The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-21
AN EGYPTIlN MYSTERY.

You leave the region of fine and pros
porous residences and walk west. Pres
emily you come to rows of brown stone
houses, close to the sidewalk, pathetic
ally preserving the odor of faded gen
tility. In the first story windows are
little cards. reading Rooms" in small
and eieant type. Two blocks farther
All shame is thrown off, and house after
house carries a big card with Fur
nished" emblazoned in six inch black
letters.
Then shortly the big old houses dis
appear and you come to quarter
where both sides of the street are lined
with little wooden cottages, dirty ana
imprinted. Scattered among them at
frequent intervals are little saloons ana
on the front doors are home made signs
announcing washing Done Here.
There are also bushel baskets filled vita
coal and kindling sitting on the SIDE
Walks, with signs above them reaolilS'
Express. Coal and Wood,
In this section the cedar blocks pave
ments are in state of chronic eruption
Pools of black and oily water Ill all
the cavities, and bent old women Sink
back and forth with baskets half full
of decayed cedar blocks and DIS OF
board Dirty and unshaven men, with
shifting eyes, stand in groups OF two
or three on the corners. Everywhere
are ohildren-the smaller the dirtier-
playing in the cutters or lodging across
the streets with pals of foamlng peer-
In the heart of this district stands
half tumbled down wooden house OF
two stories An old woman of s.. look
ing ten years older, lives sin the hrsF
story rear room. The entire upper
story is occupied by prosperous rag
picker and his family
On either side of the door leading to
the first story 'front.' stands a barrel
and on each of the barrels stands
cage. In the cage to the right sInall
barn owl ruffles his feathers against
TaFA 900 a
grown crow, with clipped wing, stands
on one leg and shows his discomfort by
an occasional "caw.'
On the front door is tackled a small
black placard, on which is printed IN
red and gold letters. now much op-
secured by weather, the legend, Fortunes
Told The Original Egyptian Mystery
There are two small windows looking
out of the first floor front. over one
of them a black shade is pulled tightly
In the center of the other window, with
its glass eyes almost against the pane,
stands a stuffed black tom cat.
1t was the first cold morning of the
coming fall. and inside the room the or
iginal Egyptian mystery was sitting
close to a little stove. She threw few
corncobs into the stove and stretched out
her thin and wrinkled hands to the
blaze.
That's all there is, Michael she said.
Apparently she was talking to large
white rat, for that seemed to be the
only other living thing in the room with
the exception of a couple of white mice
in the same basket full OF rags ana COT
The original Egyptian mystery was
old. Her face was wrinlxled and scanned
in curious lines Her hair was thin and
dirty gray, and her clothes were thlh
and greasy.
Then there came a knock at the front
door. The mystery got up quickly, took
from a nail in the corner long red
4
around her shoulders, spread greasy
pack of cards on the oil-cloth covered
table, and took a teacup, half tull OF
grounds, from the top of the Uttered
stove. Then she sat down IN hef one
unbroken rocking chair, took the white
rat and the mice into her lap, and called,
Come in in a shrilI old voice.
A woman of 30. wearing a second hand
boys REFER. a bedraggled skirt and a
mans straw hat, came cautiously INTO
the room Her face was red from the
cold wind, and all the sharp anguiari-
ties of her figure were pitifuiiy reveal
ed.
Have YOU got the price?" demanded
the Egyptian mystery
s'III nav YOU sure just as soon as
Now, look here. Maggie, I've told
YOU three fortunes On tick, and that's as
far as I'll go. I got to have my II
cents first this time"
'Rut 1 got to have it told this time
And I hain't got no dime. WhatH you
take in trader"
Lets see'' said the mystery, shrewd-
" IF you'll fetch me that basket full
of cedar blocks I'll go into trance fol
you
The basket was seized and presently
returned filled with the black and
Shiny blocks fresh from the uptorn
pavement.
We'll. what's this you want to know
about, Maggle?"
ITS about Tom." she began.
"Uh-huh," interrupted the mystery.
That's enough. Now just wait"
She leaned back in her chair. rolled
her eyes, and made a Kissing sound in
her throat Then she leaned over AND
began to shuttle the cards.
II see a dark man.
That's Tom" broke in the visitor.
He's gone away from home. He's
standing in a saloon now, drinking z
glass of beer. He isn't in Chicago. Il
looks to me like a place down south. Il
the little people amt misleading ms
he's in Louisville, Ky"
''Whenll he come back to me?" asked
the youn-zer woman.
Yell be back when the sun shine:
bright again and the grass is green.
He amt a goin to leave me to take
care of them children all alone thi:
winter, is he?" demanded the Ques
toner Of the oracle
why not amt hep" snapped TIN
mystery. all at once dropping her mys