Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-30
NV Wish-DOne.

I had got the "wishbone"! It was
Thanksgiving Day at grandfather's old
place in New Hampshire, twenty-five:
years ago last November, and | a little
lad six years old. What a grand day
that was! Why, q vision Of the double
table, with the great. well-browned tur-
key and the plum pudding, so big II had
to be brought on in miIk-pan, came
back as freshly, more freshly, than the
doings of last week. What eyes we have
for good things when six years old! And
what appetiles, too. for that matter!
No doubt g~andf father had slyly slipped
the wish bone into my plate; OUT
thought my finding it piece of the pur-
est good luck, AMI WAS proud OF 1t a. a
caliph OF his conquests.
My faith in those days was strong In
wish. bones. | picked that one clean,
and as soon q DINNER was oyer l want
ed to wish. First enc, then another of
my cou~ins-Hiranl, Frank, Emma
were challenged to take one side OF the
bone, and wish with me. But they, Old
er, all declined. Its too green," they
Said. ''Hans it up over the fireplace till
next week.
But | had my "wish"--the thing l
most waDted-n my mind, and [ was
not willing to be put off. So / still went
round the table, teasing one and anoth-
er to wish with me, till was ready to
cry with vexation, while the others
laugh d at me.
But my Aunt Theodora-how we'll I
rememper my fair-taced, blue eyed
Aunt Dora!-beckoned me to come to
her. Il will wish with you, my Eddy"
she said.
we wished-then tuggcd and twisted
at the tough bone she laughing, very
much in earnest. / WAS the fortunate
one, and I got the wish, that is, the
larger piece of the wish bone. l had
wished for a sled, and l got it two days
after.
Aunt Theodore did not ghen tell me
her wish: but still recotlect seeing her
writing something with her pencil on Il
slip of paper, and then she wrapped the
two broken bits of bone up in it.
Nineteen years passed. was in
Brownviile. Texas. It was the year 1877.
Of myself I may Say that had not pros
pered thus far in lite, though had been
engaged in various schemes Tor money
getting. My associates there were bad
and am sorry to say L was much like
them. Step. by step had gradually fall
len into debssing haoits,and had become
a companion of sharpers and adventur-
eCs.
One day toward the last of November
that wear. letter came to my address.
I had forgotten the handwriting. The
letter seemed TO have something hard
and clumsy in it.
Ifelt it curiously with my fingers, then
broke it = pen. Inside WAS piece of
white paper ,yelowed with age. wrap ,e,i
round two withered bits of bone. PEN
cilled on the paper were the long ago
written words:
e ."I wish that Eddy may grow up an
honest man and q true Christian gem
tleman." h h Il. s1~ n @@"%&. ~~&szs &.Hg~=sr~ (
RI R1..s:iil.e5ati1 was written more recently,
This was my wish, Eddy,-the one /
did IT tell you, when we wished to-
gether years and years ago. May still
hope that it will come true?" .-. e..
"A curious sensation Of strange, long
forgotten things struggled WITHIN me at
sight Of this relic Of my younger. purera
years. Yes, there was the old5Wjsil- bone.
Again saw the Thanksgiving table and
the circle OF dear old home folks, amid
then the thaughtful face and kind blue
eyes of Aunt Theodore. I. =
/ will not say that I WAS stricken with
strange or violent remorse. Blu, some
bow was able, at that moment, to see
cfearly what was and WhatI ought to-
be; and before I got up from my chair I
made q resolve. aifs ~ 81 szs .3sS.s
3 Three days later Il left Brownsville
and came home to New England. My
snrsI step was then to choose u-efli,
honest business; one in which Z felt lt
possible tn 1--we honorable before men.
And that { hive done. am now trying
81 live an industrio ns, upright honora.s
Bile life Tlat old wish. bone and my
aunt's gentle, praverful interest and love
wee the means, under God OF saving
me from 9 lite Of vice and slaf
Z Colonel Robert g. Ingersoll's middle
name is Green.