The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-09

How Fortunes May be Told and the Winds
ing Of the Ball.

ing Of the Ball.
NEW STORE, VA, May l-Speclal-
There are many legends and stories con-
rsoted with the first day Of Nay, and
Ike Hallow Eve. 10 j. associated with
charms. magic spells and fortune telling.
II Is said that In the good old ante
beiium days when money was plentiful
and the people of this happy Southland
had nothing TO do but amuse themselves
the Young people used 10 meet together
and trv their fortunes on the lrst day "
MAY.
one among the many different ways IN
which il was done was that OF walking
backwards 20 the well or spring Just as
the clock struck twelve NOON and look
ing into q mirror held horizontally over
the we'll Keeping the back 20 the Wei
an the sine u the person was 20 De
married. the face of his or her INTENDED
was seen IN The reelection or Tie water
I'M the mirror. II a coffin was seen, 10 was
a sign OF death.
An old Scotch custom was. pulling
kale stalks" This was amusing IN thar
d person had 10 undergo cOn-ilerap-r
hardshius in order 10 10 lt. He must
walk blndfoled into the garden 10 the
kala or Cabbage patch and pun up a
stalk az random. The size OF the stalk
Indicated proportionately the size or the
husband OF wife as the ease
might be. and the quantity Of earth
clinglng % the roots. the amount or Ills
or her worldly possessions.
The stalk was then hung over the door,
and the Christian name OF the nrst per-
son entering carefully noted. for that was
also 10 be the name Of the future IN
tended" Of the person by whom the sta-A
was pulled.
a pretty custom is breaking an esq
INTO a goblet just as the sun rises ana
reading ones. future IN the picture when
Is made by the rays OF the sun as they
frst fan on the egg. The Imagination
Is a most potent factor in this little eN-
neriment and the better the Imagination
the brighter the picture is likely TO De-
A friend not long ago told me the Iol-
lowing little story OF fortune-ilyins
Elm the days OF aud lang syne.
"When / was a girl ] lived IN thicAy
settled community. and one Of our faF-
orlta amusements was trying our Tor
tunes one night ii happened that all oi
the Marty were girls. 50 We HE'D us 20
our rooms upstairs and By "a pfeconceFtea
arraneement. congreEated in one Of the
rooms and began the highly enjoyable
pastime OF looking into the future Every
IMAGINABLE device was resorted 20. aAc
after an " the arts OF hocus-pocus hld
been exhausted 10 was agreed that 10 was
time 10 retire But someone suggested.
I'VE must try one more winding the
hall" 20. yesr We all shouted. hut
only ono must try b. so lets draw stra"s
10 decide who 10 shall De.
This was done and our cousin, the
oueenly and dignided Belle Norian. DIRE"
the longest straw. soon our merry
eroUd worn out by the evenings plea
sures was wrapped IN slumher BUT HHnt-
lv silent one rCsy-cheekedf merry ms
chief-lOving maiden. She lay awake ions
after the others We're asleep mat his-.1
manning O Bit Of fun. just as the INST
faint streaks of pink appeared on tAe
eastern horizon. she arose from her dow
nv pillow and hastily donninz wrap
ner creDt noiselessly downstairs ana o-t
.ha hack door % Aunt Jemlma' g cabin.
ana called softly. sam. sam. little
black. woolly head was thrust OUTSIDE
the door. and IN two minutes the own
Il II was made % understand thtl PIE
would receive an extra piece OF CAKE u
De would a. a certain thins-
As sam was accustomed % obey WIN
our 4nv WHY'S and wheretores. De there
| fore simply said Yes m and disappeared
within the cabin ana the mefry-iaeeA
girl ran back 20 her room without nav
ing been missed.
Now. sam was the uglest, nlaeA 30
swarthiest little dwarf Of an African i-al
ever dissraced a plantation. hi7 Ni7'
which were as red as Goals OF Ale. il'--
| "a back Ike those OF the proverb.ai ita7-
tus' OF Puck fame Ills feet. huns on
10 his little short bow-le-s We're Ntt
| ana shaueless. His head was too large
for AIS body. and wohhled from side 10
side when he walked. and kent time 90
| the motion OF his hands as they aN li-s
loosely down 20 his knees.
Pretty soon our beautiful and di7nlled
eorsin pei!e felt twitchin az the string
.rourd her wrist and spr.nging out or BED
she slinred down on her knees rehind
49, window curtain 70 take "a peep %
~ VINO Was winding the bah which mad
bsen thrown out on the grass the nisnI
before. ,..,
Bslle uttered only the one disappointed.
bo~ror-.fr.cken syllable. sam. Tor sure
enough there stood sam. gazing up az
tbo window with his white eyes rolled
t.ot md his csvernous mouth wide open.
roiding the han IN his hand. The shrieSs
/ IN laughter from the other girls soon re-
sto~rf peue 70 her wanted sweet tenn
rer and she forgave her Attle MISCHIEF
io,i-g cousin. But poor sam never Knew
u-hv his simple act Of winding bail o.
warm should be the occasion or so mneh
laughter and fun