The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-05-27
she mad no ''bfll-money' about her So

the erstwhile superior young woman,
more impressed, unpinned the five-dol
lar bill she habitually carries in the
front of her blouse for emergency ne
cessities, and allowed it to be closed
with the fourth quarter, in a corner
of her handkerchief.
The handkerchief corner was knot
! ted with the blue thread that had suf-
fered the mysterious untying. Then
the handkerchief was firmly closed in
Amelias own palm.
| Now, you say after me: My love.
come back: my enemies, go; pain and
misery leave me; happy | will be"
again commanded the gypsy, her black
eyes and white teeth flashing.
Amelia, rendering but still submis-
sive, again II oekly compiled.
The gypsy caught her hand, press
II against her own breast. then kissed
and conveyed it to her forehead.
Nov" she said. tossing it from her
in dramatic fashion, you bad luck
gone, lost; you good luck come near
you; you misery-pain all come into
my body. You be well, happy, all
right.
Keep that handkerchief near you,
keep it secret. do not open the knot,
tell no one. If you unite it or tell the
secret you break the charm.
I'm two days all will be well with
you. You marry. have fine trip, fine
house, fine servants, all this summer
Some time see you again"
Then she slipped from the Office. just
as the manager, his assistant, the 9TH
err stenographer, the bookkeeper and a
bill clerk came back in body. Stimuli
taneous sight of the smiling gypsy and
of Amelia's furious blusnes told the
whole story. There was a shout of
laughter. amid which Amelia. in dig
nified silence. sought her hat and coat.
Before donning them. however, she at
tempted to wipe her hot cheeks with
the knotted handkerchief and the bill
clerk exploded.
III the dago woman hasn't worked
the build up your luck dodge on our
wise and sanity Miss Jennings!" he
cried.
How much did you put in the hand
kerchief.." queried several voices in
unison, thus proving Amelia by no
means the first Office victim.
Five donars and a quarter" adj
mitted Amelia, too nervous and excited
to recognize the wisdom of silence
sspuf tic oil tbaroe0
The bill clerk, amid another peal of
laughter, took the crumpled handker-
chief and united it. Then he spread it
out before the amazed and indignant
Amelia.
Not penny was in sight.
'Of course she palmed the money"
sthey all explained, comfortingly; "she
saw you were easy. The money never
went into the handkerchief at ALL"
Then Amelia. remembering that the
gypsy had also omitted to return the
two extra quarters loaned" for the
building up" process. sank into a
chair weakly and all but cried on the
other stenographer's shoulder The
other stenographer. generously forget
ting Amelia's contemptuous structures
concerning her own previous fortune
telling experiences. endeavored to con-
sole the dropping girl.
Time to get to work, everybody"
said the assistant manager, kindly d.
verting the general attention, and
Amelia, who daily keeps Office" while
the rest Of the office force goes out to
luncheon, went OF in search of her
own midday meal. Hot, strong coffee
and beefsteak put renewed courage in
her, and all afternoon she bore up
bravely under the slow fire of laugh
ing "hits" and comments. But the
thought of a gypsy. quarter or FIVE
dollar bill is still potent 20 set her
cheeks burning. and it is doubtful il
Miss Amelia Jennings will ever be
quite so distinctly superior again.
Chicago Record Herald.