The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-02-23
The Tea Cup
Analyst
By RALPH HAMILTON
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.)

lage, she never laid claim to any
extraordinary occult powers. Her
speciality was tea grounds and sha
enjoyed telling fortunes through the
bottom of a cup.
"Of course it may be silly and all
that" Miss Dayton confessed, "but its
pleasure for me and fun for the bright
young spirits who flock about me.
never try to find any misfortune in
the tea grounds-but always some
thing bright and hopeful and happy"
Miss Dayton had invited five girls to
tea and rs they reached the end of the
rejection there was a thrill of ex-
citement and anticipation as she an
nonnced:
"Now then. girls, pass up your tea
cups in the order in which you sit and
I will try and construe what the tea
leaves say. Oh, dear! My own cup
predicts new arrival. 1t is Il hand
some young man. Don't fiutter so.
Only one of you can have him."
(Which is the lucky girli' pressed
Ada Rankin.
'Not you, dear" announced Miss
Dayton, for you already have one
ring and | see another one coming"
There was one new girl in the group
who took in all this exhibition of clair
voyant power with great innocent
eyes. She was Elsie Travis and she
shrunk back timidly as she passed up
her cup. She fairly trembled as Miss
Dayton took up the cups in turn, gave
each one a shake and impressively sur
veyed the leaves and specks. Over
two of the cups she shook her head
quite doubtingly. Then she picked up
the one Elsie had drank out of.
Elsie had noticed that in some way
her cup had been put fourth in order
instead of fifth, where it belonged.
Miss Dayton did not know this.
"Alma Wharton's cup" she an
nounced mistakenly. "Ah! here's
fine oracle. Alma, you are the FORUM
ate one. Here is the handsome stran-
ger. The sun is shining when he
comes and | see an auto ride in the
bIushing, happy bride, fairy castle
like palace"
Alma laughed gayly. 81 shall tell
my fiance all about it," she eXulted,
land make him Jealous" and then as
Miss Dayton read fanciful fortune
from the last cup-really Alma-the
party broke up.
Miss Dayton had introduced "the
young man because friend
in another town had advised her that
one Perry Barton, living there, had
been left some property in Elmwood
the death of a relative, includ
ing the show place of the town, the
Cedars.
The impressionable Elsie was consid-
erably aroused by the fortune of the
teacup and she began to live a ro-
nance wondering if the prediction of
Miss Dayton would come true.
A week after the tea party Elsie,
through the woods in quest
of flowers, came upon young man
near the hotel at the lake. He walked
with cane and suggested a person
who had recently sustained some limb
injury. A queer thrill pervaded Elsie
as she noticed with one swift glance
that he was young and undeniably |
and her foolish little heart |
huttered as he halted and lifted his
hat courteously.
"You will pardon me, please, but do |
YOU live in the town.? and then, as |
Elsie assented, he added: 81 met with |
an auto accident a week ago and have |
been rusticating at the hotel. I start !
ed for Elmwood expecting to get some |
mail, but / find my sprained foot will |
not carry me there. l wonder wheu |
you go back to the village if you could |
not get my NALL will give You a
written order-and hire some accom- |
lad to deliver it to me and
| will gladly pay him for his trouble"
81 will see that your wish Is attend
I'd to-" replied Elsie, and the young |
man wrote on card authorizing the |
postmaster to deliver to the bearer |
what mail there might be for Perry |
Barton.
Elsie received three letters at tho |
post office. She had it in mind 10 |
nave her little brother Ned take them
70 the hotel. He was not in ready |
,all, so she herself walked back to the
axe. Mr.. Barton was profuse in his
hanks. He told Elsie the details of
lis accident and, she sympathized in
lis mishap. He had started for Elm
wood on business, but this was post
1oned on account of his accident and
waiting repairs on his automobile.
But that would be ready for use the
lext day, he further told Elsie, and
would she bear him company then, and
idd to her kindness by showing HIM
he points of interest in the district?
And one moonlight night a little later
is he took her home from a drive
lround the lake. it suddenly dawned
lpon Elsie that at least two points in
Hiss Dayton's prediction had come
rue.
1t was a few evenings later when
Perry Barton told Elsie of his love.
n a mutual confidence that followed
elsie recited the incidents of the tea
,arty.
IAN that's left to complete the