The Press., 1912-01-17
He Received a Sign It Came With a Force That
 Nearly Killed Him By ETHAN B. ARMOUR Copyright by American Press Asso-
 ofafFn0 1Q11
By ETHAN B. ARMOUR
Copyright by American Press Asso-
 citation, 1911.

without feeling sure that he would meet with some misfortune during the month. He would never start on a Journey on Friday or sit at table about which there were thirteen per sons. These are but a few signs that he regarded, but they serve to show his character.
 When eighteen years of age he had engaged himself to young lady sev- eral years his senior. For an engage. ment ring he had given her one with an opal setting. He was not aware at the time that the opal invariably brings bad luck The girl was equally ignorant. She had not been engaged e month when she was taken i'll and died
 It was not remarkable that Adoni- ram, who was naturally inclined to make much of such matters, should have been deeply impressed with the fearful penalty he had paid for run ming counter to the opal blight. When he recovered from the shock of his dancee's death he was not only disin- cl1ned to enter again upon an engage ment without duly considering all the signs involved in the way of warning, but had reached a condition where he was looking for one to indicate that the lady of his choice was the right woman for him to marry.
 Before he had passed middle age he had noted a number of indications that such or such a person would make him happy, but either the girl who seemed to be pointed out was too homely or had a bad temper or some other defect which led him to dtsre- gard the sign. With mans natural perversity he formed a purpose of marrying young woman who had as much contempt for these petty super stitions as he had respect. Miss Octa- via Sparks had a mind superior to that of MT. Doyle, but she liked him. Women are supposed to confine their love and admiration to men who are above them in intellectual strength, but this is not an invariable rule. MT. Doyle was 8 gentle, simple minded man, free of guile, and he appealed to Miss Sparks stronger intellect. Per haps it was a considerable muscular strength he possessed of which he was himself unconscious that impressed her weaker physical organization.
 Be this as it may, the two were drawn together, and 1t only needed some indication that fate intended their meeting to induce MT. Doyle to propose. He waited long while for such an augury: but, none appearing, he made up his mind to propose, any way. He started out one crisp au- tumnal evening, but no sooner had he opened his door than there, up in the southwest, was a crescent. He paused. His first glimpse of the new moon was over his left shoulder.
 He went back into the house, took off his hat and overcoat and sat down disappointed. He was not sure that the incident portended refusal on the part of Miss Sparks or that 8 mar riage with her would result disastrous ly. Nevertheless he dare not, in the face of so marked a warning, persist in his intention of asking her to be his wife.
 But he continued his friendly rela- tions with her and longed to settle down with her in the bonds of matri- mony. He lived alone in his home with an old woman who was both cook and housekeeper, and there was no reason why he should not bring Miss Sparks into the house as his wife. Should he do so he felt confident that she would make 1t very different home for him, rendering what was desoIate, cheerful. But of this he was not certain. How did he know that she might not turn out to be virago?
 However, constant cOmpanionship gave him confidence in her, and the following summer he came again to a resolution to propose marriage to her. This time, in passing between his house and hers, snake crossed the road directly before him.
 He stopped short and watched the viper slowly dragging itself along in the dust, to lose itself in the long grass and make a final lnomentary ap- pearance as it crawled under fence. He stood for a few minutes thinking, then turned reluctantly and went back to his home. This second warning was so pronounced that he resolved never again to set out with an mten- ton to propose to Miss Sparks.
 From this time he began to con slider the different unmarried women in the place other than the one on whom he had set his heart, with view to acquiring a helpmeet. A wid- ow, Mrs. Perkins, lived some distance down the road, and MT. Doyle, after much deliberation, followed by num- Der of attentions. resolved to substi- ute her for Miss Sparks. He would have liked to receive some indication that the fates would look favorably upon the match. but had come to tho conclusion that the only signs he would receive would be negative Twice he had been warned against Miss Sparks. gq Ifaitg was not intended that he should marry Mrs.. Berkins perhaps it would be indicated to him.
 It was winter day that he came to She conclusion to ask the widow to be his wife. Before supper he put on his Sunday suit. brushed his hair. combed his whisEers and after the meal made his third start in quest of matrimony. He had reached the widows door
 
 able to nerve himself for the ordeal or was it regret for Octavia?-he he:Ar tated. Thea suddenly he remembered that in the unsettled state of his mind he had forgotten to feed his stock. He determined to return, take care of the animals for the night, march resolute- ly up to the widows door, knock. en- ter and make his proposition. This is the usual course with resolutions. It is much easier to be resolute with one in the future than one present.
 aMr. Doyle returned to his barn, put the horses beds into the stalls. meas ure of oats into each of their troughss then went up into the loft to throw down the hay. Whether it was his perturbed condition of mind concern ing his proposal and the probably com ao0V1opf cor1o ra fia1o h9rneoIF fcA1s all ffmaa