Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-03-11
NELLA's WISH.
Copyright. 1916, by the Mcclure News
nanar S1ndicafa

\ ny lLs Illlll.
He told Nella he was very Dor bu,
II she would do the work II help
him she could live there.
So Nella worked very hard to please
him. but he was a miser. and never
thought she did enough to pay for her
| board.
One day after she worked very hard
and was tired II hungry, he told her
they could not ave any supper that
night, as he did not nave money
enough to buy food. as the people for
whom he had ground corn had not paid
him.
Nella went to bed. but she was so
hungry she could not sleep. BY and
l by she heard a noise and she went to
the door of her room and looked out.
Her uncle was sitting by a table, and
in front of him. sparkling and CLEAN
Ing like fire. We're beautiful diamonds,
sapphires. rubies and other precious
stones.
He held them in his hands and ca
ressed them as though they were alive.
Then he put them carefully in an
earthen jar and put them under his
bed.
The next morning, when they had
only black coffee made of beans for
breakfast, Nella said: Uncle, why do
you not sell one of the beautiful stones
you were looking at last night, then
we could have food"
What do you mean" asked her
uncle; you must have been dreaming.
ave no valuable stones"
Nella told him what she had seen
and he laughed. "They are only
| glass" he said. "I have them to keep
away trouble, but you must not touch
them, for if any one else handles them
they will lose their charm"
Nella did not believe him and after
he went to the mill she took the jar
from under the bed and took off the
| cover.
The gems sparkled as the light
touched them. One looked like a coal
Of fire, and Nella reached in and took
it out. 1t turned a BLUSH shade and
as h rolled it over in her hand 1t be-
came yellow and all colors.
This is the prettiest of ALL" she
said. Il am going to keep it; uncle
will never miss this bit Of glass, and
need something to keep away trouble
rs well as he does. I did not touch the
others, so they will still protect him"
But what was it that the bit of glass
seemed to be singing?
Il have caught the sun Of India
And stolen in the moons saft ray.
/ have sat at the throne of Caesar;
Keep me for a day"
Nella pushed the jar under the bed
and put the opal Chat was the name
of the beautiful stone) in her pocket.
After her work was finished she went
to the mill to help her uncle.
She watched the yellow corn as it
was poured into the hopper to b.
ground. II wish it We're all gold" she
thought as she walked away. Then
uncle and l could have a nice dinner
A cry from her uncle caused her to
look back, and she saw gold dollars in
the hopper in place of the corn.
Where did they come from?" asked
Nella a. she helped to gather them.
she did not think about her wish.
II do not know" said her uncle as
he poured more corn in to the hopper,
but. OF course. it did not turn to gold
as Nella did not make another wish.
"Uncle,' she said, you must go to
the market and get a nice dinner and
l will cook it,
No" said her uncle. I'VE will eat
bread and milk and save the money"
What makes you so miserly?" said
Nella. Money is of use only for what
1t buys for our comfort. l am so
table before me with a good dinner
Up from the floor of the mill rose a
table n Nella sat in her chair before
1t SO quickly that she rubbed her eyes
to make sure hat what she saw was
real.
Her uncle ran to her and shook her
by the shoulder. Wish again. he
said.
Wait until I finish my dinner" said
Nella. II am hungry. You eat, too,
uncle"
But the miser was SO anxious to
have her wish for gold that he could
not eat. and when flella had finished,
and the table and chair had disap-
peared, he said: Nov wish that the
mill pond may become gold"
Nella wished as he asked her to dc
and the mill stopped grinding, for
there was no water to turn the wheel.
The misery miller had no thought of
that.
"Now see what has happened" said
Nella. you cannot grind any more
corn and what will the people do for
food? You are a bad old ma and
think only Of yourself. l wish 1 did
not live with you"
AS h spoke she began to run.
Without touching the ground her feet
went until she wished she could stop,
and then she stopped so suddenly that
she almost fell over.
She sat Town by the roadside Won
dering what strange power had como
to her. when she heard the singing
said, taking it from her pocket and
looking at 1t. II wish l had a dress like
the blue in it."
Her old dress fell to the ground, and
In Its place was a beautiful blue one.
This will never do" thought Nella.
Il have on a lovely dress and ] have
no home. SO she began to wish for all
the things she seemed to need.
A house appeared across the road
from where she sat, but Nella did not
dare enter, it was so grand. II wish
were inside the house." she said, and
she found herself walking up the
stairs. She went into all the rooms
| pn1 fnf1n6 aI-afNfhtru fnr 1-hio1n , rSr
could wish.
Nella took good care of her uncle for
h rest of his life, and he never in
auired about her strange power.
Farm Bookkeeping.
From the Saturday Evening Post.
49, - ~ ahioe pats ~