The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-26
EVIL 0MENS AND
HOW THEY WERE AVERTED,
From the Chicago News.

The scene was one of extraordinary
interest. Featherston had just sat
down amid tumultuous handclappins
and knife-rapping, after assuring the
company that the present moment was
the proudest and the happiest OF his
life and that words failed him ade-
ouately to describe the emotions with
Which-er-With which he-er-in fact
70 describe his emotions. The one
hour-old Mrs. Featherston had cut the,
cake and now the ladies were looking
at their little slices apparently in d
tremor of excitement.
Dufiie was sitting next to little Miss
ALVIN. He usually sat next to little
Miss Allyn when he got chance. sew
eral people had noticed that and 1t Is
possible that the young woman her.
self had. He was thinking just then
how distractingly pretty she was, when
a sense that something was happen
ing or going to happen aroused him
from his reverie.
"Well, why don't you tackle it?"
he asked, referring to the cake. IL
strikes me as just the thing to top off
lobster mayonnaise and chocolate ice"
'Hush!' she said. Il want to see who
gets it,
"Gets what?"
"Ihe ring.
81 thought Mrs. Featherson had got
it, Featherston didn't make any his
take, did hep
Don't be stupid. 1 mean the ring In
the cake. There's a ring and thimDle
and a cent. Are you superstltlousF
"Slavishly. 1 passed under a ladded
on nv way to the church. 1t was
inst outside the door wheS~4 started.
They were painting the UP.ch and nao
left it standing for the accommodation
of burglars ali night. was thinking OF
the momentous occasion and OF Things
in general. and 1 deliberately walked
under it. Some great misfortune is go
inc 10 happen. I'm trying to be gay,
but the ladder weighs on me-"
IT should think it would said the
Young woman, sympathetically. Il
yyouIdn't have a moments peace.
Therel Cora Muir has got the ring.
I'm not going to wait any longer now.
She broke the cake and something
bright rolled on the floor with jim
gle.
stopped. "The penny?'
Miss Allyn Sighed heavily. IT'S the
tumble" she announced to the COM
many. and a chorus of COMMUNICATION
answered her.
"Rut I don't quite understand" said
nufie later on, after the bride and
groom had departed. I'm on to most
of these things. 1 know that the old
shoes and rice will inevitably bring the
Featherstons good luck and happiness.
And I've heard of the ring business
and believe in it devoutly. But what do
the penny and the thimble mean?"
"The penny brings wealth to the one
that gets it," explained Miss Allyn.
"And the thimble?"
"If a girl gets the thimble 1t means
that she will die an old maid"
THAT'S serious" said Duffie, after
pause. That means-It's the LADDER"
1.-THE LADDER"
Eyes, I-well, 1 don't know. I meant
to say something else. You don't be.
lieve in these signs yourself, do your"
Indeed I do"
you believe, then. that you will
never marry?"
that"
"Are you sure you've got the right
Interpretation of it? 1t might be some
thing else, you know.
mo, there's no mistake about 1t. Do
you know where 1 can get a reliable
parrot?"
Don't joke about a serious thing
like that. We've got to talk this mat
ter over, you and 1. I've got an idea.
I told you about that ladder"
What has the ladder got to do with
itg'
II wish you'd give me time to say
what I want to say. 1t takes thought.
You see, there's a curious involution of
the ladder and you and the thimble and
me. You see that, Of course. The lad
der means misfortune to me. Now, if
you've got to be an old maid by the
stern decree of the thimble, there's my
misfortune. You see that. too, don't
you %
mo. I don't"
"Maggie!"
IT don't. I tell you. Stop talking
nonsense.
'Maggiel'