Show I Wishing Tree Where Wishes Come True l k I 1 15H Efn Allykd9l t Pc PiAYF effi k A outa tviN t 1 h HAVE you over sat under the benign shade of Washingtons wishing tree It has been ono of tho unique attractions at-tractions of Lafayette park for lo these many years It is not described in tho ofllclnl guide books but it Is there just the same and has been over slnco the square was laid outIn tho forties The tree itself Is n dwarf chestnut although It has grown out of Its dwarfuess to n great extent It Is n scion of the famous wishing tree in Hydo park London It Is located immediately west of the Jackson statue about 25 feet and Is In full tight of all the windows on the north side of tho White house The wishing tree as its name indicates indi-cates possesses rare powers or at least It Is supposed to In that every I wish that is made under Its branches comes truo some time or other Generally Gen-erally It Is other but that does not seriously Interfere with tho reputation of tho treo Thero were moro believers In the tree some years ago than there are now but that does not mean that there aro not a great many who believe be-lieve In It today Nor Is the number by any means confined to the old mammies aunties and other black folk Ninetynine per cent of the persons who pass under the treo on their way through tho square probably never heard or read of It Hut there lire others and In this case there area are-a great many others The most marvelous stories are told about tho tree and many of the stories havo believers Also many ol stories havo some element of truth about them In many cases it is a great deal of story and a very minute min-ute particle of truth But it Is because be-cause thero Is some truth In them that the treo has such a clientele Faith docs not cure all the Ills that it is asked to cure but its followers are sure that It cures In somo instances In-stances Hence there arc faith cures The thousands of wishes that arc made under the wishing tree may end up In only ono coming true but the wisher who has been rewarded by Its ravor never loses an opportunity to sing Its praslses and that Is what makes the wishing treo so much more famous than any of the other trees that arc in tho same park |