Freddie's Wish:

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

Freddie's Wish:

By Roseanne Lovell

"T "WISH," said Freddie wistfully to Mrs. Graham, one clay, "that I had a little brother to play wif\" Ho was enviously watching Mrs. Graham's two young sons, with their puppies, Tim and Jiu, all in a wriggling heap on tho kitchen floor. "Well," replied Mrs. Graham, "There's only one way; Freddie. You'll have to ask God to send you one." Freddie thought this a very good idea, so every night ho added to tho end of liis prayers, "And please God send mo a baby brother, like what Timmy Graham's got, so I can play wif him." In the spring time Freddie's wish was granted. A tiny baby brother came to live at the Reed's household. Excitedly he told tho gang tho great news. "And I'm going to bring him ratting to-morrow," ho said proudly. "Garn," said Timmy Graham, "He's too young. Why, he's only "a couple of days old." "He's not too young," replied Freddie hotly. "He's different to other people's babies."

But to his sorrow, Freddie found out that ho was not different. He was only allowed to take very short peeps at tho infant. And every time lie did peep, tho baby was wailing at the top of his voice. His little faco was always screwed up and wrinkly, and bricht, sparkling tears, oozed mournfully from under his tightly shut eyelids. "A real little misery," was Freddie's scornful summing up. "Timmy was right," ho muttered as lie strolled down the garden walk after one of his peeps at the "little misery." "He's no good whatever to take rat-catching." A stone was kicked angrily into tho silver-beet bed. Another one landed in the cabbage-patch. Freddie sighed a tremendous sigh of disappointment. "He's no company at all," ho continued. "Can't talk, can't chew peanuts, can't even play. Only hollows all the time and scares tho canaries." Another stono flew from the garden walk, and hit the tin fence with a rattling thud. "I wish," said Freddie, sadly, "I do wish I'd used my brains, and asked God to send a steam engine instead."