The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-09

Katrina was young girl, ana she
was one of the fifty employees In a
necktie factory. She was the only
girl in the place whose wages cid
rot have to go toward the support
of the family. She was. therefore,
! not only hetter dressed than the
others, but she had superior edu-
cation. There were some girls who
called her Miss Highly and said she
was setting her cap for big game, but
| would get left, and there were others
that said If she would only have her
fortune told she would be sure of a
happy future.
All the other girls in the factory
had had their fortunes told-some of
them four times overland all except
one was to marry a hero. The one
exception was a girl named Ida. She
had doubted the old womans ability
to read the future. and In return had
been told that she would marry a
legless man, who would turn on the
gas some night and both would be
found dead in the morning. 1t was
that one particular thing that vexed
the rest of the giris-Katrina would
not go to the old woman who told
fortunes for fifteen cents. IL a girl
had only ten she could pay the bal
ance on the instalment plan. out she
! must pay or expect bad luck.
NO one can tell your future" pro-
tested Katrina. 1T Is all silly nom
sense. What is to come will come
4-..ssat- maybe S-eu are going to marry
a hero"
II shall never marry at all. Look
at my mother. She has to bring the
ice and coal UP five flights OF stairs.
and there are times when father
comes home and beats her"
The old woman heard that Katrina
was an unbeliever and 1t worried her.
She wanted that Is cents and she
wanted to keep the confidence of the
other girls. So. after waiting In var
for the girl, she went to the boss Of
the shop and said:
You must prepare for disaster
You have girl who does not believe
in fortune telling. If you keep her
here something bad must happen"
But maybe l do not believe IN II
myself" he replied
Then il is so bad that you will be
ruined. Amy night you may expect
a fire.
is Katrina the girl?"
she is the one"
II do not want any trouble with
you. and so 1 shall speak to her"
The next day he called the girl to
him after she had eaten her lunch,
and said to her:
You are never late and never sick
and you do your work TO please me
but YOU do not believe in fortune
telling. Because of that. the old wo-
man is going to see that my shop
burns up Do you wish me Ill ?"
"Oh. no, no. But how can 1 BE-
lieye in such nonsense ?"
You must go to her or l shall
have 10 let you go. I cannot haze
my business destroyed"
Then / will go. but l will believe
in nothing she says"
That afternoon 1t became kpowr
all through the shop that Katrina was
to have her, fortune told, and at nigh
a score of girls accompanied her tf
the old woman's. The cards were
4 shuff1ed, the lines of her palm ex
amined, and then she was told;
I'm a few days you will meet
Young man. He will fall in love Will
| YOU. He will prove to be hero. ane
in time you will marry him. 1t Il
so written in your palm. and the stor'
will have it so. 1t is better 10 MARI,
a hero than a rich man. here
= cannot lose his money and bring hi
wife to poverty That is all. bestin,
has spoken"
. . Katrina went home believing not
: word of IT. though she took care no
I TO say so to the girls. Her mother
f too, said 1t was all nonsense. and hel
father gave her cuff on the ear.
Katrina" the boss said to her. thu
' | next day, IT thank you. and increase
. | your wages so cents a week, OF