The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-09-06
V~''"s'9N Z
A PROPHECY !
How 1t Affected a Young Girl I
Who Was About to Be
Married
.A..-.AA..-.AN..-. AA.-.AA..-.AA.,-..As.

state fair held at Hobbswich. we were
just engaged to each other, and every
thing seemed roseate and lovely.
We bought oriental amulets of gentle
man in a turban, who, when we manfred
as to his nationality, said. so HELM me
Moses | am a Turk" and at last we
came upon the prophets cave and entered
in. The prophet, done up in flowing robes
and white wig and beard. presided behind
a counter on which two beribboned
baskets were set forth. one marked al
dies" the other "Gentlemen." If an.
peared on inquiry that the prophet saved
time by putting up a number of proph-
ecies in envelopes. as busy grocers do
pounds of tea and sugar. You paid )
cents, and then a little green parrakeet
came down from a perch and picked ont
an envelope as he stood on the PROPHETS
finger. OF course we bought a propbecv
each. Were we not engaged? Did we
not delight in the mysterious. as all lovers
do. and after that hurry home to take
high tea with Armies mother? We had
no time to open our envelopes before we
reached the table, and rs it seemed proba-
he that they would amuse the party we
produced them there
All. said l, reading the words printed
on a slip Of paper within my envelope.
"Ah. l shall be rich and powerful if |
live. Beware of speculation"
We all laughed, and Annie was called
upon to read her fortune aloud She
opened the paper laughingly. but no soon
or had she cast her eyes upon it than she
turned pale.
ooh. dear" she cried. ooh. how dread
ful. just when l am so awfully happy,
Oh, John. Oh, pa. Oh, mamma" And
She burst into a flood of tears and began
to sob bitterly. | caught the paper from
her hand and read those words
Lovely lady, you viii die before the
violcts bloom
And they bloom in May" sobbed An
ME.
Surely. my dear, YOU don't believe this
uonsonsc+' | calculated.
But Annie cried between her sohs:
"Oh YES, do. You will be rich and
powerful. and you will marry some charm
Ing woman. hut l shall be dead before the
violcts blow"
How absurd, \ printed slip given
You by an old humbug in a fair booth"
said her father.
In fact. we all said something. hut An
ME wept until she grew hystercal, was
led away and put to bed and was i'll for
week. The doctor was very serious over
the attack and when she came down
stairs again she was pale and nervous
and persisted in taking the prophecy as
though it We're a revelation from on high.
continually repeating:
Il shall die before the violets bloom"
1t was quite Christmas time before she
began to be like herself again, and. al
though | loved her better than ever and
she was always the sweetest little crea-
ture alive | could not but wonder how
such an absurd thing could have such an
effect on any one endowed with a grain
Of common sense. | felt sure that, al
though Annie was merry and bright again.
she had not forgotten the prophecy. and
once when l spoke of the fact that we
were to be married in June she sighed
and said:
'Ah. John, spring comes before sum-
mer, and the violets bloom in May"
The worst of it was that the doctor
made such a serious matter Of her condi-
ton and told us that he could not answer
for the results unless we could rid her of
what he spoke of as a monomana.
Still the winter was not bad. but when
April came we found her constantly wan
dering about the garden and watching the
violet plants, of which there We're many.
AS l coaXei her away from them l
used TO wish that | could meet that old
wretch of prophet and punish him as he
deserved, but he never crossed my path.
He had vanished with the closing of the
fair. 1t was we'll for him that this was
so.
With May our trouble grew greater.
We who loved Annie were in despair.
The mother arose at daybreak to nip off
the violet buds. But there were other
gardens in the place, and Annie might
md them there, for now it was really
the time for blooms. We knew not what
TO do. | remember that it was the 10th
Of May when ! bethought me that a trip
10 the city might divert Annie and went
to the house 20 invite her My dear girl
met me at the gate, holding Il violet leaf
In her hand.
How green they are just before they
bloom" she said
] took the leaf from her and threw it
away.
Forget all about those violets, love-
said l. "Let us take an outing. Come
to New York and spend the day"
She smiled and said that She would like
mat very much and ran away to dress,
while | talked with her mother, who was
very sad and anxious.
i fear for her mind and her life" she
taid.
also had my terrors. but my darling
came back looking so bright and pretty
mat | began to feel hopeful again, and
we started ON our way quite merriy.
We all know how people who visit New
York but seldom amuse themselves. We
saw all that was to be seen and had
lunch at a fine restaurant. We had fin
ished and We're about to seek other amuse-
ments when in turning the corner Of a
busy avenue we came upon a little mu-
scum whore curiosities were exhibited
and there was every afternoon perform
ance of some kind and at the foot Of a
long line Of attractions read these words:
The prophets cave. Don't fail to have
Your fortune told by the only surviving
prophet"
The prophet again. cried l. "Now
for it.'
Annie clutched my arm and tried to pun
me away, but / refused to depart.
My dear" said l, "a dime museum is
very vulgar show, bat ! intend 70 inter-
view that prophet and tell him my opin-
lon Of him and shall be obliged to take
You in with me''
As | spoke | stalked through the door
Iar t.rr l. t5fs