Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-04-30
THE ORACLE.

i nave never believed MuCl IN fortune
telling, or palmistry, " anything OF that
kind; but when my two dear cousins,
Amy and Dolly, Who were devout beliey-
ers, urged me to go with them to Fatma
-Fatima was the last new prophetess-I
could not refuse them. | felt that they,
or one of them, had a yht to know what
there was to be known about my future,
because | was going to marry one of
them.
Both were delightful girls - Amy a
lovely blonde, Dolly a sparkling brunette
Each bad fifty thousand dollars, and
each, | think | may say, was quite ready
TO marry me. only hesitated between
them because | could not bear to crafty
one at the expense of the other; and, in
spite of their amiabiity, | had seen I'M
mistaEable signs Of little rivalry be-
tween them
We went all together to FatimaE, and
| took my stand before her, exactly equi-
distant from a cousin on either hand
was not going to give Fatima a lead if |
could help it. The prophecies was a plain
woman of about thirty, and she looked
rather sour when insisted on both the
young ladies being present. However, she
vent to work and droned out some details
of my past life giving special attention to
my smoking habits-l knew ] smelled OF
cigar-and my debts; which later informa.
tion she might just as we'll have kept TO
herself. AT last she could not shlrk the
question of my matrimonial future any
longer. She cast puzzled glances, first at
Amy, then at Dolly-both were looking at
me with sweet affection. She turned to
me; / gently took a hand of each and
pressed it atfectionately. Fatima sighed
and gave it up.
you are loved she said, in deep
looked pleased); one is fair fanny bIus hed)
the other dark Dolly colored). You love
both in measure Il pressed the two
hands, and '-Fdtima paused.
"Well, which is it to b., asked.
She bent over my hand 81 see q double
line, once broken ! see a wedding, and
death, and q wedding; aud the time
for al this is short You will wed one;
but let the other endure; the joy Of the
one will be destroyed vito her life in d
little space. and the Other snail be salts
fed. | have spoken. The charge is one
but stop, cried. (which is to
marry me frst?"
The lines say naught as TO that One
you will marry, and she must die; and the
other follows.
"But hang it! is there no way out Of
this?"
She knitted her Drows and looked again.
ave, if you will; but that way lies RED
banda hand dyed rs though in blood.
All. tbs a woman causes It!
The girls shivered, and | hastily flung
down the dollar and went out, consider
ably impressed. in spite Of my skePticlsm,
with tine somber prophecy. My cousins
were rather silent on the way home and
met all my somewhat forced attempts at
makirg fun Of Fatima with GOODNESS; both
were distant in their manner to me and
not over cordial to one another ] dare
say this behavior was natural enough, tor,
if Fatima spoke true, one OF them was
doomed 10 early death, leaving her rival
triumphant; and this doom was only to be
averted if committed "A murder. Was
to murder one Of then2 Horrld thought.
Before many days were over ! wished
heartily that we Lad never been to Fa-
tima's. No more pleasant talks tete-a.
tete. now with Amy, nov With Dolly.
They both avoided me 5edul9usly. On the
other hand they began 70 show almost eE-
aggerated affection f3r one another they
were never apart, ana treated one another
with the most loving, almost anxious,
friendship. In fact, ] s1oUld pave found
my stay in the house very duh had not
Mrs Girdiestone. a prett5 little wiaoT.
with great hazel eye ard mass OF
auburn curl., consoled me a httle.
soon found out the meaning Of the
girls changed behavior.
| was smoking in the study one morn