Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-07-29
THE FORTUNE TELLER
BY M. QUAD.

bcrS and not well off it was known
that the necessary sum could not be
raised without struggle. 1t was
finally decided that festival and fair
should be given. and the various COM
mitlees went tn work with will. The
young man at that. and his zeal
probably carried him further than it
would an older man. When the com
mittpe on entertainment came to him
to ret his npirion as to Introducing
fortune teller for the great evening
he seemed n little doubtful. but did nor
decidedly object. II would bring in
coed many extra dimes. and of course
no one would take the matter seri-
ously.
The first idea Of the committee was
for one of themselves to dress up as
gypsy. but better thing offered. A
strange lady who was stopping at the
inn for a few days volunteered her
services and was on hand at the ap-
pointed hour. Her robe was Il great
success. In fact. it was the attrac-
ton of the evening. 1t might have
been noticed by close observer. how
ever. that. while each patron OF the
tent entered 1t with grin. he or she
came out of 1t with nm altogether diff
fercnt expression: also that after
about IN hour the people began to
cool Off toward each other. and In
few instances wrangleS arose. The
festival broke up early and was not
the success hoped for. Something had
gone wrong but If anybody could tell
just what he didn't come forward.
The next day and every day for
week afterward reports that made the
minister uneasy reached his ears. He
heard of family quarrels and gossip
with an edge to II and ut length aScer-
tanned that he himself was being
talked about He made one or two
efforts to pin certain persons down 70
certain things and then called for an
evening meeting of the entire congre
CATION. They came to the last one in
rub elbows with each other In
plain way and in plain language the
good man wanted to know all about
IL and called ON one of his deacons to
lead off.
"Well. | can tell you what ails me-"
replied the deacon as he arose. MY
wife paid 10 cents to have her fortune
told. and the woman told her that !
had pizen in the house to kill her Off
SOS | could get another. It's an infer
nal lie. but my wife seems to believe
1t and won't eat at the table with me-"
The other deacon was then called
upon. and he said that his wife had
also had her fortune told. She was
told that he had committed murder
before their marriage and would soon
be arrested and hanged for it. She
was grooming all day and walking the
floor all night. and every time she saw
a constable pass she had fainting
spell.
Miss Jackson. the spinster. was re-
luctant to take the floor. she said, and
of the prophecies. She felt it her du-
ty, however. and she must say that
she was told that the minister was Sc
cretly In love with her and would pro-
pose within three months. She never
had believed in fortune telling and
never should, but-but-yau know
And she sat down amid painful ST.
lence.
Elder Todd. who hadn't been an
elder for twenty years, but had ven
cradle look and had passed his seven
tieth birthday. arose to say that his
wife had had her fortune told. He had
given her Il dime. and she had gone
into the tent with smile on her face.
but had come out with a buZzsaw ex-
preston to tell him that If he didn't
take her right home she would MUIR
der him. After reaching home she
charged him with having kissed the
Widow Scott on the bridge one night
week before and her loud talk had
probably been overheard by the neigh
bors He wanted to deny the kissing
in toto. He was getting ready for the
grave instead Of frolicking around at
his age. His wife still stuck to 1t that
he was guilty wretch. but that was
one of the crosses he must bear.
The Widow Scott was waiting for
him to finish She had had her for.
tune told. Nothing had been said
about her being kissed on a bridge In
the dark of the moon by man with
venerable whiskers. What she had
been told was that Mr.. Taylor, Il neigh
Dor. had stolen cucumbers from her
garden. She had charged him with
it, and he had threatened to begin
lawsuit Let him begin and be hanged
to him! She was woman that
couldn't be bluffcd.
Then there was the case Of the
Widow Clymer. She had always had
a contempt for fortune telling. Nlt
what could she say when told the ex-
act date of her poor husbands death,
the color of his hair and the age OF
the cow that stove his ribs In with
kick? Then she had been told that
three different sisters of the church
were gossiplng about her and saying
she used powder and dyed her hair.
and she wanted them and all others
to understand that she was no such
woman. Others were waiting to speak.
but the mystery had now become
clear to the minister. and he said:
"The money that we raised will 60
to the heather instead of for paint.
and in future our church festivals will
consist only In ice cream and cake and
spelling school. Special services viii
be held mex. Sunday afternoon to SO
II VIZ cau'r get our common sense
hack"