her name was Florilla and she
was on the way to spend the afternoon
with her cousin Myra.
She seemed in no haste TO get there,
however, for she fluttered in and out,
hither and thither, like butterfly. Now
it was a fleldmouse's nest which attracted
her notice-and anon she paused to listen
to the lifting song of the oriOle, or TO
watch the dragon-hy in his wild waltz
over the pool. Thus engrossed, she gave
no heed TO the weather, until she felt q
drop of rain on her forehead, and, looking
up, saw that the sky, which, when she
started from home, was as blue as her
frock, had now become as gray as grand
mamma's best pOngee.
go dearl o dear" cried Florilla, it's
going to rain. 1t dlDdys rains when l
want to go anywhere"
She FASTENED on, but the great drops
began to patter down, leaving long eX-
clamation-points upon the flowing rib
bons of her hat and her pretty silk
dress.
She ran under an oak tree for shelter,
and, stamping her little foot impatiently,
exclaimed: "I wish it would stop rain
| ing, and never rain again, neper 7"
Never is long time," said voice,
and, looking up, the child beheld stand.
ing beside her the queerest figure that
ever was seen.
He had merry face all dimpling with
smiles, and although it was human face,
it at the same time reminded one of
| great, jolly sunflower; his hair, which
hung down over his shoulders, resembIed
ribbon grass, and over his head was a
bright arch, like a rainbow. He was
dressed in a suit of vivid green, and his
| shoes were made of the cups of the nepen-
thes. In his hand he carried watering
pot of silver, festooned with lilies and
cowslips
"I am the Genius of the weather" said
he. l have heard your wish, and if you
are really in earnest, l should like to
oblge you. But consider well; ReOer is a
long time" ........
~ am in earnest, and 1 don't need to
consider, exclaimed Florilla. 90, l shall
be so happyl"
"Are you sure of that2" asked the
| Genius. perhaps you have not thought
how much depends on the rain. Sup
pose we begin with a week."
90, no, that will not do at ALL" said
| Florilla, "for next week there is to
be picnic at Strawberry Island, and the
week sitter is my birthday, and l am to
have party on the lawn, and the week
after that l am to go with papa to the
seashore, and-O dear me, a week is
nothing at all =
aft shall be as you say" said the
| Genius" but take this reed" drawing one
from the watering. pot, "and if ever you
should change your mind, one blast upon
1t will summon me-"
So saying he seemed to fade slowly
away, and to become absorbed in the oak
tree under which they stood. At the
same moment the clouds parted and the
sun shOne out glOriously, and with light
heart Florilla tripped away to her cousin
Myra's.
When she went home at night she put
the reed away in a drawer, "just to re-
member the Genius by" as she said to
herself, though she was quite sure she
should never want to use it.
Fine growing weather" remarked the
farmers one TO another, as week passed
on without drop of rain; but the second
week they began to shake their heads
doubtfully the third to talk despondingly
Of "the drought "; the fourth a universal
wall was heard throughout the land The
crops which had promised so well now
threatened TO come to naught, and house
keepers were at their wits end to con-
trive meals for their families without
vegetables, and pickles and preserves for
winter use without fruit.
Ae to the washerwomen, they ran fran
tically about the streets with pals and
| N
water !" when there was not drop to be
begged, borrowed or stolen.
The weeks went on, and the sun
rose and went through the heavens
and set, lurid ball, its rays untem-
pered by cloud as large as mans
hand
The fields which the mowers scythe
had passed over were dry and yellow.
The leaves hung scar and dropping, and
if breath of air stirred their stiffness,
it was like the simeon that sweeps over
the desert
Florilla learned that things can look
very dismal even in tair weather.
But that was not the worst of it.
Streams and rivers dried up which had
never been known to be dry before; cat
tie were driven miles to water, and many
of them died of thirst Men and horses
Itu uOM4 Win sun slIOR6, anu at laSL
grievous sickness broke out.
FlOrilla heard all these things talked
about, but she was too much child to un-
derstsnd them fully. Still it made her
feel uncomfortable, and one day, when
the conversation ran upon ship at sea
which was five days without fresh water,
she quietly slipped out of the room, and
went down to the brookside. But the
brook was no longer theTel Only a
broken, rocky channel remained, On the
pebbly bottom of which lay shoals of
dead minnows. This shocked Florilla
more than anything she had seen, for be-
tween her and the animal world there had
always existed wonderful sympathy.
Besides the minnows there was one old
trout who seemed to be just breathing his
last. "Poor fellow" said Florilla, pity
ingly, "don't look so sad. I'll take you
home and put you in the water-pail, and
then you'll revive again"
"Talk not TO me of wster-pails," said
the trout; for why should | wish
to live when all my companions are gone I?
Butsfor you, we might still be disporting
ourselves in the. cool water. You have
always pretended to be our friend, but
you have proved more hard hearted than
boys with their fish-hooks. They only
kill two or three, or dozen at most, but
you have caused us to perish by hundreds
Go away, cruel child, and leave me to die
in peace"
Florilla turned away without speaking,
and the next thing she saw was bird
sitting on bough with dropping head
and wing. "Oome, cheer up, little bird,
and give me song" said she.
The bird raised its head feebly, and
said, ~ and my mate sang at your chamber
window every morning just as the day
broke until you caused this terrible drought
TO come upon us, but, alas we shall never
{ sing there again. Go along, little girl, for
, you have been more heartless than the
boys with their bows and arrows"
. Florilla went a little farther and saw
honey.Dee on a thistle, 20 you pretty
little brown bee, show me where you keep
, your honey" said she. III.
, "Alasl' said the bee, show can you
expect me to gather honey when you have
caused the flowers to whittier and dieS
J advise you to run away as quick as you
] can, for the bees are all very angry with