The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-03
THE WISHING HAT.

grand person indeed, with string Of titles
to his name of Rufus as long as your arm
But this great great-gran dfather and the
great grandfather and the grandfather OF
our young count, whose name Eas Rufus
also, had all been such very great men that
they never thought of looking after-the lit
tie 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
CT the butcher, the baker or the candlestiok
maker.
When he was going, his old nurse said
TO him:
Count Rufus, II you would find your
foFtune, see that you despise nothing,
however small or worthless it may seem.
Great walls are made of little bricks
And the count remembered the saying,
because Nurse Deborah was wise woman
and never said anything for naught
Count Rufus lived in desolate old cas-
tie on the top of a mountain. All the
mountain was covered with ice and snow,
so that he had hard work in going down
to avoid a tumble into the black, deep
ravine, thousand feet below, and at the
base of the mountain was 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 he
walked slowly down the mountain.
On the way down he saw hanging on a i,
bush an old hat that looked as if it had
been dropped there by some poor person
passing that way-a scruhby old hat
enough il looked. But the count remem-
bered his nurses saying, and picking il
up put it in his pocket. Hardly had he
done SO when an ugly little old man start
ed out from behind a tree.
90 Rrfncy haPE that haff7S no6 this, :
little man. What are you robbing honest
folks for?''
Honest man." answered the count,
laughing, eff that hat is yours, how hap
pened it that it was hanging on a tree in
stead of your head?'D And in a spirit OF
at fits me very well, - said he. 81 have
taken fancy to the hat, my FRIEND
ooh, you make game of me, do you?'~
cried the little man in rage and began to-
run after the count.
That was not much matter, for the count
was an excellent runner, but presently be
found that the little man, instead of run
ming on two legs, like himself, turned
round and round on one leg, and that be
could go in that way two miles to the
counts one. More than that, the count
came presently to the forest, and there il
was nearly dark as midnight. He STUN
bIed about, and as he did SO heard the
wood elves laughing at him.
"A fig for nurse and hex adViceP he
said in a rage. "What did want with
this old hat? I only wish / was out Of the
forest. -
He had not time to finish the sentence,
for the moment he said it he felt himself
lifted up in the air, and, clearing the en-
tire forest at one jump, there he was on
the other side, walking along the road that
led to the city.
''That is very odd,' he said to himself
and rubbed his eyes and nose to see if he
were dreaming.
sit would be very comfortable" he said
to himself, Ito get ones wishes as easily
as that If could say now, L wish my
supper would come walking out Nof the
bush, and thereon a fine sirloin, with
bottle of wine, should prance OUT
But, before he could get any further, out
came a noble sirloin of steak, with knife
and fork, on silver dish, and bottle Of
red wine, marching along sedately, and
planted themselves before him.
''This is wonderful cried the count,
f'but since it costs so little wish also for
some salmon, of which am very fond,
dish of partridge and basket of fruit -
Instantly the boughs of the tree UNDER
which he was standing bent down toward
him, and he saw hanging from them salm-
on, baskets of fruit and cartridges.
"Hello, here is wonderful bearing Of
fruitl'' said the count, laughing. fIf the
would they not yield in the sumner?''
But all this time it never came into his
stupid pate that the old hat on his head
had anything to do with these wonders.
When he had eaten and drunk to his salts
faction, he said to himself, 81 wish knew
which of the two roads at the angle there
leads to the court -
Out whisked a squirrel from among
some stones.
''Take that road to the right said the
squirrel, scampering up the tree.
The count stared after him, with his
mouth SO wide open that Master Squirrel
might have jumped down if he chose.
"Why, the squirrels talk, rather than
should not have my wish. I wish I had
fine horse and knew how looked I have
not seen myself since left home, and one
wishes to be decent at court. -
Instantly pranced out a horse from
among the trees, saddled and bridled and
ready to mount.
robins tittering: Ibid you ever see such
shocking bad hat? He, hel''
The count pulled off the hat and threw
it in the road.
81 can wish for a fine new one, I" said he.
"But, no, you can't, you blockhead; no,
you can'tp' cried the little man on one
leg, jumping out and dancing around him
''That was the wishing hat, and you have
thrown it awayP'
"Oh, dearl Why did not my nurse tell
me?'' lamented this BOBBY of a count.
'tBut shall know better the next timer
And so perhaps he might. But the next
time never came. People do not pick up
wishing hats twice in a hfetine.-NsW
York News.
She Got = Seat.