The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-13
Ghildren's Column.
For the Central Presbyterian.
Wishing Stiles.
BY CELIA NJ. WINSTON.

for twilight had been hurried up by the
heavily falling rain, and was paying her
evening call earlier than usual-much
earlier than lamp-lighting time.
So Lucy Dale had asked her question
in hopes of drawing a story from aunt
Ruth, and she was not disappointed, for
the lady addressed laid aside her book
when she heard the query, and told Lucy
it would take fairy tale to explain wish
ing stiles.
This being exactly what she wished,
Lucy called the other children, who rush
ed in gleefully when they knew one of
aunt Ruth's fairy tales" was promised,
and after some scrambling for the seats
of honor nearest "auntie, all were quiet
ly seated, Willie having taken possession
of aunt Ruth's lap.
All aboard, start" shouted Eddie,
who was fond of playing cars, and the
story began.
Long time ago, the fairies wished to
give present to the children, so pro-
clamation was made by their queen, Tt
tania, that she had enchanted certain
stile, so if any little girl or boy would
make wish while sitting on this partic
ular stile, the wish would be Immediately
granted. Of course the youngsters were
delighted, and ever so many started out
to find the wonderful stile, each having
decided what was the best thing to wish
for, but
Here the faces around her looked SO
eager, and the eyes and mouths seemed
so anxious to express something, that
aunt Ruth stopped and said
lat ho&
wish, but one at time-Lucy first"
20 would want to play delightfully."-,
like cousin Ella, whom every body calls
such fine musician, though she is not
any older than l am.
Eddie answered slowly that he would
rather be very learned man than any
thing else, and George quickly spoke up
for riches as the best wish, bringing
grave look on auntie's face.
Annie looked down and whispered
beauty" eliciting much scorn from the
boys, but they all clapped at Willies re-
ply to his aunt's question: want to
be dood man dust like papa"
But resumed the story teller, no
body knew where the fairy charmed stile
was, or what it was like, so most of the
children gave up the search in disgust,
some of them finding out afterwards that
they had sat on the very one without
guessing it, and thus had lost their only
chance, for they could sit on it only once.
One little girl, who started out with
your wish, Lucy, became so tired and dis
appointed that she sat down on an old
dilapidated stile, and in fit of crying,
wished she had never heard of an old
piano; whereupon fairy appeared and
told her she should never play any more
on the piano, for she was on the wishing
stile right then"
Lucy blushed at this point, for in pet
that same day over hard exercise, she
had used those very words, but the others
were too much interested to notice her,
and aunt Ruth had gone on talking.
Another little boy had wished him
self at home and was transported back in
a second, and SO the fairy gift did only
harm, for the few who happened to wish |
on the right stile, did it when tired and
mad, and either made foolish wishes like
the boy, or bad ones like the girl, for they
never knew they had really reached the
place.
But, though the good, kind fairies were
grieved, they could not mend the matter,
as a proclamation from queen Titania
could not be revoked
At last, however, the difficulty was re-
moved by one of the children who had
hunted the stile in vain, sitting on it, and
with many tears, wishing There wasn't
such an old, hateful thing as wishing
stile."
To her surprise she found herself seated
on the ground, and the fairies standing
around her rejoicing.
The queen stepped forward and told
her that she had made the very best wish
Of all, for there would never be another
such gift to the children, since it had
given them only trouble.
This made the child beg the queen not
to do that, for the other boys and girls
would be so distressed.
After great deal of talk about what
should take the place of the wishing stile,
for the queen was sorry for the little
girls grief, and promised another present
to the little folks instead of the first, it
was decided that every fence should be a
part wishing fence, and 50 It remains till
this day.
"What do you mean, auntie?' ex-
claimed the young listeners in breath.
"That every child is putin path with
ever so many fences to cross, and as he