The Meeker herald., 1922-11-25
lfWishes Were
Horses
D ELLA SAUNDGR0
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,


csSyrishA issa wsssssa NsvsosSss vsass.
II declare. your father ssts worse
every Day. Elisabsth. Now he's talk.
ing Of selling the homs and taking
city dat Says hes ttrsd Of the eoun-
try. aftse our acrapins and sesamptns
all our Hives to gse q Hide peace out
Of the city."
Hi@ wifs's qusruious ieonpiaints
came family to DEss Enoehs safs -
he stretched himself out b bis afm-
chair for his afternoon nap. he smiled
bitterly. How miserable hss LIE had
been. with bis nassins vifs and IN
manageable daughtsri II he cosld
have his life over againi
He opened his eyss. He eoaid so<
understand what had happsos6 - him.
He was In the familiar roem, and yse
somehow everything was, di6srsnl
His wish, his vishss-What was 4
some one had saidi
Three wishss!"
he seemed to hear the, ards dis
tinctly. and somehow Il was borne IN
on him that hs had passed out q The
dream Of life Into reality. Ths new
life was his for the making.
"Glve ne the sweetheart OF ~
youthr'
And Elsie stood beside him. smiling
the girl he had loved and lost %
long ago. Tears came into Ais eyes -
he took her By the hand. ahs was %
young and beautiful. and be-
"You're not an old man any more.
darling. You have passed through all
that"
"EIsis. 10 II trusf"
"True, dearestY'
THAT We have our lives ,againr'
"Not now. my dear. That q fse the
future. when We meet agalA. never to
separate. We can have our lives now
~ they would have besn. and you may
see why what happened was destiny"
"Give me my nfs - Il would have
BEEN with you. Elsie"
And suddenly the scene changed He
was guiding his vessel Into . little
seaport tewn. He was q young maA
again. commanding trading brig. He
and Elsie had been married three
months before he sailed for China. ms
heart beat hard.
She was not at the dock. Won6ssing
. little, he made his way up the hill
to the little cottage. It was DARK and
deeolate. A letter addressed to him
lay On the table.
He read II sghase. Il was true thsy
had ouarrs.led bitterly. but this-this.
He read the story Of bee dlshonoe.
able fight with the man he had trust
ed. He groansd. Her eentta hand fell
on his.
1T Gdn't happen, Ezra II would
have happened. That . wig disd. %
that could Gene - yos stainless,
dear"
SllencsI TIE familiar rosm asain.
Another wishi Lsonardi He had q.
ways besa buried down Assp within
his heart. The little boy sf I've with
the aaxso curis: who fen down the
stairs and he had closel he heart
against the memory Of him.
"Fathefi'
The younS man at his ssas with the
haggard. dissipatsd facA. locking
eagerly Into his fathersi
Father. forgive mel Irhavs paid
the penalty for what I did. I killed
him. It was In hot blood, but he law
will have ufs for . life. God knows
I have suffered"
my boyi" Old Esra put bis hand
on the young mans shouldse, and sud.
denly he vanished and again Nsss saw
the child with the haxsn euris, play.
ing at the head Of the staira
Take care yol don't fal down, SON
nyT Ezra went out to his work. II
was long since he had given up the
80. He clefked In q warehouse. Al
day Z vague menace seemed to impsod
over him. He was thankful whom he
reached his door.
That title group Of peopa4 what did
It meani His wife. lying unconscious
within the hallway. Then that thing
under the sheetl Soms6sdy raised
one corner. took him By he arm.
1T didn't happen, father. That u
why" The youths hand was still
clasped In hiA Esea saw, something
hanging round bis neck.
"Glve me Life a. I was meant to live
III"
Hsra opened Ais eyes. His wife vss
coming into the room.
Had good nap. Ezraf Well, I
must say. II you've decided to sell the
place. there's no opposins you-"
-Oh. Fguess not, ny, DEAR TAs
old man smiled On her In frank frisad.
llnesa sits net such . bad place for
a grabbed old man"
The Olympic Peninsula,
From the cides Of Puget sound. in
the state of :. WaehinRton. ths eve