Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-10-24
Episode in ClairvoyanCe.

1t was Mrs. Sherwin Blacks after
noon AT home" at 50 Macclesfelu
square, S. W., and that fascinating
lady was endeavoring in heroic fash
ion to administer tea and coffee, to
remember who took sugar and who
did not, and to chatter affably to
some half-dozen lady friends clus-
tered around her, making occasional
bolts toward the door to receive new
visitors. Of course, her daughter,
Miss Nettie Blake, ought to have
helped her mother with these social
duties; but that young lady was sit
ting in far corner, engaged in ear
nest conversation with certain Mrs.
Rapley, who professed to know a
great deal about Spiritualism.
But tell me-" Nettie was saying in
an aWe-stricken voice, can this wo-
man you were talking about really
see what is going to happen to peo-
pie, and do her prophecies always
come true?"
AS to that" replied her friend, Il
have certainly known her to foretell
the future wonderfully; but she sue
ceeds best in discovering peoples
characters and lives from merely
holding in her hand something be-
longing to them. For instance, if you
give her a letter she will, without
even looking at it, tell you all about
the writer, though both you and the
writer are quite unknown to her"
Now, besides the number of lady
visitors at Mrs. Blake's that afternoon
there had been one man-Captain LIE
Streme Tasting, of the Life Guards.
He had left little while before, but
Nettie's thoughts were still of him;
in fact, thought she had known him
but a brief time, this foolish girl,
fresh from the schoolroom, had lost
her romantic little heart to the hand
some soldier and had accepted him
as the ideal man. Of his feelings to-
ward her she knew nothing, but she
pleased herself with imagining that
his charming manners were even
more charming with her than with
particularly tender look in them when
in her company. Such thoughts
were buried deep in her inmost heart,
and were never breathed to anybody,
except, Of course, to her especial girl
friend, who didn't count; but she
pined to know whether her convic-
ton was right, or whether his calls
alone. The talk with Mrs. Rapley at
once suggested to her mind way of
satisfying herself on this point.
Il should SO much like to see this
marvellous thought-reader," began
Nettie again. Il wonder how 1 could
manage it. Does she live far OFF,"
"She lives in Philippa Road, st.
Johns Wood" replied the other; but
l should advise you, if you think of
going, to ask your mothers leave"
20, no, don't think want to go
really-at least-I might" stammered
the girl, "but I'll ask mother. What
number did you say?''
Number 43; it's a small provision
store" answered Mrs. Rapley, rising
to depart; but probably Mrs. Blake
will not let you go. Goodbye"
The visitors having gone, Nettie
fastened to make a note of the ad-
dress, privately resolved she would
not give her mother the chance of
refusing her permission to visit the
clairvoyant.
A day or two afterward, when a
dinner party was under discussion,
Nettie was strongly in favor Of invit-
ing Captain Tasting; and, though
she had to bear some banter about
this eagerness, she gained her point,
and also a promise that the gallant
captain should take her to dinner
The invitation was sent, and next
morning at breakfast Mrs. Blake
laughingly tossed a note across to
Nettie, saying:
There, my dear, [ hope that will
satisfy you"
1t merely contained the usual for
NAL words, Captain Tasting has
much pleasure in accepting Mrs
Blake's kind invitation to dinner on
the 10th inst Yet Nettie preserved
the note carefully, and, like the lit
tie goose that she was, reau it over
dLU over again WuOu SuG WdS dlO0S
taking in every letter of the beloved
handwriting, and even-but no; ii
were unkind to mention every little
girlish folly that she committed, and
besides, Nettie is not the only silly
girl in the world.
The time had come to put her plan
into execution, however, and in con-
siderable trepidatlon she crept out OF
the house, armed with the precious
scrap of paper, by means Of which sc
much was to be revealed to her. By
the time she reached the district rail
way station Nettie well-nigh re-
pented and abandoned her plan; fol
she was, on the whole, good, duti-
full daughter, and her conscience re-
minded her that her mother did moi
like her going out alone, and would
assuredly object to such an expedi-
ton as that whereon she was bent
Still the burning desire for an answer