Sharp County record., 1880-12-23
AUNT PRESCA'S PREMONITIONS.

AUNT PRISCNS PREMONITIONS.
81 have premonition," said Aunt
Prisca to me for at least the thousand
and-frst time, "that | shall die in the
poor-house, and | never knew pre-
monition of mine to fail-never."
If Aunt Prisca had said that she had
never had a premonition which had not
in some way or shape done good, the
facts would have borne her out; for her
prophecies were often of the widest as
well as the mosv melancholy character,
and if there had been any previous
likelihood of their fullillment the mere
announcement of these dismal auguries
was in many instances sufficient to pre-
vent their accomplishment. As, for in
stance, when Aunt Prsca said that she
felt il in her bones that father would be
elected SeIectman, he was so public
spirited, father, seeing to what dread
full fate his course of conduct was lead
inc him, devoted himself thenceforth
studiously to minding his own business,
and the calamity apprehended was
averted,
Rupert, who is the brilliant one Of the
family, we had all determined should
90 to college. He took a fine stand in
the freshman class, bat in his sopho-
more year he grew tired and lazy and
the reports from his professors were
very unsatisfactory. On one occasion,
when he had been sent home temporar
in DISGRACE, Aunt Prisca took it upon
herself to console him. 81 have had a
premonition ever since | knew you,
Rupert" she said, "that you would
never graduate, and that it was great
mistake to send you to college. You
might possibly make q very respectable
grocer, or sewing machine agent, or
even q book canvasser; but as for the
learned professiOns-yOu are not good
enough for a lawyer, not energetic
enough for a doctor Counting out
homeopathic globules would be too
heavy work for you, Rupert), and as
for talent can see that you
haven't brains enough to convert the
soul of a fly, even suppoSing that fly to
be thoroughly under conviction before
hearing you preach,".
Rupert was thoroughly reused. 'Tll
show the old lady," he said to me,
whetherrm not truthful enough for
a lawyer. bright enough for a minister,
and smart enough to outwork half a
dozen Doctors" And Rupert was as
good as his word, for he graduated
second in his class of fifty and is taking
another course in a German university.
At the time that Aunt Prisca eX-
pressed her conviction that she would
eventually die in the alms-hOuse she
had six thousand dollars in Government
bonds, an annuity of three hundred dol
lars left her by relative, quantity of
shaky railroad stock which was then
bringing in high dividends and which
she was shrewd enough to sell at the
right time, perfectly secure first mort
gage on a valuable piece of property on
the avenue, little farm in Vermont
from which she received periodical in
stalments of firkins of butter, barrels
of apples, ETC., and q building in the
business part of the city, whose four
stories were divided into the shops and
offices where Aunt Prisca appeared in
person on each quarter-day to collect
herrents. She had calculating, far-see-
inc head, where business was concerned
her premonitions here were never
known to fail-and her prophecy in re-
gard to the Poor-house was received by
all of us with open derision. She made
known three other premonitions on the
same day, which were all equally un-
-, oh
Mother she told me, she had long felt
sure would be sent sooner or later to
the insane asylum. There was insanity
in the family. Mothers great-aunt had
gone crazy on the subject of ghosts, in
whose existence she firmly believed.
"Never mention this to mother" |
said sharply and left the room, only to
find mother herself standing in the hall
with such troubled look upon her face
that knew she had heard every word.
"What can have put such a ridicu-
louS idea in her head?" asked, laugh
inc
Il don't know" replied mother.
As II / ioE5 the TUUIn Aunt rrlSCa called
me back. Won't you help me down
to the street-cars with this ba5ket?" she
said. 81 am going to cast bread upon
the waters"
'' Bread, Aunt Prisca! but this is
blackberry cordial AMI preserved
ounces, and barberry and molasses
jam from your place up in Vermont"
]" know it, lam going to take them
to the poor creatures at the Poor-house,
in the hopes that when am there some
one win remember me. And, Margaret,