The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-07-27

bruising him sorely He could not
escape them. He cried for ceasa-
ton, for mercy, but still they kept
coming, until atlast the weight Of
! the metal brook the floor beneath,
and the jeweler, beneath his gold,
was precipitate'l into the cellar and
there crushed to death
The farmer meanwhile was quietly
and steadily walking toward his home
When lie arrived at the house he
told his wife all about his adventure,
showed her the ring and told her Of
it being wish-ring She would
have liked to try her power at once.
There was piece of land, she
said, which lay between their two
fields which it would be wise to OBJ
tain.
But the farmer said it would not
be worth while to use the one wish
for that, for, if they worked hard
and were saving, they could soon
save enough to buy it for Themselves.
at has but one WISH" he added,
"anl we must consider well and care
fully before we make that one, lest
we should have reason to regret our
choice"
SO they made 10 wish, but worked
hard and were saving, and all they
tried to 10 seemed to prosper; never
had their crops been so plentiful, nor
their sales so ready and so satisfacto-
ny. In another year they were able
to buy the bit Of land which lay be
tween their fields and to pay for it
themselves.
Then the wife said she
thought they would do well to wish
for a horse and Il COW. But the hus
band replied that, if they continued
to be Industrious and saving, after
but a little while they would be able
to buy these, too, and would still
have tie wish to use, for they did not
know what need they might have Of
it in the future. And in shcrt time
they were indeed able to purchase
tho horse and COW, and the farmer
was delighted that they had still
saved the wish.
Years passed by and the worthy
couple continued very prosperous.
They worked hard and were very say
ing, and although the wife often
thought and sometimes spoke Of the
ring, suggesting occasionally some
thing for which they might wish, the
husband was never convinced that
the best time for using it had yet
come.
owe are he said, "still young
and strong. We have no need of
anything which we cannot work for
and procure for ourselves. We do
not know our need in the years to
come, when we grow older and less
strong. There is but one wish, and
we needs must consider well and
carefully before we make that one,
lest we should have reason to regret
our choice. y
The years passed on and found the
farmer and his wife rich in this
worlds goods. When they realized
their abundance, the wife wanted her
husband to wish for rank, power or
position. But he was entirely con-
tent with their own position. with
what they had, and could still earn
and procure for themselves. He
cravcd neither power nor rank. AL
though rich and prosperous, he still
pursued his Industrious habits and
worked daily in the fields with his
men, setting them an example of in
dustrv and content. After the days
work was done he enjoyed sitting on
his porch, and, as he rested, cxchang
Ing friendly greetings with all the
passcrsby.
The years passed on, and beneath
their accumulated weight the farmer
and his wife became bowed and gray,
and old and feeble. The ring, still
unused, still remained in its wonted
place upon the farmers finger.
'.Plenty of timc,''f he would say to
his wife, "plenty of time yet, and the
best of thoughts always come last. y
One night-on the sell-same night
both the old people passed gently
and quietly into the sleep which
knows no earthly waking. Their