Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-20
THE WISHING HAT.

There was once young count whose
srent-great- grandfather had been very
grand person indeed, with n string Of titles
to his name OF Rufps MS long as your arm.
But this great groat-grandfather and the
great grandfather and the grandfather Of
sur young count, whose name WAS Rufus
also, had all been such very great men that
they mover thought Of looking after tho lit
tie things, and go, by little and little, all
their money had slipped away from all
these great people, and though our young
count had all tho titles left safe enough,
he was obliged to go out into the world 10
seek his fortune ns II he had been the son
Of the butcher, tho baker or the candlestick
maker.
When he was going, his old nurse said
to him:
"Count Rufus, II you would find your
fortune, SEQ that you despiso nothing,
however, small or worthless 1t may seem
Great walls are made Of little bricks
And tho count remembered tho saying,
because Nurse Deborah was wise woman
and never said anything for nnught
Count Rufus lived In dosolate old cas-
tie on the top of n mountain. All tho
mountain was covered with leo and snow,
so that he hnd hard work In going down
to avoid tumble into tho blnok, deep
ravine, n thousand feet below, and at tho
base of the mountain was n thick forest
through which no must pass before no
could reach the road that led to court
"What can't be cured must be endured,
however" said tho 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 ii 1t bad
he
passing that way-n sorubby old Int
enough 1t looked. But the count remom-
bercd his nurso'G saying, and picking II
up put It In his pocket. Hardly had 10
done so when On ugly little old man start
ed out from behind n tree.
"Bring back that hat" screamed tho
little man. what are you robbing honest
folks forf'
"Honost man." answered tho count.
laughing, "if that hat Is yours, how hap
ponod 1t that It was hanging on tree in
stead OF your headY" And in a spirit Of
mischief no put the hat on his own head.
"It fits ms very we'll, said he. II have
taken n fancy to the hat, my friend"
"Oh, you make game of mo, do you?"
cried the little man in IL rage and began TO
run inter tho count
That was not much matter, for the count
was nn excellent runner, but presently he
found that tho littlo man, instead OF rum
ming on two legs, like himself, turned
round and round on ono leg, and that 10
could 20 in that way two miles To tho
counts one. More than that, the count
came presently To tho forest, and there 1t
was nearly as dark as midnight He Stun
bled about, and as he did so heard tho
wood elves laughing at him.
"a fig for nurse and her adyical" no
said in rage. "What did / want with
this old hat9 / only wish was out of tho
forest "
He Ind not time to finish tho sentence,
for the moment ho said 1t ho felt himself
lifted up In the air, and, clearing the en-
tire forest at ono jump there he was on
the other side, walking along tho road THAI
led TO the city.
'Thnt is very odd" ho said to himself
and rubbed his eyes and nose TO SEQ If he
were dreaming.
ut would bo very comfortable" no said
to himself, 'to get one's wishes as easily
as that. II l could say now, Il wish my
supper would come walking ont Of tho
bush, and thereon fine sirloin, with u
bottle of wine, should pranco OUT
But, before be could get any further, on.
came noble sirloin Of steak, with knife
and fork, on silver dish, and a bottle Of
red wine, marching along sodatoly, and
planted themselves before him.
"This is wonderful. cried tho count,
"but since II costs 30 little wish also for
some salmon, Of which l am very fond II
dish of partridge and u basket of fruit. -
Instantly the boughs of the tree under
which he was standing bent down toward
him, and no saw hanging from them salm-
on, baskets of fruit and partridges,
''Hello, here Is wonderful bearing Of
fruitp' said the count, laughing "If the
trees do such things in the winter, what
would they not yield in tho summer"
But all this time 1t never came into his
stupid patio that the old hat on his head
had anything to do with these wonders.
When he had eaten and drunk TO his salts
faction, hu said TO himself, IL wish knew
which OF the two roads at the angle there
leads TO the court Z"
Out whisked squirrel from among
some stones.
''Tnko that road to tho right, " said the
squirrel, scampering up the tree
Tho count stared after him, with bis
mouth so wide open that Master Squire
might have jumped down If no chose.
"Why, tho squirrels talk, rather than
should not have my wish. wish had .
flne horse and knew how looked. hav,
not seen myself since left home and on,
wishes to be decent at court. -
Instantly pranced out n horse from
among the trees, saddlod and bridlod ant
ready to mount.
At tho same moment ho heard som'
robins tutoring "Did you ever SEQ such l
shocking bad hatS He he'
The count pulled off the hat and threw
1t In the road.
al can wish for n fine new ono" said hc
"But, no, you can't, you blookhond; no
you can't" cried the little man ON on
leg, :nnping cut and dancing around him
"That wEa the Wishing hat, and you hayl
thrown 1t awayl"
"Ob, deari Why did not my nurse tel
me?" lnmonted this BOBBY of count
"But shall know better the next tiinom
And 80 perhaps he might. But the mex
timo never came. People do not pick N
wishing hhts twice In lifetime, -N0y
York News.
She Got Seat.
rt,~ae pnnp ir, "a Iuroo puiclr lunch y1ocn