The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-12-02
Wishes Were
Horses
B, ELLA SAUNDERS
>>>>>~~~~~~~~~~s


Il declare. your father gses vorss
every day, Elizabeth Now he's talk
ing Of selling the home and taking .
dty nat- Says hes tired Of the coun-
try. afteF our scraping and scr1mping
all our lives 10 get q uttis peace out
Of the city,
His wifss queruIos complaints
came family to Ezra Esoeb's ears q
he stretched himssif ont In bis arm
chair for his afternoon nap. He smiled
bitterly. How miserable his life had
been. with bis naSEins wife and un-
manageable daughter! II he could
have his life over again!
He opened bis eyes. He could not
understand what had happened to him.
He was In the familiar room, and YET
somehow everything was 66erene
His wish, his wishss-What was 4
some one had said7
Three wishes"
He seemed to hear the words dis
tinctly. and somehow II was borne IN
on him that be had passed out Of the
dream Of life into reality. The new
life was his for the making.
"GIve me the sweetheart Of ny
YOUTH"
And Elsie stood beside him. smiling
the girl he had loved and lost %
long ago. Tears came into his eyes n
he took her BY the hand. She was 20
young and beautiful. and be-
You're not an old man any moro.
darling. You have passed through all
that"
Elsie. IL II true1-
True. dearestT
THAT We have our lives again:"
"Not now. my dear. That 10 for the
future. when We meet again, never to
separate. We can have our lives now
as they would have been. and you may
see why what happened was destiny"
-Give me my life - II would have
been with you. Elsie"
And suddenly the scene changed. He
was guiding his vessel Into . litue
seaport town. He was q young man
again. commanding 4 trading brig. He
and Elsie had been married three
months before he sailed for China. Els
heart beat hard.
She was not at the dock. Wondering
a little. he made his way up the hill
to the little cottage. 1t was dark sad
desolate. A letter addressed to him
lay on the table.
He read 1t aEhast- II was true they
had quarreiled bitterly. but this-this.
He read the story Of her dishonor.
able eight with the man he had trust.
ed. He groaned. Her gentle hand fell
on his.
ut didn't happen. Ezra. It would
have happened That u why I died, -
that could come 10 you stainless.
dear"
Silence! The familiar room again.
Another wish! Leonard He had u.
ways been buried down deep within
his heart. The little boy Of I'VE with
the naxen curls: who fell down the
stairs and he had closed his heart
against the memory Of him.
Father"
The young man at his side with DE
haggard. dissipated face, looking
eagerly into his fathersi
Father. forgive me! have paid
the penalty for what l did. I killed
him. II was in hot blood, but the Jaw
will have life for q life. God knSws
I have suffered"
MY boy" Old Ezra put his hand
on the young mans shoulder. ana sud.
denly he vanished and again Ezra saw
the child with the naxen curis, play.
ing at the head Of the stairs.
Take care you don't fall down. SON
nyw Ezra went out to his work. II
was long since he had given up the
sea. He clerked In q warehouse. All
day 4 vague menace seemed to impend
over him. He was thankful when he
reached his door.
That little group Of people. what did
It mean? His wife, lying unconscious
within the hallway. Then that thing
under the sheet! Somebody raised
one corner. took him By the arm.
1T DIDN'T happen. father. That 10
why" Tho youths hand was still
clasped In his. Ezra saw something
hanging round his neck.
"Give me life a. was meant to live
nr
Ezra opened his eyes. His wife vas
coming into the room.
Had 4 good nap. Ezraf Well, I
must say. II you've decided to sell the
place. there's no opposing you"
"Oh. guess not, my dear" TIE
old man smiled on her In frank friend
illness. "It's not such q bad place for
q grabbed old man."