The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-27
An Agreeable Story of u Prophecy by
Canary. and sas Unexpected Fulfill
from the Atlanta tGa.l constitutional


[From the Atlanta t(ia.l constitutional
Several months ago General Gordon
and Colonel 4. A. Aston were walking
down PENNSYLVANIA avenue. in Washington
city. They noticed a crowd standing on
the sidewalk, and, upon investigation, dis
covered a portable stand upon which Il
grave and speculative group OF canary-blrds
were engaged in telling the fortunes OF the
bystanderS. The moduS operdndt was SIM
ple. A stranger would give one OF the
birds nickel. The bird would then hop
Oft to basket near by and pick up little
envelope in his bill and carry it to the cX-
pcctant customer. In this envelope he
would find Il small piece Of paper on which
was printed the history OF his future life
at least canary-bird' s-eye view OF it.
Moved by one Of those unaccountablc
impulscs that operate with the great as well
as the lowly. General Gordon announced
his purpose Of trying his luck with the
birds. He handed the wiscst-lookinS cn-
nary he could see carefully-selected nickel,
and awaited the result. The bird returned
with an envelope, which the Senator open
ed. 1t announced that the Senator talked
too much, had five children, and would live
to he eighty-six years of age." The Sem
ator remarked that the first part OF the for
tune was not true; that the second was,
and lie hoped the third would be. Upon
this encouraging resume Colonel Aston de-
termlned to have his fortune tried; so he
chased nickel into the corner OF his
breeches-pocket, and, capturing one, hand
cd it to ikelv-looking bird, and requested
him to move ahead with the panorama. The
bird looked attne Colonel carefully, as II he
felt that the case in band required his very
o~I fhap ponrnl rrtf iTr0 q
profoundly contcmplative and reflective
state. Hesoon returned with an envelope,
which he delivered to the Colonel. The
invite vi e'''t9o too N many se6Hsto your house !;
many Of those, yeu My1te-,aIe not your
friends" That iiacKwas tfsfe. The hos
pitality of Colonel Aston is Hs wide and as
spontaneous as that OF the Biblical gentle
man who when he had Esdding in his
house felt so good about it ghat he sent out
the police to beat up his guests from the
bushes and thickets. .-s
But the above wasa small part of the
prophecy. The printed Slip went on to re-
cite that the Colonel would in short time
receive large sdm Of money. He thought
at first that this was tidings-dire but CRATE
ful-about his big fee which was then in
the prospective. So the paper went on to
saw that. lie would receive this fortune AS IN
inheritance, and that it would be the basis
on which he would build definite pros
Dcrty. He folded the scrap OF paper III
his pocket and went to Wizards, where he
met Judge Lochrane. He was showing the
paper to this genial gentleman with the Big
Irish heart. when he was interrupted by
the exclamation "Why, my dear sir,
YOUR fortune is already left you. L saw
this very day in the Baltimore Sun that
John L. Aston, Of Brooklyn, had died, and
had left fortune OF about S60O,0O0 TO ne
divided among his heirs and relatives in the
South, Colonel Aston then hurried out
70 find the Baltimore Sun. He failed, how
ever, and the matter dropped OUT Oh his
mind. A dav or two afterward Attorney
General Devens asked him il ne was any KIN
TO J. F. Aston, OF Brooklyn, remarking
that that gentleman had left large fortune
to be divided among his family. Colonel
Aston replied carelessly, and came to Gcor-
gia soon afterward, and had very soon for
gotten about the clear-eyed canaries and
their prophecy.
4 few days ago, however, he received
printed copy OF the will OF James E. Aston
addressed to him rs one OF the heirs OF the
estate. The will bequeathed various
amounts to special heirs, and then recited
that the balance, amounting to S137,000,
should be distributed to the heirs in Geor-
gia and South Carolina through the agency
OF Mr.. Albert Glover. Colonel Aston yes
terday received a letter (Which we exam
ined) from Mr.. Albert Glover announcing
that he would be out to Georgia soon to
have personal interview with Colonel
Aston concerning the distribution, and
announcing that he was bringing the mat
ter to close as rapidly as possible. Mr.. Ker
Boyce, OF Augusta, has the card upon which
the fortune was printed, but Colonel Aston
has written to him for it, that he may be
ready to meet the tide Of inquiry that this
article will turn loose upon him.
The above story is true in every particu-
lar. 1t is remarkable story in itself, but
when taken in connection with the numer-
Gus miracles OF luck that have been worked
in behalf of Colonel Alston becomes much
more remarkable. We predict that he will
clear $4,000 BY the little inheritance