JESSIE'S WISH.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 21, 15 October 1898, Page 8

JESSIE'S WISH.

T "I hate him," sobbed a little girl. JLarge tears of anger were rolling down ~her cheeks and disfiguring her pretty face, for Jessie "White was -a pretty child when , she was good and pleased ; but ,-tears, . alas ! disfigure even the prettiest .of faces 1 " Hush, my child," said Mrs White, placing her hand on the shoulder of her ' little daughter ; " it is a dreadful thing to hate anyone, Jessie. You cannot, I think, .understand the meaning of .the words you are saying." " I hate Harold," repeated Jessie, . raising her head for amoraent and tossing it defiantly. "Heis a horrid boy. How « can I help >hating him when _he does t everything he -.can to annoy me.? You know, mamma, I never like Flossie to go out with .anyone but myself, and Harold has gone and taken her into "Winston without saying a word to me:" Flossie was Jessie's dog, a little, wirehaired terrier, that one of her uncles had ' given her at Christmas. She was a dear .little dog, and very affectionate, but her mistress could not bear her to take any , notice fii anybody beside hersolf . "It's too bad of Harold," .adding, • angrily, •' I wish :hc .were" dead. Yesterday, to tease me, he was tying jpieces of ribbon round Flossie's neck, and tried to pretend he was not doing anything when I came into the room." " I hope, Jessie," saidier another with , a Bigh, " yoUxtnay .never have to unwish tihe -wish you have just .expressed. I cannot tell .you how very much I am grieved by .your words and behaviour, said I am now going to leave jyou to think over both," and gently closing the <door behind her, ,Mrs "White left the croom. - Jessie *did not feel -very foappy, her words had made her feel very -^uncomfortable,' and try as she would, she <could not forget them. *

To sit anS ponder over « grievance makes it become twice its original size in s& very short time, and Jessie grew more and more angry at what she called Harold's unkandness. And so the afternoon wore on, and it avas growing quite dusk when a cab drove up to the door, and the driver and a gentleman seemed to lift something out of the cab and carry it up the steps and into the house. A minute or two after, Jane, the- housemaid, burst into the room, her face white and her voice trembling. " There's been an aocident." '• Flossie, oh not Flossie," ciaed Jessie. " No Miss, it's Master Harold, they've took him up stairs, and he do look like death," concluded Jane. " Had her wish come true ?" thought Jessie, her heart bursting, "and was Harold dead, and she a murderess ?" Mrs White coming in presently, found her sobbing as if her heart would break, and not until she called her by name fiid Jessie look up. "Mamma," slie cried, "is Harold — M but she could not finish the sentence for crying. " Harold will soon be well ; he is asking for you." " He is not dead ?" Jessie managed to gasp. "No, thank God ;" reverently answered Mrs "White, "he was knocked down and stunned whilst saving Flossie from being run over by a passing cart, and a gentleman brought him home in a .cab ; but come, my child, we must not keep Harold waiting.' 1 Harold was lying upon a sofa drawn near to fhe fire, ne looked very white, so Jessie thoiight as she advanced towards Mm with a thankful heart. " I am afraid you were rather anxious about Flossie, but she is safe, aren't you, old girl?" patting the little dog that was comfortably nestling on the sofa. "We had a little shopping to do together, but I am sorry, Jess, if you were angry 1" "'Oh, Harold," exclaimed Jessie, " I had no right to be angry, in future we will go shares in Flossie, and you shall .take her out whenever you like 1" It cost Jessie a good deal to say this : but next morning she felt quite rewarded, when Flossie trotted into the room to wish her many happy returns of the day, with a beautiful collar on. And often as Jessie looks at Harold's birthday present, she thinks — what if God had granted her wish 1 M. E. Bbadshaw-Isherwood.