The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-12-03
A Presentiment that Failed.

@What do you think of PRESENT.
ments?" said one gentleman to another
between the acts at McVicker's the
other night.
II used to believe in them, but I
don't do it any MORE" was the reply.
"What caused your change Of mind ?"
Having one myself that turned out
to be fraud"
"a fraud?"
"Yes; it made me all sorts of trouble
for months and then failed to keep its
appointment.
"What was the nature of it?"
well, got the idea wedged into my
head somehow that was going to die
the following spring, but it seems
hardly necessary for me to tell you that
the obsequies didn't come off according
to programme. In fact, the pale reaper
didn't so much as point his sickle at
me-"
when was this?"
at happened several years ago. I
was firmly convinced that my days
were numbered, and as / was not in
debt at the time, the thought was far
from cheering. 1 couldn't shut my
eyes without seeing myself packed in
ice, and though it was a hot, dry sum-
mer, the delusion actually panied me.
was no longer light-hearted and giddy.
Even the circns lost its attra action, in
spite of free pass, and the playing of
brass band filed me with gloom, for, in
view of the solemn possibilities, 1 had lost
no time in joining all the secret societies
/ could get into, and naturally expected
they would give me funeral that
would attract considerable attention.
Of course fought against the delusion
for while, and tried hard to reason
myself out of the undertaker's hands,
but in spite of all 1 could do the idea
seemed to take root in my head and
grow faster than a weed in a widower's
garden. It haunted me during the
day and disturbed my dreams at night,
until at last / became reconciled to
what / considered the inevitable, and
set about making preparations for the
coming shuttle. The village editor was
my friend, and he promised that /
should be waited hence in displayed
headlines, without any poetic non
sense Believing had a sure thing on
the insurance companies, / went for
them heavy. That may have been
what upset the presentiment Who
can tell? Getting the start of an in
surance company is about like bailing
out Lake Michigan with teaspoon.
You can do it, may be, but you're
about used up when you get through.
1 got my last words ready for use at
moments warning, and treated every
body with studied kindness, out 1t was
all thrown away, and my chance for
having virtues chiseled on q monument
was lost forever. Instead of drifting
toward the tomb at time when L was
lovable and good. to all appearances,
and when 1 would have been remem-
bered with moist eyes by people who
always find sad sort of pleasure in
weeping for the young and gifted, /
drifted into politics, took to scratching
my back with lamp-post, and will
probably never have another opportun-
ity to die and be regretted. Instead of
dying, as that fraud of presentiment
told me would, actually got fat, and
never felt more like living in my life
than I did when the time for pegging
out arrived"
Perhaps you misunderstood the
warning. Did nothing else of dread
full nature happen about that time?"
well, yes-1 believe you. 1 was
married that same spring. Chicago
Led1er.