The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-05-23
CLASS PROPHECY
Future of Class of 1916 Predicted by
Miss Marie Burnett at the Clos
ing Exercises of the Ocala
High School

Ever since / can remember, for
tune telling has had as great a fas-
cination for me as it had for Sir.
Roger de Coverly. A gypsy tent, or a
booth at the fair, over which is writ
ten in faring capitals, Madame -
will read your past, present, and fu-
ture," always receives longing glances
from me; and If have the necessary
dollar, it is not long before / am
inside, listening with the greatest
credulity to whatever the smooth
tongued temptress has to tell me of
untold riches, a dark young man and
a fair rival. 1t is no wonder, there
fore, that / was delighted when re-
ceived the following letter several
weeks ago:
"My dear friend: If you will be at
the Coast Line crossing on Orange
avenue at eleven-thirty tomorrow
night you will learn some interesting
facts with regard to your future. Do
not be afraid for an unseen protector
will watch over you on your way and
no harm can possibly befall you.
"Yours sincerely,
teThe Man in the Moon"
/ thought the matter over careful
ly, for / had heard of the dangers of
wandering around on a lonely road at
midnight; but the little phrase, Gin
teresting facts with regard to your
future" proved too much for me. So
Friday night at eleven o'clock, slip
ped quietly out of the house and hur-
ried to the appointed place. To my
surprise and somewhat to my alarm
at first, / saw that was not the only
person there. But my fear was re-
removed when | found that the others
we're my classmates. Each one had
received a note similar to mine and
all were eager to hear that which
was to be revealed. Only one MEM
Der of the class was absent. This
was Ruby Fausett-I beg pardon,
Mrs. Costello. She did not need to
come for her future is already de-
termined.
Eleven-thirty came and nothing had
We looked at each other
rather foolishly and were wishing we
had stayed at home, when Charles
cried, "Look yonder!" and pointed to
the moon. Sliding down a moonbean
was runabout of pale gold. Direct
ly toward us it glided without dis
turbing the profound silence which
brooded over the world at that hour,
and as it drew near we saw that it
had one occupant and that there was
just room for two. After what SEEM
ed ages it stopped in our midst and
its driver hoped out. Such dam
ty, queer, little creature, dressed in
soft satin of the palest gold with
sparkling gauze draperies. Her gold
en- hair was held back by a tiny band
and fell in soft ripples over her
shoulders. No one spoke for a min
ute and then in low, musical voice,
the fairy began:
81 am Numa, one of the millions
of spirits of the moonbeams," she
said, and tonight have become visi-|
BILE in order to bring message to
you from the Man. in the Moon. He
intended to send for a large float
which would hold you all, but today
it was broken so that it can never
be repaired. But my master babe
me bring one of you to him. That
one shall be appointed by lot and to
that person he will disclose the
knowledge intended for all. The boy
or girl to whom the lot falls will be
bound by word of honor to repeat
faithfully to you what he or she shall
learn"
There was silence for minute and
then, as young people will we began
clamoring to go with her and asking
al! sorts of unanswerable questions.
The sprite raised her hand and mo-
toned for silence. "You forget you
must draw lots" she reminded, pro-
ducing bundle of sticks. "Each of
you, blindfolded, must draw one of
these sticks and the one who selects
the shortest will be the one to go.
| am sorry it is so, but we have done
everything in our power to prevent
disappointing you. Now choose, for
my time is almost :"
Well, to make & long story short,
the lot fell to me. / promised faith
fully to tell my friends what heard
and saw on the moon and I am TAX
ing advantage of this occasion to full
fill my promise.
As soon as was seated in the car,
all the world disappeared and I was
floating through the air so fast that
should have been afraid but in five
minutes | was fast asleep. When I
was awakened by a light touch of
Numa's hand, was in land where
it is always day, but the light is
not glazing or binding as it is here.
1t is soft and shaded so that your
eyes never grow tired. The land is
very much like our world, but there
is a witchery, spirit of romance,