"Don't speak to mother now," said Frank.

"Why not?

"O, because mother looks as if she did not want to talk."

"But mother told me that, if I would be silent till she had done
reading, I might talk as much as I pleased to her."

"So I did, Harry," said his mother; "and now I am ready to hear you.
What did you ask me?"

"Only, Mother, whether you meant I should know what my new year's
gift is, before tomorrow morning."

"No, dear; I think you had better have it all new and fresh to-morrow;
the surprise is a part of the pleasure of a new year's gift."

"What can it be? I know what I hope it is."

"What do you hope it will be, Harry?"

"I do hope it will be a magic lantern," said Harry, without a
moment's hesitation. His mother made no answer.

"What do you wish for?" asked Harry.

"I don't know," said Frank; "there are so many things I wish for,
that I hardly know what to say first."

"I wish," said their mother, "that I could grant all your wishes;
that I could give you every good thing you desire; but my means, as
you know, are limited. I am sorry, dear, that you have so many
wishes ungratified."

"O Mother, it is not for such things as you can give that I most
wish for. You are very kind to me, and give me more good things than
you ought to give me; you are too generous to me. I wish for what no
one can give me."

"We all have many such wishes, my dear child; but we must not think
even these quite unattainable. There are few things that a
reasonable being earnestly desires, that some day or other may not
become his."

"Do you think so, Mother?"

"Yes, Frank; perhaps he may not attain them in this life, but I
think the very desire is a prophecy, and even promise, that we shall
at some stage of our being possess what we wish."

"I know what I shall wish, then," said Harry, "and keep wishing it
as long as I live till I get it, though I am afraid I shall never
have it. I'll tell you what my wish is, Frank, if you will tell me
yours."

"Agreed, Harry," said Frank; "and you shall tell your wish first,
and I last."

"I wish," said Harry, "that I had a flying horse that was perfectly
gentle, and would go all over the world with me, and do just as I
told him to, and never be tired; but I guess I never shall get one.
Come, Frank, what do you wish?"

"I wish that I had a great deal of strength and courage, more than
any one else, and was never afraid of any thing, and that I could do
whatever was t