Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-02-19
THE WISHING HAT.

SIdun person lHdeeui Win a string o.
titles to his name of Rofus as long a.
your arm. But this great-great- grand
father and the great-grandf ther and
the grandfather of our young count
whose name was Rufus also, had all
been such very great men that they
never thought of looking after the little
things, and so, by little and little, all
their money had slipped away from all
these great people, and though our
young count had all the titles left safe
enough, he was obliged to go out into
the world to seek his fortune as If he
had been the son of the butcher, the
baker or the candlestick maker.
When he was going, his old nurse said
to him:
"Count Rufus, if you would find your
fortune, see that you despise nothing,
however small or worthless 1t may seem.
Great walls are made of lite bricks"
And the count remembered the say
ing, because Nurse Deborah was wise
woman and never said anything for
nsught.
Count Rufus lived in a desolate old
castle on the top of a mountain. All the
mountains were covered with ice and
snow, so that he lad hard work in going
down to avoid tumble into the black.
deep ravine. thousand feet below, and
at the base of the mountain was a thick
forest, through which he must pass be-
fore he could reach the road that led to
court
"What can't be cured must be endured
however" said the count to himself as
he walked slowly down the mountain.
On the way down he saw hanging on
a bush an old hat that looked as If it had
been dropped there by some poor per-
son passing that way-a scrubby old hat
enough It 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
started out from behind a tree.
"Bring back that hat" exclaimed the
little man. "What are YOU robbing hon
est folks for?"
"Honest man." answered the count,
laughing, "if that hat is yours, how hap
pened that it was hanging on tree in
tead of your head7" And in a spirit of
mischief he put the hat on his own
head. at fits me very WE'LL" said he.
81 have taken fancy to the hat, my
friend"
"Oh, YOU make game of me, do you'"
cried the little man in a rage and began
to run after the count.
That was not much matter, for the
count was an excellent runner, but pres
emily he found that the little man. in.
stead of running on two legs, like him
self, turned round and round on one leg,
md that he could go in that way two
niles to the counts one. More than
hat, the count came presently to the
crest, and there It was nearly as dark as
midnight. He stumbled about and as
lie did so he heard wood elves laughing
t him.
ga fig for nurse and her advice" he
aid in a rage "What did I want with
is old hat' I only wish was out of
he forest"
He had not time to finish the sentence :
DR. the moment he said it he felt him
elf lifted up in the air, and, clearing r
le entire forest at one jump, there he II
as on the other side, walking along n
lie road that led to the city.
"That is very odd" he said to himself
nd rubbed his eyes and nose to see if o.
e were dreaming.
ait would be very comfortable" he Z
i'd to himself, "to get ones wishes as
lsily as that. If 1 could SAY now, II
ish my supper would come walking :
1t of the bush,' and thereon aefne sir
in with bottle of wine, should prance
IT,
But, before he could get any further,
It came a noble sirloin of steak, with
life and fork, on a silver dish, and a
title of red wine, marching along Sc
tely, and planted themselves before
NJ.
"This is wonderful" cried the count,
ut since it costs so little wish also
r some salmon, of which I am very
nd, dish of partridge and a basket q
fruit"
Instantly the boughs of the tree un-
r which he was standing bent down
0nk;n0 1osudoY