Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-03-21
GRANDMOTHER'S SIGNS.

we were all very ElaQ when Grand
mother Ryder came to live at our
house She was my mothers mother,
and one of the best intentiOned lit le
old women in the world. When grani-
father died, my brothers and sisters, rs
well as myself, were afraid that grand
mother would make her home at ouI
Uncle Mats or at our Aunt Mary's.
and there was great rejoicing when the
letter came in which she wrote:
81 did think at first that I'd better
go to Mary's, but the grounds in my
coffee-cup never pointed favorably 10
II, and last night had a dream that
I've drempt three times running. that
made it clear to my mind that I'd
better come 10 you. l would start to-
morrow If lt wasn't Friday, and
sometimes think the Friday sign runs
into Saturday, too; so l will not start
until Monday, which will bring me to
your house on the day the moon fulls,
and take that TO be a good sign"
An amused smile came into fathers
face as he read this letter aloud to US
children, and lie burst out laughing
when l said:
"I'd Just like to know what coffee
settings and dreams and the moon
have to DO with it?''
Nothing, my dear; nothing at all, "
said mother, laughing softly. "But
grandmother has odd notions that we
need not say anything about, or mind
at all, when she IS here"
We lived in the country on splendid
farm. On the next Wednesday after
noon, 10 our great delight, we saw
father driving up the long lane leading
TO our house, with Grandmother Ryder
seated on the spring seat by his side.
She waved Ler hands erchier, and six
eager children set of on run to meet
her. We had not seen her for three
years, and as soon as We were near
enough to hear, she began saying:
"Why, bless my soul, how you have
grownl l declare, l don't know totheT
from which, but 1 guess that's Berthe,
and that little girl with a ruillsd apron
is Mamie, and That's Tommy with the
red ribbon to his neck. Looks 'Zacrly
like the ambrotype of him I've got.
Bless all your little hearts, anyhowl
III know which IS which fore two
hours
When father helped her out of the
wagon, she struck her foot on some
thing, and would have fallen had lie
not caught her.
Mercy on us.f' she said. "I'm glad
l stubbed my right toe. II it had been
the left, it'd been sure sign that was
going where / wasn't wanted.n
You know that you are wanted
here, no matter what the signs say"
said mother, as she took grandma into
her arms and kissed her many times.
Yes, dear, 1 know II, L know il, "
said grandma; "but all the same, |
couldn't have helped worryin' some if
1t had been tue left toe"
We soon discovered that grand
mother had a sign for everything that
happened, and for much that didn't
happen. When anything unusual &C.
CURED, grandma suddenly recalled the
manner in which she had previously
been fOrwarned of IL. The fact that
her Signs and predictions generally
failed OF fulhlment did not disturb her
In the least.
One day 1 overheard mother say:
Don't you often notice, grandma,
that your signs do not come true?
You said yesterday, when you saw the
cat scratching the fence, that 1t would
rain, sure, before night; but there was
not cloud in the sky all day, and not
drop OF rain fell.n
why, Susan'' cried grandma, in L
tone OF great surprise. The morning
paper says there was a perfect flood
yesterday down in Alabama.
The prOet was incontroyertlble, not
outstanding the fact that Alabama
was nfteen hundred miles from our
home.
My youngest brother was but three
mouths old when grandma became "a
member Of our family. She was very
fond OF bauy Danny, and was gratified
70 know that the signs she had re-
gaTdlng him were favorable to his
future happiness.
III he lives to grow up,' she said,
he'll be smart and rich man. See
That mole on his neck. That's splen-
dld sign. And he's going to have a
eoW-Eck,' too; that's another good
sign. l hope TO goodness, Susan, that
you haven't allowed him to look into a
Iooking-glass yet"
i don't know. I'm sure" said
mother.
why, Susan" cried grandma, she
must not see himself in glass until
ms trst birthday You'll never raise
MN II he does. I'm glad he's already
sumoIed out of bed; it's q sure sign
hel never be a fool.
aAuu4otuef Signs ana oln6nS were
source OF uueasineSs TO herself only.
Mother early took occasion, privately,
70 instruct us older children on the
subject, She told US that dreams had
10 meaning, and that "signs'' were
sll4y and meaningless inventions. We
were not, she said. to mind what
sIAhdlna said, but were to love and
aspect her under all circumstances
baoy Dan WIS a winning little fel-
oN' whom We all loved so dearly that
We're glad grandma's omens did
S 1 portend anything disastrous tC
t, even though We did not believe
SAghS. But one day, grandma came
~ ~Nn 70 breakfast without her usua
'nIhg smile and CHEEKY greeting