Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-26
A WISHING TREE.
Old Chestnut Supposed to Have Unu-
. suaI Powers.

Old Chestnut Supposed to Have Unu.
| suaI Powers.
Have you ever sat under the benign
shade Of Washington's wishing tree?
1t has been one Of the unique attrac-
tions of Lafayette Park for, 10, these
many years. 1t is not described in the
official guide books but 1t Is there just
the same, and has been ever since the
square was laid out-in the 40s. The
tree itself is dwarf chestnut, although
it has grown out of its dwarfness to q
great extent. 1t Is a scion Of the IA
nous wishing tree in Hyde Park, Lon
don. It is located Immediately west OF
the Jackson statue, about twenty five
feet, and is in full sight Of all the win
dows on the north side of the White
House.
The wishing tree, as its name indi-
Gates, possesses rare powers, or at least
| it Is supposed to, in that every wish
that is made under its branches comes
true some time or other. Generally it
Is other, but that does not seriously in
There is no particular form Of wish
ing," said an oldest inhabitant recently
in discussing the tree, though the park
attendant told me many years ago that
most of the wishers went up close
enough to the tree to put their hands
upon it's lower limbs. The wish must
not be spoken and must not be d.
vulged.
About forty years ago was directed
by the editor Of the Daily Chronicle Of
Washington, on which paper was then
a young reporter, to explode the stories
about the tree; to show that they were
the rankest kind of superstition, and
that wishes under an iron lamppost or
anywhere else, were just as likely to
come true.
~ proceeded to do the exploding, and
was perfectly satisfied that there was a
perfect explosion. And so was the edi-
tor, Col. Robert Ingersoll, who for many
years lived in a house which faced the
wishing tree. He became interested In
it, and in his many lectures on Super
stition' he did a great deal more ex-
ploding.
MY first personal experience with
the tree was when James Buchanan
was president. The Prince of Wales
the king of England now-was the roy
al visitor. Miss Harriet Lane, q niece
Of the president walked through the
park with the prince one evening on
their way to the residence Of Lord Lynn,
then the English minister at Washing
ton, only a couple Of blocks distant
from the White House.
"On their way they passed under the
wishing tree, and Miss Lane told the
prince its story, and that 1t was Of
Hyde park and English stock. He be-
came enthusiastic, and on her challenge
went under the tree, grasped one Of its
branches firmly and devoutly made a
wish.
II have seen other royal visitors un-
der the tree, notably the Grand Duke
Alexis Of Russia, who recently passed
away; King Kalakaua Of the Sandwich
Islands, during Gen. Grants admins
tration.
"This tree Is also known to some Of
the habitues of the park as the Nurses
Tree for the nurses gather around 1t In
preference to any Of the other trees.
Tea made of its leaves cures many dis
orders, and is said to be especially use
full in warding off attacks Of whooping
cough.
II have been told that Abraham Lin
coin, when president Of the United
States, went personally to the tree one
night for some of its leaves with which
to make draught for his third son, Will
liam Wallace Lincoln, the little fellow
who died in the White House only a.
short time prior to the assassination Of
the president
I'm those days there was high iron
rail fence around the park, the pattern
Of the present fence around the White
House. The gates being locked and no
one knowing where the keys were kept,
MI. AliSoIi PCiSoil%iy ASiPSN AitS
coachman as he climbed the fence to
get the leaves.
This tree figured in another way in
President Lincoln's life, for 1t was evi-
denced during the assassination trial
that Atzrodt, Payne and Dave Har-
rold spent most Of the afternoon pre-
ceding the tragedy in the seat under the
tree. From this seat the best view Is
obtained of what Is taking place on the
outside of the White House.
"Singularly enough, it was in evil
dence during the trial Of that crazy
vagabond, Chas. ]. Guiteau, as also in
his confessions and admissions. that he,
too, had spent a great deal Of his time
during the five days that he declared he
was under an inspiration to kill Presi-
dent Garfield in that Identical seat. He
used the seat he said, as others had, for
the same reason that actuated the Lin
coin conspirators; 1t afforded the best
view Of the White House, He also
said that he had found that particular
seat more restful than any other seat
in the park and that it was while he
was sitting in it that he received the
incentive to commit his terrible crime"
Detroit News.
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