Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-04-25
sTAUNToN, VA, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1871.
The Enchanted Necklace.

| .'io " i'Iuu0 sdI ealing piece OF Dr0Wl
bread by the tiny brook that flowed over tht
round, smooth pebbles at the foot of her faith
er's garden.
.'Oh, dear, she exclaimed, at length, 81
wish had something better than brown bread
to eat [ wish | had a fairy God-mother who
would give me everything that wished, like
the little girl in my story. wish could see
a fairy this minute. J"
Here a rustling of leaves caused Gertrude to
look up, and 10 there stood beautiful lady,
not over foot tall, with floating gossamel
robes, and hair like braided sunbeam.
Ghlld OF earth, your wish is granted take
THIS necklace, and as long as you wear it, what
ever you wish will come to pass and placing
child hand, she disappeared before the aston
ished Gerty could find words to express her
thanks.
'sOh, what shall I wish for?'' thought she.
''Oh, now | know wish | was grown up
woman, with beautiful house and splendid
fortune, and plenty Of money and plenty OF
servants. -
The words were hardly out of her mouth be
fore she found herself in gorgeously furnish
ed parlor, and seated at grand piano, trying
to drum out piece OF new music that lay be-
fore her.
How hungry it makes me to practice my les
son she exclaimed Il wish dinner was
ready.
Instantly the folding doors of the parlor few
open, revealing table covered with a snowy
cloth, and the richest silver, and costliest chi
ma, and nice, white bread, and golden butter,
and roast chickens, and jellies and cakes, and
fruits OF all descriptions, and behind her chair
stood servant ready to do her bidding
This Is something like living thought
Gerty. W 0 .si
But hardly had she tasted the first morsel,
when huge black mastiff bounded into the
open door, his eyeballs shining like Goals of
ire, and the white froth dripping from his
open mouth.
He is mad, shrieked the servant, spring
ing through an open window.
Il wish was in China p screamed Gerty :;
and at bound and whirl, she was high in
the air, and IN an instant she landed in the
midst OF dark-skinned, black-eyed crowd,
who stared at her and talked in a language she
could not understand
'Oh, wish | was at my fathers house. -
said Gerty; and with another whirl she was
ln the air, and she soon found herself at her
fathers gate. Her mother was at the gate.
"Oh, mother, said Gerty, II am
Who are youg' asked her mother
Why, am your Gerty do you not know
me ~
But she only laughed, and said: ''You my
Gerty! Why, Gerty is only little girl, and
you are woman No. you are not my child!'
and she entered the house and shut the door.
"Oh, what shall do?" sobbed Gerty, even
my mother does not know me-
And she darted through the gate lust as a
runaway horse dashed by. She tried to get
out, OF the way, but it was too late. She slip
ped and fell directly in front of the horse, and
would have been crushed had she not thought
Of the necklace.
Il wish l was rabbit" she exclaimed i:
and IN an instant she bounded from under The
horse s feet IN the form Of plump gray rab-
bit.
She did not pause til she reached the forest.
when looking up she saw sportsman with a
gun about to shoot her,
,'Oo, wish was q bird, she gasped and
10! there she was flying through the air in the
form OF beautiful bird, pausng now and then
among the leafy branches Of the trees, and
singing few notes of 10y.
Il shall be perfectly happy noW,'' thought
Gerty; bat g lanoing up she beheld hawk
about to seize her.
'.Oh, | wish [ was little girl again. |
wish the fairy would take back the hateful
necklace"
And she flung the trinket from her with
such force that she awoke
Gerty started to her feet
II am so glad it was a dream, she said 81
am sure [ will never grumble about brown
bread, nor want anything more to do with fai-
ries F."