Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1910-02-11

Next morning Fred routed me out
in time for breakfast, and we iolIied
each other more or less, laughing
some. But that was dead wrong.
Both Of you boys will be crying
before supper, she said when we sat
down to breakfast
How So? l asked.
Because you were laughing be-
fore breakfast. It's certain to work
out that way. And you, she added.
turning to me, are going to have
the worst luck of all, because you
whistled before breakfast. There
couldn't be anything worse than that
Robbie. who was at the table with
us this time, was clipper as lark,
so clipper that he waved his hand
across the table and tipped over
salt dish.
Throw some over your left
shoulder. quick, Bobbie,' l said, be-
cause that was the one superstition
was sure Of, and wanted to be in
on the situation as much as could.
'But was wrong again. 1t seems
there's different rule for kids and
grown-ups.
Little boys that spill salt on the
table always get whipping before
bed time, said his mother. You'll
have to be very good all day to pre-
vent it's coming true, Robbie.
"And the way the kid sobered up,
was sorry for him. II I'd been
Fred I'd have called of the supersti-
tion stunts while the kids were
around. But probably he'd tried II
and found out that 1t was unlucky to
butt in.
Washing dishes little while
later. she dropped cheap saucer and
smashed it all to smithereens.
Lucky it wasn't one of the good
ones. said Fred, but she shook her
head.
1T isn't so much this saucer she
said, as the six others
II asked for enlightenment and got
it.
Break a dish on Sunday and
you'll break one every day in the
week. Heaven only knows what of
tbe end IL - tbs NV wsak 1,sl bave dropped by
Il strolled out into the yard after
a while to have a smoke with Fred,
but forgot my pipe and started back
after 1t. Just as 1 was going out
again Minnie called after me:
Did you sit down.?
"'Did 1 which? l asked.
Sit down. Don't. for mercy's
sake, come back into the house after
something you've forgotten without
sitting down minute. It's the worst
thing you could possibly do
so l sat down. counted sixty and
went out. That was the only break I
had till nearly dinner time. Just as
Minnie was calling us I sneezed, one
Of those sneezes that catches you be-
hind the ears and blows your head OF
before you more than half know it's
coming.
"God bless you! said Minnie, and
added
You're going to hear some dread
fully important news within few
hours.
Never heard that one before,
said Fred. You never told me that
You never happened to sneeze
between 12 and L. said his wife.
'sneeze within an hour after noon
and it's sign you're going to hear
news And the harder the sneeze the
more important the message.
Il reckoned that If this thing kept
up the most satisfactory news l could
hear would be message calling me
back to the city. These signs were
beginning to wear on my nerves.
There was chicken with cranberry
sauce for dinner.
Make a wish first, exclaimed
Minnie. Just as was starting to take
the first mouthful of cranberry.
First before what2' asked.
Before eating cranberry. she said
Is this the first you've eaten this
FAM
No. said !, glad to be able to
skewgee one of her signs.
That seemed to disappoint her
lot.
Well, anyway. she said, it's the
first I've had. and I'm going to make
a wish. You do it, too, Fred.
And so they both held spoonfuls
Of cranberry in the air while they
wished. Fred spilled a drop of the
juice on the tablecloth, but even that
didn't seem to bother his wife much.
When there was chance to do some
wishing. nothing else appeared to
matter.
" What's the answer this timer /
asked.
She explained that If you make a
wish on the first fruit or vegetable
you ate in season, it would come true.
" Is it sure thing2' asked Fred.
Minnie allowed 1t was. The way
he asked it made me turn to him and
ask him what he'd wished. But he
wouldn't tell. AT first Minnie told
him not to. for fear 1t wosld spoil the
wish. but the way he looked made her
change her mind. and she began to
urge him
"Of course ! Joined in, but Fred
Just balked fast and hard. Said he
didn't take much stock in signs any
way, but this one looked reasonable
to him, and he'd be eternally iig-
swiggled if he took any chances with
spelling wish that he hoped would
come true.
There wasn't any let-up in the SUI
perstition spasm all the time I was
there. We went out walking in the
afternoon. Fred and his wife and me
She saw a pin on the sidewalk ana