Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-08

ana 30 tOlQ ulW, speaking lOuS OfcI
our execrable vermouth, breathing the
sitting odor from garlic and tarpau
Inns, which, as you know, Is the dis.
tinctive flavor Of cafes in the lower
slant Of our city.
~ spoke of the tyrant President Cru1
and the burdens that his greed and In
solent cruelty laid upon the people
And at that Kearny's tears flowed
And then dried them with picture
of the fat rewards that would be ourt
when the oppressor should be over
thrown and the wise and generous Val
devia In his seat. Then Kearny leap
ed to his feet and wrung my hand with
the strength Of a roustabout. he was
mine, he said, till the last minion OF
the hated despot was hurled from the
highest peaks of the Cordilleras into
the sea.
II paid the score and we went out
Near the door Kearny's elbow over
turned an upright glass showcase
smashing it into little bits. I paid the
storekeeper the price he asked.
"tCome to my hotel for the night
said to Kearny. We sail tomorrow al
noon
HE agreed. but on the sidewalk he
fell to cursing again In the dull, monot
onous, glib way that he had done when
pulled him out Of the coal cellar.
Captain said he, before we 81
any further it's no more than fair to
tell you that I'm known from Bafan's
bay to TERRA del Fuego as bad Luck
Kearny. And I'm It Everything gel
into goes up In the air except balloon
Every bet I ever made lost except
when I coppered 1t. Every boat ever
sailed on sank except the submarines
Everything was ever interested In
went to pieces except patent bomb
shell that / invented Everything ]
ever took hold Of and tried to run ]
ran into the ground except when ]
tried to plow. And that's why they
call me bad Luck" Kearny. thought
I'd tell you
"'Bad luck said /, or what goes by
the name, may now and then tangle the
| affairs Of any man. But II it persist
beyond the estimate Of what we may
call the averages" there must be q
cause for it.
"There is,' said Kearny emphatical.
ly, and when we walk another square
~x,l1l chnru 60 rnr,
Surprised, kept by his side until
we came to Canal street and out into
the middle Of its great width.
"Kearny seized me by an arm and
pointed tragic forefnger at rather
brilliant star that shone steadily about
thirty degrees above the horizon.
"That's Saturn, said he, the star
that presides over bad luck and evil
and disappointment and nothing doing
and trouble. I was born under that
star. Every move I make up bobs
Saturn and blocks 1t. He's the hoodO0
planet of the heavens. They say he's
1900 miles in diameter and no solder
| of body than split pea soup, and he's
got as many disreputable and malig-
nant rings as big city. Now, what
kind Of q star Is that to. be born un-
| derY
81 asked Kearny where he had OBJ
tanned all this astonishing knowledge.
"'From Azrath, the great astrologer,
of Cleveland, o. said he. THAT man
looked at glass ball and told me my
name before I'd taken a chair. He
prophesied the date of my birth and
death before I'd said word. And
then he cast my horoscope, and the
sidereal system socked me In the solar
plexus. It was bad luck for Francis
Kearny from A to lizard and for his
friends that were implicated with him.
For that 1 gave up $40. This Azrath
was sorry, but he respected his profes-
sion too much to read the heavens
wrong for any man. It was night
time, and he took me out on balcony
! and gave me free view Of the sky.
And he showed me which Saturn was
and how to find It in different balco.
MES and longitudes.
"'But Saturn wasn't all. He was
only the man higher up. he furnishes
so much bad luck that they allow him
a gang Of deputy sparklers to help
hand 1t out. They're circulating and
revolving and hanging around the main
supply all the time, each one throwing
the hoodoo on his particular district.
"'You see that ugly little red star
about eight inches above and to the
right Of Saturn Kearny asked me.
We'll, that's her. That's Phoebe She's
got me In charge. by the day Of your
BIRTH" says Azrath to me, "your life Is
subjected to- the influence Of Saturn.
/ BY the hour and minute of It you must
dwell under the sway and direct au.
thority Of Phoebe, the ninth satellite. y
So said this Azrath.' Kearny shook
his fist viciously skyward. Curse her,
she's done her work WE'LL said he,
Ever since was astrological bad luck
has followed me like my shadow, as
told you. And for many years be-
fore. Now, captain, I've told you my
handicap as a man should. If you're
afraid this evil star Of mine might Grip.
pie your scheme leave me out Of t.
II treasured Kearny. as well as.
could. / told him that for the time
we would banisi both astrology and
astronomy from oufiheads. The mani.
fest valor and enthusiasm Of the man
drew me. Let US see what a little
courage and diligence Win do. against
bad luck said. We WIN sail tomor.
row for Esperand0.'
'Fifty miles down the Mississippi oul
steamer broke herSrudder. We sent foE
a tug to tow us1 back. and lost three
dnvE When we struck the blue waterz
Z the gulf all the storm clouds Of ths {
Atlantic seemed TO have concentrated
above us. We thought surely to sweet
.sn those leaping waves with our sugar
and to stack our arms and lumber on
the door f-ths Mexican gulf.
sKearny did not seek to cast on one
iota of the burden Of our danger nom
NE shoulders Of his fatal horoscope
He weathered every storm on deck
smoking black pipe, to keep which
alisht rain and sea water seemed but
n o6f. And he shook ~ MT at tAe
black clouds behind which hie balsfu
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