Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-28
J0hnny's Wish.

A fiaxen. hard, freckeled- face ho7 wo9a
ohnny, with blue eyes anG A@p3 4Alzs
ipe cherries. He was the 81 an0son OF |
|, small farmer. his own father and
mother being dead and gone, and laid
a Gods acre. Grandfather was an old
nan, you may be sure, and perhaps he
vas a little cross. Johnny thought so
Il all events, and fancied that his own
life was very hard.
When Johuny was taking care of the
lew sheep that belonged to his grand
father. he would sometimes see the
young lord of the manor ride by on his
milkWhite pony, with servant~man
in green and gold riding behind him on
q chestnut cob. Then Johnny would
pout his cherry lips and the tears would
come into his eyes, and he would say to
himself: why was. not born to have
q milk. white pony and servant In
green and gold? I am quite as good as
he is; am bigger and stronger and
lust as good looking who is he, to ride, !
when I have to walk? All, wish
And there Johnny stopped and fell
into a reverie-Which is sometimes as
bad as falling into a mill pond.
Johnny had often heard talk of the
fairies, the good little people, light as
thistle down and beautiful as innocence
dwelling in the bell-fiowers, drinking
dew nectar, and happy, aye, as happy
as the moonlight night was long.
One night Johnny made up his mind
that he would look out for the fairies.
So, in not the best of tempers and the
very lowest of spirits, Johnny came to
look out for the fairies. He lay down
on the grass and kept very quiet till
the village clock struck twelve then he
heard rustic and hustle and voices
not so loud as the buzz of the blue.bot.
tie, and laughter scarcely SO distinct as
the chirp of the cricket-bnt he knew
it was the fairies, and his heart went
thump! thump! thump!
Presently he ventured to look round
him. The moon was shining brightly,
and BY its light he saw the gayest COM
pany of miniature beings you can pos
sibly imagine, dancing merrily. Time
would fail to tell you how beautiful
they all were, how gayly dressed, how
courteous to each other, and how grace
full in every motion. Johnny rubbed
his eyes and fancied he was dreaming;
ne EJEGlcuCu OuU LIS Aahu anu AoA IL
into lot of nettles, and that quite con-
WINGED him he was wide awake. The
smart sting made him cry out, and in
stantly the ball became rout. The
fairies fled IN mad haste, some hiding
themselves under the leaves, some bu
rying themselves in bell-fowers, all
escaping except one. and he got his feet
entangled in spiders web, and could
do nothing but wriggle and cry out.
Johnny came to his rescue, but before
releasing him begged boon.
What will you have? said the little
fairy. Speak quickly, and get me out
of this horrible web.'
Il want to he as we'll off as the little
lord of the manor
'Tush,' quoth the fairy, you are bet
ter off,
If you say that you know nothing
about it, said Johnny-'and you may
stop in the web till the spider finds you.
Why, he has white pony and SER
want in green and gold, and p
You are healthy little shepherd
boy, without a care"
i am worn out with care said John
ny. My grandfather is cross the black
bread is hard and not too much of it ;
my jacket is patched, my shoes almost
WOIu OuU tAC SACCP OOAVAOI y 0AN VAS
dog obstinate. Come, what will you do
for me?"
Would you change places with the
boy you envy"
Yes. of course / WOULD
BE it so-lift me out of the Web.'
When Johnny disentangled him from
the mesh, the fairy uttered some strange
words which Johnny could never re-
member, and the field of fairies all faded
away, and he was sleeping on soft
couch. He woke with q start and look
ed round him in surprise. The gray
light of the morning was stealing into
the room, and he saw that the apart
ment was richly furnished. A clock
struck five.
At that moment the door opened and
man in striped jacket came in, and
gave him good morning. After this he
lifted him into cold bath. It was in
vain that Johnny protested he was not
used to it, and did not like it. The man
only shook his head very gravely. and
went on plunging him till he was satis-
fled; then he rubbed him dry with a
rough towel. After this he helped him
to dress, and Johnny had never had so
ly an hour, and when it was over there
came atap at the door, and a message
to say that Mr.. Sterne was expecting
Sir Charles in the study.
who is ne p said Johnny.
your tutor, sir, of course
Whats he want with meH
ITO prepare you for the days exerci-
ses.'
I can get exercise enough without
him. Just you get me some milk and
bread, and I'll have run in the fields
The man in the striped jacket held up
his hands in dismay. He assured john
ny the thing was impossible, and with
out further parley led him out of the
room, across passage, into chamber
with more books in it than Johnny sup
posed could ever have been written or
printed in the world.
Mr. Sterne, stiff-looking gentleman
in suit of black, gave him good morn
ing with much solemnity, and then be-
gan to sco1d him for being late. There
were Latin, English, and mathemati-
cal exercises to be gone through,
and they would occupy much
time. With failing heart Johnny
took up mis- book and looked at the
page. Strangely enough to himself he
could read it, and when his tutor took
the book and questioned him about it,
liz COulu lOpOdU 1I-OuU ~ l1duC LIS uCdU
ache. and he felt sick and weary.
If you please, may have a little
milk he asked; 'or little water?'
Certainly not. It 10 time, however,
that you took your tonic
In answer to Mr.. Sterne's summons,
the man in the striped Jacket appeared
with wineglassful of-oh such nasty
stuff land Johnny was obliged to take
it, every drop. Feeling very much the
worse for his draught, the poor boy
went on with his lessons till half past
seven, when Mr.. Sterne, in terribly
frigid way, said: Sir Charles, it is the
hour for your constitutional prone
nade.'
Johnny at first thought he was going
to have dose of something more nasty
than he had had before, but he soon
learned thet Mr.. Sterne meant that they
were to go into the gardens. which he
was very glad of. But when he got in
to the gardens, and they were grand,
beautiful gardens-I can tell you that
and would have taken sharp run, he
was rebuked by Mr.. Sterne for his 'vul-