Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-07-23
Fortunes Favors.


street-corner, one soft May morning.
81 don't know how you make that
out" Vandergrift responded, throw
ing away half.smoked cigar.
Horace Vandergrift tired of every
thing before it was half done.
"Well," said his friend, briskly,
you have the world at your feet, and
now you want the moon. For heav-
ems sake, find something to do. If
you only had an object in life, you
would not always be so bored-some-
thing or somebody to spend your
money on. Why the deuce don't you
get married ?"
All said Vandergrift, with dis
dainful shrug, now that you have
reached that subject, may as well be
going"
With nonchalant air, he nodded
to lis friend and walked away saying
to himself:
"They all want to slip that moose
about my neck. wonder why they
can't let fellow alone ?"
He was handsome man-tall,
shapely, and possessing that air of
elegance which is a rarer and even
more enviable gift than mere physical
beauty.
Fortune, signore ?" said a sweet
voice at his elbow. "Only five cents !"
Vandergrift turned, and saw a
little girl of twelve, budding into
early womanhood ofsouthern countries.
Her large eyes were raised with soft
pleading expression, and the glossy
braids of dark hair wound about her
small head gave her the look of
child-Madonna.
"You tell fortunes, then p said
Vandergrift, his hands stealing me-
chanically into his pocket.
81? No." she replied, with a smile
which showed a row of beautiful white
teeth. ut is the birds, signore."
Then Vandergrift perceived, just
outside the curbstone, a churlish.look-
ing man, with bit Of twisted rattan
in one hand, standing beside little
canvas table that supported bird
cage. On the top of this cage was
arranged long perch, on which were
crowded number of chubby par
oquets, pluming their feathers in the
bright sunshine. Below, was long
box or tray, filled with differently.
colored slips of paper folded to small
size, and little ladder reached from
the perch down to the tray.
Give cents" signore," the girl
continued, urgently, "and the birds
will tell your fortune"
Vandergrift paid the money. The
sullen Italian with the rattan gave a
peculiar cluck, and one of the par
oquets hoped off the pirch on to the
stick. He lifted it down, and the
little creature walked demurely along
the tray and pulled out slip of green
paper with its bill.
That is it," said the girl nodding
pleasantly, while the man let the par
oquet climb up the ladder to its perch
again. please read, signore."
Vandergrift opened the paper, and,
to his establishment, read:
"Planet of the fortune of discon.
tented bachelor:
"Be not impatient or dissatisfied
because your lot is not what you
would have your joys all lie in the
future. Be contented, and you will
find more pleasure in life than you
hope for. But you must marry.
Your happiness depends upon it,
though you need not concern yourself
as to how that is to come about, for it
was all arranged for you before you
were born. Your star is lucky one
riches and honor will follow you to
the grave. But you have bad temp
er, and ought to control it. If sick.
ness overtakes you, fear not you will
live till you are eighty-two years of
age"
81 hope it is pleasant, signore," the
girl said, softly, in his ear.
"Very !" replied Vandergrift, lacon.
ically. IL believed-But pshaw
Who trained those birds-your faith
er ?"
He nodded toward the sulky old
man, as he spoke, and the girls face
suddenly assumed look of disdain.
"He is not my father" she said,
quickly, with fine scorn which did
not escape Vandergrift's ears. cit
was he who trained them, though"
They are very amusing" he said,
the paroquets, that scream.
ed frantically If he attempted to touch
them. How much they know
Gould you show them TO little friend
IF mineY lie lives up--well, never
mind where he lives. Could you