The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-06-17

Miss Margery Middleton heard the
sound Of the old-fashioned knocker at
her front door. No one was there,
but lying on the step Was a tract Of
some kind. Miss Middleton took ep
the paper and turned back into the
house.
There were four pages devoted to
the advertisement OF the wonderful
powers Of Madam Geraty. Soothsay-
err Among other things was the an
nouncement that Madam Geraty
would remain in the city but six days
and could be consulted at her sr-rs Of
rooms in the Hotel Gerome.
Miss Middleton read the paper
through carefully, then laid It away
on her dresser. Hers was q lonely life,
for no one occupied with her this old
heirloom OF a building which she
called home. For years she hardly
had left It for more than few hours
at a time, and the humdrum mono
tony OF her daily existence was sell
dom disturbed. But she still INDUCED
in the dreams that had been pleasant
to her In her youth. and never had
quite despaired of some day resigning
her spinsterhood for the more roman
tic estate OF matrimony. Yet when
Miss Middleton thought seriously Of
these things she knew in her heart
there was but one in all the world for
whom she ever could have cared In
this way; and he-aIasl It had been
years since she even had heard Of
him.
She was in reminiscent mood
this morning. Several times she al
most pronounced aloud name, Der
tram," so wildly did memory portray
the setting.
Later III the day she took up the
soothsayer's folder again and glanced
over Its contents. Your future re-
vealed." was the caption Of long
paragraph. Miss Middleton read it
over for the third time and realized
that after all she was not free from
the influence of the mystic wonders.
Yes" sne said to herself. Il should
like to know my future, and am al.
most tempted to try
As the day grew older the tcmpta-
ton grew stronger; and Madam Ger
atty already had won patron.
Madam Geraty received her patron
with a beautiful grace and a charm
ing cordiality which placed Miss Mid
dleton at such ease in her presence
that she became ready almost to con
fide her closest secrets. But any
thing Of this kind was not asked
Madam Geraty wanted only an impfes
sion of her patrons thumb. This sht
secured In the ordinary way. But I
few moments later she had produced
an enlarged photograph of the impres
sion. which she proceeded to study
with the utmost care. Then she begar
and told Miss Middleton a great many
things about herself which the Latter
acknowledged to be absolutely cor
rect; and her eagerness and amaze
ment increased as the soothsayer con
tinued But Madam Geraty concluded
presently by saying:
You still have a long and happy
life before you. But listen. There Ii
something you must do just as I tel
you to do 1t. On the first day wheI
Venus may be seen as the evening
star before sunset, 80 into your gar
den and fall upon your knees by thu
love-vine tangle that surrounds you
old fountain. and utter three times tn
name you love best: aud an old sweet
heart of yours will drop down to yol
from the sky.
AT this Miss Middleton gasped. VI
to this time the soothsayer had no
said anything that transcribed hi
man possibilities; but now that a ma
should fall at her feet from the SIX
was more than Miss Middleton's min
could grasp at that moment. Madar
Geraty smiled, for she could see tha
her patron had reached a point tina
tried her faith severely.
This reading is a wonderful rev,
lation to me as well as to you sh
said. nor is 1t given to me to tell 70
or to explain how this phenomenon
to come about; but never yet hay
had reason to doubt any Of the rea,
! ings that appear to me. however Ii
explicable they at frst nay seem"
Miss Middleton found Madam &c
aty's words repeating themselves ovs
aud over In her mind as from day /
day she pondered the strange rea
ing. She even looked up current a
2 manac and inquired into the positio
( OF Venus: and when she found tn.
within a week. or ten days at Il
most she would BE able TO see til
9 beautiful planet while part Of II
q suns rays still remained above II
{ horizon, she became strangely e.
cited She debated with herself as
q whether she should even carry o.
5 the formality which had been q
!, joined; although the peculiarly giftt
: little French woman. had describe
5 accurately Just ssiciii d iove-pine Ia
gle. surrounding an old fountain.
did actually exist In Miss AFiddle4on