The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-03-03

TIE WISHING HAT.

1DNf6 WIS Gifp u yaUDR CouDb WnOSo
areat-prcAt Efarailtber had been a very
kIa8i losaNa lacecd. vita q string Of titles
to lis i.u!.e =. i,u!us Is, icaf: rs your arm.
Rut this ereat-@reet grandfather and the
great grandfather and Inc grandfather OF
our young count, whose name was Rufus
nlso, lad al boon such very great men that
they never thought Of locking after tho lit
Vie tbings, and SO, by little and little, all
their money had slipped away from all
those great people, uBd though our young
count had all tho titles left safe enough,
he was Obliged to go out into tho world to
SICK his |fortulo as II he had been tho son
| Of tho butcher, the baker or the candlestiok !
maker.
When he WAS going, his old nurse said
to bin:
"Connt Rufus, II you would find your
fortune, see ti.at You dcspise nothing,
h0wevcr snail or worthless it may seem.
Great walls are n.aGe,of little tricks"
And tho count Remembered tho saying,
because Nurse Deborah was a wise woman
and never said anything for naught.
Count Rufus lived III a desolate old cas-
Ito on the top Of n inouL tain. All the
mountain was covered with ice and SNOW,
go that he had hard work in going down
W q flt Ahto ttO Atto1 NStp
rayine, u thousand feet below, and at the
base of the mountain was a thick forest.
through which he must pass before he
could reach the road that led to court.
What can't be cured must be endured,
however - said the count to himself as lie
walked slowly down the mountain.
On the way down no saw hanging Oh a
hush an old hat that looked as IL IL had
been dropped there by some poor person
passing that way-a scrubby old bat
enough II looked. But the count remem-
bered his nurses saying, and picking 1t
up put it in his pocket. Hardly had he
done so when an ugly little old man start
oil out from behind u tree.
t..Bring back that hatr' screamed the
little man. What ale you robbing honest
folks for?"
Honest man. answered the count,
laughing. III that Int Is yours, how hap
rened it that II was hanging on a tree in
stead of your helof' And in u spirit OF
mischief he put the hat on his own head.
sit fits me very we'll, " said he. II have
taken a fancy to tho hat, my friend"
"Oh, you mako game Of me, do your"
cried the little nun in a rage and began to
run after the count.
That WINS not lnieh matter, for the count
WAS an GXCeLlCDt IublibT, put presently bc
found that tho lutte man, instead Of rum
ming on two legs, like himself, turned
roundand rounM on ere leg, and that he
could go in that way two miles to the
counts. one, More than that, the count
ralno presently to the forest, ard there it
was nearly us dark as midnight. He STUN
Liud about, and us he did SO heard the
wood elves laughing ut him.
"A fix for nurse and her advicef' he
said in q rage. What did l want with
this old niGp ] only wish ] was out of the
forest"
, He had rot time to finish the sentence,
for the momelt 10 said 1t he felt himself
lifted up In tile air, and, clearing the en-
tire forest at ere jump, there he was ON
the ether side, walking along the road that
led to the city.
"Thut is very odd, y he said to himself
and rubbed bis eyes and noso to SEQ If he
were dreaming.
at would be very comfortable, +" he said
to biulself, ''to get ones wishes as easily
as THAT. II ! could say now, I wish<my
supper would come walking out of the
bush, MD thereon a fine sirloin, with q
bottle OF wine, should prnnco OUT
But, tefore lo could get any further, on'
came O soble sirloin of steak, with knife
and fork, on II silver dish, and a bottle Of
red wine, marching along sedately, arc
planted tienisslves before him.
"Tbis is opdcrful,' cried the count
shut since 1t costs so little i wish also FOL
some salmon, CT which l am very fond, 1
dish of partridge and a basket of fruit.
instantly the boughS OF the tree under
which, he, wis stupdfn q bent down 7to*art
him, and he saw banging from thein' salin
- hu.lata ~ tn,tk nd n arfrfdupa
l "Hello, here Is wonderful bearing o
fruitl'' said the count, laughing. "lf th'
= trees do such things in the winter, VIVA
would they not yield in the SUMMER"
But all this time it never, came into hi
stupid pate that tie old hat on his heat
had anything to do with these wonders
When lie had eaten md drunk to his suits
faction, he snitl to himself, II wish ! knew
which OF the two roads ut the anglo tier
leads to the court. 4,st
Out wbisked a squirrel from amonl
some stones.
Take that road to the right" said tn
squirrel, scaInpcring up the tree.
The count stared after him, with HI
msuth ST. " ide open TINT Master squirt
might have jumped down II he chose.
y .'Why, the squirrels talk, rather than
should not have my wish. | wish l had
fine horse and knew how | locked. l hay
not seen myself siuce l LETT home, ard Oh
wishes to Ee decent at court"
Instantly ptantUd cut Il hcrso froi
among the trees, saddled and bridled an
ready tn mount.
At the san.o moment he heard SON
robins ritteiibg: "Did you ever SEQ such
shocking bad haiti lie, he!"
Tie count pulled off the hat and thre1
= IL In the read.
81 can wish for a fine new one, " said h