The herald., 1898-11-05
OPENING The LID
OF The FUTURE
BY HoGABOoM
esssssssesessss . ;

present ana the future, the auNertse"en.
said, and also give advice on business, poll
| tics, mining, marriage and ventures OF
like hazardous nature; so called to see her
one day last week.
The past l did not wish to monkey with
upon that occasion. There is nothing in
| the past that | care to have revealed to me
at this time, at Nine. Cleo's rates per re-
veal, and | am keeping pretty. close tab on
| the present myself But with the future
| it was different.
l have always yearned for the opportun-
| ity to peer into the future. | have frequent
| ~ thought that if l could once get to know
just what was going to happen short time
before it happened l could sort of shape
things SO as to get them coming my way, to
a certain extent. l think that would be
real nice. have never been ambitious to
know everything that is going to take place
in all the time to come, but if could just
lift the lid of the future a little way, once
in while, SO as to take look around and
size up things generally, imagined L would
be pleased good bit.
With this end in view sought Nine Cleo,
the renowned clairvoyant and seer, now in
the city for a short time, and willing to
reveal for all who wish revealing done.
| Nine Cleo is | may add, the seventh daugh-
Vel VA q sShSHtb uauSHtSi, dHQ has tNlutHtlA
seen considerable trouble in consequence
| was ushered into the presence of Nine.
Cleo with less ostentation than the occa-
sion really demanded, perhaps, and after
the first cordial greeting, while the re-
nowned reader of the hence was looking me
over with view to ascertaining, from MY
exterior evidences of prosperity, about
what sum l would be willing to separate
myself from at the conclusion of the inter
view, l took the opportunity to cast a look
about the apartments. The fittings were
extremely plain, | thought, with Just faint
suggestion OF secondhand store about the
furniture, and an inference that the feather
duster, and possibly the broom, too, might
have been mislaid and were nowhere to be
found. a dim light was filtering in through
1.-THE heavy curtains, and there was subtle
odor lingering about which might have
come from the burning of incense in an
inner apartment, but which seemed some
how more like the delicate, lingering per-
iume of fried onions.
Any fears 1 had previously entertained
that Nine. Cleo might prove to be care
less young thing, whose judgment would be
immature, and whose beauty might lure me-
unconsciously, of course, away from the OBJ
lect of my visit, were dispelled at glance
.'liiiS. Nito NdS Mcl L
if l may be allowed to so ex,
press it, and her beauty was not of the
kind that turns mems heads at glance. In
fact, as | looked closer, and her personality
worked itself upon me more and more, the
impression grew that the reason she was
now retailing the wonderful information at
her command regarding events of the future
might possibly be for the reason that her
last husband had adopted suicide as the
surest and safest way out of it.
MY dear madam" said !, as l motioned
her to a chair, with display of that re-
markable ease and grace which l had ac-
quired while acting as an usher in theater
years ago; will you be seated? l wish to
ask you few simple questions relating to
events as yet uneventuated.'
| had imagined that little pleasantly
like that would put her at her ease at once,
and al the same time give her to understand
that her visitor was no ordinary person. Ii
was a wasted effort.
What do you want to know?" she asked,
quite abruptly.
Everything" | replied, and l imagined
she looked at me rather sharply at that.
Il thought So she said, little YEARLY,
Il thought so before" She seemed to be
addressing herself rather than me- Il
thought he would be in need of information
OF all kinds soon as | saw him. Well,
she exclaimed, as her eyes sought mine
again, where shall we begin?"
"Oh, let's begin at the beginning" said |,
'and work gradually along past the middle
and so on to the end"
She did not seem to catch the idea. "Is
there anything in particular you wish to
know she asked. My time is valuable,
and if | should undertake to furnish you
with all the information that you seem to
require We light go far beyond your
means"
/ had been fearful of that. My great
thirst for information was assuming such
proportions that | feared Nine. Cleo would
be unable to quench it. thought rapidly
you advertise to pry open the future, as
it were," said; tell me, shall we have
much rain this winter?'
"Oh, yes" she replied, without hesitation,
"indeed we will; plenty of rain, and some
wet weather, too, unless, OF course, it should
turn out to be a dry season. In that event
| do not look for much rain"
How happy you make me feel,' l ex-
claimed.
At that she began looking me over again,
possibly thinking she had placed her first
estimate lttle LOO low.
"Will Gage be eected?" then asked, and
scarcely could / conceal the agitation | felt
lest she should not be able to get bead on
that kind Of a proposition.
"He WILL" she replied calmly. And then
she seemed to be wandering away in her
mind, and to be conversing with spirits.
whilst watched her face and waited. Pres
emily her face lighted up with faint smile
as she added: Provided he gets enough
votes"
1t was revelation to me; that wonderful
power of lifting the curtain and looking be
hind the scenes. | wanted more, but won
dered if I had not already exhausted her
supply of information. l decided to try
her once again.
"Wil Mrs. Banning's eggs ever come
home to roost again." | asked.
81 do not know what you mean," she re-
Piled
"Then you have never seen C. Wilson Por-
ter's hencoop on wheels" z" asked
"No, never" she replied.
"But can you not hover in the spirit about
the California club and get onto a few things
like that?" | asked.
'I do not care to-" she replied
"Then why do you agree to furnish in
formation upon any and all subjects?"
"You do not make your question clear. 1t
is tri1e hazy and Opaque" she said, and
thought there was some anxiety in her tone
and look
"Ah, WELL" I said, resolved to be magnan-
nous, 1--WE will let that pass. The celebrated
clarvoyants and mind readers and second
sight seers of the law will soon settle that.
Let us proceed"