The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-11-20
TRYING THEIR FORTUNE.

~ no YOU know, girls" sald Hattie
~ Lane, looking up suddenly from
her plate of walnuts-"do you know
this is Hallow Eve 7"
Two pairs of bright eyes-the one
sparkling black, the other deep, thought
full eyes glanced up, rejecting the CHEEKY
light of wood-fre.
Well ?" said the owner of the black
eyes, inquiringly
"Well," repeated Hattie, tive can
have our fortunes told, on this of all
days in the year.
$50 we can ~ exclaimed Josie eagerly;
elf we only knew how it is done"
"Oh, l know all about thatl' Hattie
said confidently. "Itis simple and easy
enough. You see, there are several ways,
but the two best are-for the first to go
into the garden in your night-dress,
backward, and pull up cabbage by the
roots"
GA cabbagel'' exclaimed barbara
Locke, opening her dark-gray eyes.
Well, that is romantic; but go on"
"The first person of the other sex who
speaks to you after the cabbage pulling,"
resumed Hattie, solemnly, sis destined
to be your future husband"
Indeed How nice !" said Josie, sar-
castically. "Of course tits understood
that the gentleman doesn't seehis future
wife while she is in her airy ettire and
in the act of plucking the interesting
vegetable. But what is the second recipe
HattieH"
Sin this you are also to doe in your
night-dress," !" Hattie continued. "Then
you are to take lampin oGe hand, n
comb i'm the other, and walk into an un-
occupied chamber where there is mir
ror. You must look neither to the right
nor to the left, but set down your lamp
and stand before the mirrSr, combing
your head and eating an apple When
the clock strikes twelve, you are to raise
your eyes to the mirror, and there you
will see reflected the face of your future
husband, looking over your shoulder"
U9h!" said Josie with shudder-
show ghostly l shouldn't at all enjoy
seeing my future spouse under such pc
culiar circumstances. III try the cab
bage experiment, girls, and leave the
other to yourselves"
ooh, as to that Hattie said, half
archly and half blushingly. "I've no
further occasion for such experiments.
My fortune is told, you know. But you,
Barbara-who knows what brilliant des-
tiny may be revealed to you tonight?
And there is Aunt Mary's big guest
chamber, with the old-fashioned ebony
framed miEror-the very place for the
comb-and-apple incantation !"
Indeed" Barbara said, struggling
her graceful shoulders" indeed / must
beg to be excused. am ne believer in
the magic power of combs, apples and
cabbages for nnveiling the future"
g But for the fun of the thing, Bar
bic" Josie said, pleadingly, eff try one
plan, you might undertake the other;
and tomorrow, when we meet, we'll
compare notes"
So, after some discussion, half laugh
ing and half earnest, Barbara promised,
and then, as the clock struck ten, she
and Hattie rose to go home.
1t was no great distance from Mrs
Booker's to Mics Lane's-only few
turns of village street. Tom Booker,
Josie's school-boy brother was reused
from his nap on the sofa, and unwilling
ly pressed into service as escort.
The girls, wrapped in shawls and nu-
bias, stood for a moment on the front
steps, admiring the moonlight and the
clear, blue sky,with its myriads of bright
stars.
The cabbages will look splendid to-
night, Josie said; call glistening with
dew drops, like SO many diamonds. You
need not laugh, Barbie; you who live in
the city can have no idea of how much
real beauty there is in a bed of dewy
cabbages on moonlight night. Pity 1
shall be deprived of the sight by having
to walk backward. Goodnight Don't
forget the mirror and the apple!'
In the big white house, under the
aspen trees, only one dim light shone as
Hattie and her cousin ascended the eteps.
We won't wake Aunt Mary" said
Barbara. She has become tired of
waiting for us, and has gone to bed"
So, quietly eXtinguishing the hall
lamp, they crept on tip-toe, to their own
room, and there sat before the fire, softly
talking, as girls do on such occasions
no matter how late the hour may be.