Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-28
slaHTEEs
sssthsF shipten's Prophecy Of
the End Of the world.

4
Being told that a good many citi-
zens believed in what is known as
Mother Shipton's prophesy, a reporter
of this paper concluded to investigate
the matter and see if there was really
anything in it-not the prophecy, but
the report.
He first cornered an Encyclopedia,
anil from that myriad minded sage
learned that a long time ago a rhyme
appeared in England, said to have
been unearthed from some unhidden
place where it had lain hid for centu-
ries and dated long before the tele-
graph and the steam engine were
thought of and when the telephone
had not so much as cleaned upon the
imagination Of the evil one, Yet this
startling document predicted in rhyme
all these things and a good deal more,
concluding with the ominous couplet 4;
"And the world to an end shall come
In eighteen hundred and eighty-one.'
It. is true it was asserted atterward
that Mother Shipton was not an ante
diluvian female, but an enterprising
Englishwoman Of the eighteenth cen
fury, but this story is scoffed at by the
ShiptOnites whom the reporter has
interviewed.
One Of these was an old gray headed
female living on Alabama street. She
refused all invitations to accept OF
turkey or other vanities on Christmas
day and has spent the week in com
pleting preparations for eternity.
"How would l feel" she said, when
the horn blew to have to stop to wipe
my mouth, or be called away before
could lay down the soup %turreen?'
Another old gentleman, whose repu-
tation for sobriety is not greater thar
that of the lamented Mr.. Pickwiok, re-
fused pointedly to partake Of eggnog
For a long time he was silent as tt
the cause, but finally said be did moi
want the flavor of his breath to give
him away.
An old colored woman, in SoutE
Memphis, has been particularly bois.
ferrous in her preparations, and quite
shocked her employer the other day
by presenting her with a quantity O.
table linen, which she had borrowed.
from time to time, and packed away
il an old cedar chest to keep, for hel
mistress, Of course.
81 guess l won't need en-" she
said.
An cid miser, whose secret hoard
has reached huge proportions, is of 9
different mind, however. He has Q
notion he can take his treasure with
him, and has had a suit of silk tight,
made with pockets. He is afraid
however, he will lie too heavy to fly
An old colored Baptist preacher
took for his text, last Sunday, the twC
lines Of Mother Symptoms prophecy
alluded to. He had forgotten tn,
exact page Of the bible on which +
could be found, but though
it could be found somewber,
he said, in the tBo-eyed chapter O
the ono-eyed John;
"Bredren an sistren," he began
dis am a berry seriour matter. D,
wicked may turn up dere noses, an d.
b'acksliders may poke fun at the lad
der OBJ grace, but de world to a eenC
she'll come in eighteen hundred anC
eighty-one. De means OBJ grace an
alters at ham as long as time las, but
advises de bredren ter keep away from
temptin' hen roos' fur de present, al
Gabe may blow de horn befo' you hal
time ter wash out de deed in de tear
OBJ repentance, If you speeks d,
wings ter fit when de time comes te.
try dem on, you mus keep yer shout
iers clear OBJ de load of sin. Don
take on no mo dan yer kin kick Of
wild yer heels. De time is now bery
short. Eighteen eighty-one in de yea,
OBJ our Lord Anna Dominiek, is jes'
week off, and you mus be shoi VIE,
de horn blows to be ready to go t,
dinner in de skies. We will now sing
and while de music am pealin' from
de lubly moufs Of de sistren brudde.
Jenkins will pass aroun' de hat, anC
hope, my hearers, here the ecot
man looked impressively about him
Il hspe you will member dat d,
preacher don't want to have to ga,
when he's 'x%amiued, 1 couldn't pal
de grocer, cause de congregation
wouldn't pass de Rickels.
This covert threat was enough t
make even a deacon smile.