New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10
The Horse Chestnut's
Seventh Wish
BY Harriet M. Mulry.


horse chestnut tree right in the heart OF
little village. For many years it had stood
there, looking down on the market place
and across the river with its quantity
arched old bridge.
This tree with many others, stood III
an old garden, where the children otteh
played on summer evenings.
Some OF those trees were very wonder
ful. indeed, the old horse chestnut
thought There was the little apple tree
not at all as towering and splendid as the
sorse chestnut, but IL was the earliest 10
blossom in the spring. Then II was quite
the Ioyeliest thing In the sarden-loVelier
than anything else to be seen on AL the
hillsides around.
A little later the cherry tree was hung
with delicious scarlet fruit At this sea-
son the old horse chestnut heard rothins
but the same story over and over again
Cherries, Cherries shouted the boys
throwing their caps in the air or scrah-
bling among the loaded branches. sweet!
Sweet" chirped the robins bright ana
early In the morning, for the early pra
catches the cherry I'm cherry time before
looking about for sught else.
The children had one other raNofte'
After the lovely blossoms the apple tree
gave them and the sweet irult OF the
cherry tree were gone their dearest
treasures from the garden were the
gorgeous leaves the old maple tossed
them on the fall breezes.
season after season the good old morse
chestnut had wished for something To
.t,o ine children. but stin its blossoms
row so high that little hands could not
gather them 20 trim the maypoies' sun
IA. mothers would forbid the little maids
to touch the fruit and always us lea'es
only faded when other trees became more
brilliant.
Tn. unhappy tree murmured, Il shal
never be loved By the children Ihen u
looked about and thought: What are
other trees good for? Perhaps | can DO
something yet
Winter was coming on. The reapers
had brought home the harvest Win sohss'
the sheep were safely folded ana 'no
srounerd boys no longer piped 10 eaeh
other on the hillsides.
I'm the gray light OF frosty mornings
IN. villagers went up TO the forests on
the mountsinside, where they t"''eu u"
,u sunset often the children ran down
the crooked street TO walk home mana
In hand. with the fathers at tWliishI
aud from the chatter OF the young Vo'ocs
and the answers OF the meh our uee
learned that the oaks, which were ieiieu
am the mountain, became, in time, brave
ships or sturdy bridges.
The great horse chestnut wished heatt-
u, IN he as useful as the strong old OAKS
~ b.romc a ship would be noble end'
p,,, winter passed and the tree sighed |
unhappiiy;
Men do not need me: but When the
birds come singing back from the SOUTH
land I will beg them TO build their Htue
nests in my strong branches
with the first hint Of spring the sardeh
h.eap 10 look beautiful once more the
children returned to play there ana soon
m. birds were calling and singing
through the tree tops
The horse chestnut knew now that ib
srth wish had been as useless as the
,ost for the birds were never done chlrp-
tho ~ what an excellent tree the elm
w.s for neat building. II was so easy 10
wind threads about It's slender DfaheheS'
and how the baby birds would roc" Win
every breath OF wind!
1T is because OF my SUM- thicA
branches that | could never get the
blrds IN nest here" said the tallest tree
I'm the garden.
Under il was an old seat, and now that
the days were growing miider an o''
man came daily to work theIe III INC
ehaJe No sooner did he appear IMAM
flock Of children gathered ana as he
worked he told them tales II was easy
IN see what he was doing. with wonder
fut sklll he made clever and beauuiui
GOOD carvings. Sometimes he let the
rbldrep trace with their fingers the deli
cate folded flowers or rare ana ioFeN
leaves
For the sixth time the horse cheslhut
tree wished TO be useful
con. ii this woodcarver ever MADE OF
my branches anything as lovely as mat
\ walnut tree across the garden replied
proudly:
Poor. foolish tree. You will never be
chosen for such beautiful carvings; your
wood is not Guc and smooth az ours is
This remark made the tree very un-
bappy. vet IL would not believe 1t had
parl made to live uselcssly while its com
ra,,lona were all hclpful II had wished
six tines 90 be useful. bat only as other
trees were. Now 1t said, chez rfully; Il
ave seven leaves. where other trees have
hu, ore. and ! have cften noticed when
The sunlight fails through my branches
hat can give more shade than other
trees Perhaps some time people may
love me for this. wish that my shade
may always be joy to those who care
!or me"
In the morning IL looked up to the sky
With a new hope and spread out its
branches, determined TO be brave and
patient.
During the pleasant summer time the
woodcarver worked on beneath the shade
Of the horse chestnut tree, always carving
his beautiful patterns and telling his
wonderful tales There were stories or
fairies and elves. enchanted castles and
lovely princesseS. often the children
would build, there the castles and towers