The Lamar register., 1920-02-11
The Tea Cup
Analyst
~0
By RALPH HAMILTON
ight. 1919. ~ the Western News
paper Union-)

paper Union-l
They called Miss Phoebe Dayton a
spinster, but Juvenile looking and ami
mated at forty, the seeress of the vii
lage, she never laid claim to any
extraordinary occult powers. Her
speciality was tea grounds and she
enjoyed telling fortunes through the
bottom of a cup.
"Of course II 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. l
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 as they reached the end of the
rejection there was a thrill OF ex-
citement and anticipation as she an
nounced:
''Now then. girls. pass up your tea
cups In the order in which you sit and
! will try and construe what the tea
leaves say. oh. deari My own cup
predicts q new arrival. Ii is a hand
some young man. Don't futter 50.
Only one Of you can have him"
(which is the lucky girlT" pressed
Ada Rankin.
Not you. dear" announced Miss
Dayton. for you already have one
ring and l 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 aud she
sbrunk 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
rwo of the cups she shook her head
quite doubtlngly. Then she picked up
the one Elsie had drank out Of.
Elsie had noticed that in some wny
her cup had been put fourth in order
instead OF fifth. where 1t belonged.
hIiss Dayton did not know this.
Alma wharton's cup" She an
nounced mistakenly. ''Ahi here's Il
fine oracle. Alma, you are the forum
- ste one Here is the handsome ~tran-
ger. The sun Is shining when he
comes and I see an auto ride in the
moonlight. sweet love making, n
hlushing. happy bride. a fairy castle
like a palace"
Alma laughed gayly. 81 shall tell
my nance all about it." she eNult,d.
and make him jealous" and then rs
from the last cup-really Alma-the
pariy broke up.
Miss Dayton had introduced "the
handsome young man because a friend
In another town had advised her that
one Perry Barton. living there. had
been left some property In Elmwo"d
through the death Of a relative. includ-
ing the show place OF the town. the
tedars.
The impressionable Elsie was cons d
crahly aroused by the fortune of the
ieacup and she began to live ro-
nance. wondering II the prediction OF
Miss Dayton would come tr7le.
week after the tea party Elsie
strolllng through the woods in qucHi
or flowers. came upon a young m;;n
near the hotel at the lake. He walked
with cane and suggested II per- N
who had recently sustained some linil
injury. A queer thrill pervaded ElS.'
ss she noticed with one swift glauce
that he was young and und"uiall,
handsome and her foolish little hear;
nuItered as he halted and lifted hi
hat courteously.
You will pardon me, please. hui q
You live in the town." and tltrn. a-
Elsie assented. he added: Il mo- Wiis
an auto accident q week ago and Ia 6
tsen rpsticstius at the hotel. s'-r'