Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-04-10
SKEPTIC BROWN.

saws and ne leered at Omens. IL was
his one hobby, this warfare with the
believers in sigus and p%ortents. There
was no mercy in hiHi for the credulous.
He laughed at broken mirrors. Nothing
pleased him better than TO see the new
moon over his left shoulder. The ever
recurring terror Of IS at "a table he had
reduced 70 a mathematical problem TO
be solved through the law Of chances
and the statistics Of life insurance actu-
aries. Three mornings in tho week no
put ON his right shoe first. On the other
four the left preceded the right. Last,
but not least, he had taken lodgings in
q rather poor ne%ighborhood because it
abounded in white cats, and the likeli-
hood Of one Of the unluoky animals
crossing his path was thereby greatly
increased.
These things did not add to his popu-
larity. Most men Stunned him. So did
some women, though their aversion to
him interested no one but themselves,
for Brown would have been a misogy-
mist had he been able TO cherish two great
hatreds simultaneously. Sometimes,
though, he longed for more friends Of
his WI sex. He had but two or three,
and he could not preach to them always.
There was a point at which they re-
belled. and when that point WIS reached
Brown felt alone ia the world.
So at last, through growing broad Of
isolation, no came to spare these two or
three, which proves that tho man Of
one idea may learn in the school Of Bit
ter experience. Even when, out Of the
goodness Of their hearts, they now and
then cleared the lists for him to break o
lance in his favorite cause he declined
tho challenge-sometimes And then
the others began to fear for his health
"Your trouble, Brown, is that you
lack an actual test, " observed Ferguson,
ON one Of these occasions of combat de-
clined. You're theoretical. You've
never faced a ghost nor heard a super
natural voice. Now, if you only could
have something uncanny happen"
Ferguson paused, partly because he
thought no had said enough in the way Of
encouragement, but more because his Oh
gar demanded attention. Randall nod
ded approval Of the curtailed sentiment.
The three had been dining together and
were lingering over the coffee.
"No, I've escaped 30 far" Brown
answered slowly. "At least-well,
nothing has occurred to shake my com
mon sense. Truth is, though, l may be
able to tell you something convincing
in a few days. Last night ! had what
some fools would call n warning"
"What?" cried Randall
"You had?'' asked Ferguson incredu
lousy.
~ had a dream" Brown continued
II don't know where the scene was laiC
or whether there was any. But l held
bit Of newspaper with edges jagged, a
If il had been torn from the sheet. Oh
one side was what seemed to be an &C
count of a curious accident to a sounC
steamer which was run into by
schooner whose jib boom pierced tn,
wall of a stateroom and impnled tb,
occupant. The name Of the steamer wa
missing.
"And the passengers name?" que
ried Randall.
1T was not to be found in the par
Of the article before me-"
"Sure it was a sound steamer" Fer
guson asked.
YES. Something in the contox
made that clear. There was no hint o
the date, turned the paper over, bu
found on the other side nothing but
part of a table Of stock quotations
Great Eastern common had closed at q
that sGu l remember TO have noticed. ,
I'D like to see the stuff there over
in a dream" said Ferguson feelingly
He ventured into Wall street occasion
ally.
mo doubt you would, said Ran
dali. but, Brown, where's the warn
ing? Are you going down east?"
YES. I'm due in Boston next Satur
day morning. And always go by boat. ;
This time too?"
Certainly, =" responded Brown Will
dignity. This time Of all times"
well, I'd stay ashorei if l were you, ,
Randall counseled. "As a boy 1 haC
my fill of trying u SEQ II things wer,
loaded.
The skeptic smiled "A superior smile.
II have already arranged for tn.
trip, " he announced. This morning
reserved a stateroom ON the Yankee
land-she's next Fridays boat. Il
short, I Propose to prove 80 conclusivol,
the
Precisely" said Ferguson, risinI
from the table in some haste, I'VE real
lie what you expect 20 prove, old man
I know you think it too good a chancI
TO be wasted but, just as a friend n
yours. I'd get out IN injunction to keel
you from going-I would indeed-if i
were not for that quotation Of Grea
Eastern at 20. In view Of such a freal
Of midnight phantasy l guess l won
have you dragged into court. But yol
ought to be fined for dreaming such
thing and unduly exciting the imagina
tion Of the honest poor, who've put goo,
money into that stock"
Browns friends bade him good nigh
at the door Of the restaurant.
well. what do you think?" said Fer
guson TO Randall, as they walked NJ
town together.
"Oh, il anybody else had had such
dream I'd be worried, " said Randall /,
Ferguson, "But Brown won't DO evel
frightened-more's the pity. By tn,