People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1894 — Fishing and Wishing. [ARTICLE]

Fishing and Wishing.

Three little folk by the meadow brook. With a line of twine and a bent pin hook. And an eager, earnest, serious look. As if they were conning a lesso- book, Sat resolutely fishing: But either the fish were wondrous wise, Or they had the sharpest kind of eyes, For they wouldn’t bite, to the great surprise Of the little folk, who said, with sighs: “Let's play the game of wishing!” “I wish,” said Tommy, “for a pot of gold With every minute that has been told Since the day the earth was young or old, I'd have more money than I could hold. See what I get by wishing! ’’ “I wish.” said Ned, “that the ships at sea, And all that is in them, belonged to me, And all that have been, or ever will be; My wish is the best, don’t you agree, And worth a day of fishing!” “I wish,” said Moll, with a toss of her head. And a pout of her lips that were cherry red, “You’d get your wishes, just as you said, And give them to me—now, Tom and Ned, I’ve got the most by wishing!” And all day long in the woodland shade j The three little fisher folk sat and played, j And oh, the millions of money they made, , Though never a dollar of it was paid, Was worth a year of fishing! —Zitell Cocke In Youth’s Companion.