The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-17
A PROPHECY.

engaged to each other, and everything
seemed roseate and lovely.
do not suppose that the machinery was
more wonderful than usual, or that the
pyramids of fancy soap and wax candles
were more translucent, or the silverware
more elegantly designed, or the pumpkins
bigger OF the artemerias and dahlias finer,
or the specimens of portraiture sent by the
rival photographers more lovely, or Sweets
preserves more delicious, or Spicer's pickles
more dainty; or any of the exhibits much
beyond what they always were in beauty
or value, but we were engaged, and every
thing seemed so.
We loaded ourselves with arms full of
yellow and blue circulars, under the inn
preston that we were making choice lit
erary collection. We tasted free spoonfuls
of 'Dr Dodd's Magic Cough Syrup" and
deemed it the "nectar of the gods" We
listened to hideous brass band that blared
away in kind of loft at the bottom of the
main hall, and believed that heavenly
orchestra Was giving us a musical treat;
and later we partook of chicory Coffee
corn starch ice cream, leather sandwiches
and stale sponge cake, served in q grotesque
arbor hung with tissue paper flowers, and
believed ourselves to have Toasted deli
ciously. You see, we were engaged, and
that makes such difference in everything.
We spent long afternoon at the fair, going
about arm in arm and thinking of little be-
sides each other, and in the twilight came
out upon the grounds among the ''side
shows"
Punch was there, chattering as usual,
and our hearts were so soft that we wept
when he killed the baby. There was
frightful juggler in a booth who cut
peoples heads off, but afterward found
them under clothes baskets, well mended
and none the worse for their decapitations.
Wcs,ought oriental amulets of gentle
man in turban, who, when we inquired
as to his nationality, said, $50 help him
Moses he was Turkr' and at last we
came upon the prophets cave and entered
in. The prophet, done up in flowing robes
and white wig and beard, presided behind
a counter on which two beribboned baskets
were set forth, one marked Ladies'" the
other Gentlemen" 1t appeared on in
quiry that the prophet saved time by put
ting up number of prophecies in envel-
opes, as busy grocers do pounds of tea and
sugar. You paid five cents, and then a
little green paroquet came down from a
stood on the prophets finger. OF course
we bought a prophecy each. Were we not
engaged? Did we not delight in the mys-
FERROUS, as all lovers do? and after that
hurried home to take high tea with Annie's
mother We had no time to open our en-
velopes before we reached the table, and as
1t seemed probable that they would amuse
the party, we produced them there.
7 L.
Oh a slip of paper within my envelope
"ah! shall be rich and powerful if l live.
Beware of speculation"
We all laughed; and Annie was called
upon to read her fortune aloud. She
opened the paper laughingly; but no sooner
had she cast her eyes upon it than she
turned pale.
ooh, dearl' she cried "Oh. how dreadful
just when l am so awfully happy! Oh,
joint oh, pal oh, mammal and she burst
into flood of tears and began to sob bit
terly. l caught the paper from her hand
and read those words:
Lovely lady, you will die before the VIC
lets bloom"
"And they bloom in May" sobbed Annie.
Surely, my dear, you don't believe this
nonsense?" calculated.
DuG ANNE crleQ between her SODS:
''Oh. yes, do You will be rich and pow
erful, snd you will marry some charming
woman; but shall be dead before the yio-
lets blown
How absurd A printed slip given you
by an old humbug in fair BOOTH" said
her father.
In fact we all said something; but Annie
wept until she grew hysterical, was led
away and put to bed, and was ill for a
week. The doctor was very serious over
the attack, and when she same down stairs
again she was pale and nervous, and per-
sisted in taking the prophecy as though it
were a revelation from on high, continu-
ally repeating:
Il shall die before the violets bloomw
1t was quite Christmas time before she
began to be like herself again, and al |
though l loved her better than ever, and |
she was always the sweetest little creature |
alive. could not but wonder how such an |
absurd thing could have such an effect on |
any one endowed with grain of common |
sense. felt sure that although Annie |
was merry and bright again she had not /
forgotten the prophecy. and once when / |
spoke of the fact that we were to be mar |
rled In June she sighed and said:
All, John, spring comes before sum- |
mer. and the violets bloom in May"
The worst of it was that the doctor made |
such serious matter of her condition, and |
told us that he could not answer for the |
results unless we could rid her CO what he
spoke of as monomania.
Still the winter was not bad, but when
April came we found her constantly wan
derlng about the garden and watching the
violet plants, of which there were many.
As coaxed her away from them I used
to wish that could meet that old wretch
OF prophet and punish him as he deserved.
but he never crossed my path. He had
with the closing of the fair. 1t
was well for him that this was SO.
With May our trouble grew greater.
We who loved Annie Were in despair The
mother arose al day break to nip off the vi
oiet buds But there were other gardens
la the place, and Annie might find them
there, for now 1t was really the time for
blooms. We knew not what to do re-
member that it was the 10th OF May. when
bethought me that a trip to the CITY might
divert Annie, and went TO the house 10 IN
vite her. My dear girl met me at the gats.
holding violet leaf in her hand.
'How green they are just before they
bloom!n she said
took the leaf from her and threw it
away.
Forget all about those violets, love-"
said l. Let Us take an outing. Come 70
kew York and spend the day."
She smiled and said that she should like
mat very much, ana ran away TO dress,
While talked with her mother, who was
very sad and anxious
fear for her mind and her life" she
said
also had my terrors. but my darling
anne back looking SO bright and pretty