The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1920-01-22
The Tea Cup
Analyst
By RALPH HAMILTO
Copyright, 1918. by the Western News.
paper Union-l

They called Miss Phoebe Dayton Q
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 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 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
1 will try and construe what the tea
leaves say. Oh, dear! My own cup
predicts a new arrival. 1t is hand
some young man. Don't flutter so.
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 1 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 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. "Ahl here's a
fine oracle. Alma, you are the FORUM
ate one. Here is the handsome stran-
ger. The sun is shining when he
comes and l see an auto ride in the
moonlight, sweet love making, a
blushing. happy bride, fairy castle
like palace"
Alma laughed gayly. II shall tell
my fiance all about it," she exulted,
land make him Jealous" and then as
Miss Dayton read a fanciful fortune
from the last cup-really Alma-the
party 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 Elmwood
through the death of q, 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 IL the prediction Of
Miss Dayton would come true.
A week after the tea party Elsie,
strolling through the woods In quest
Of flowers, came upon a young man
near the hotel at the lake. He walked
with a 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
handsome, and her foolish little heart
fluttered 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. start
ed for Elmwood expecting to get some
mail, but find my sprained foot will
not carry me there. / wonder When
you go back to the village If you could
not get my MALL will give you a
written order-and hire some accom-
modating lad to deliver 1t to me and
I will gladly pay him for his trouble"
II will see that your wish is attend
ed to-" replied Elsie, and the young
man wrote on a card authorizing the
postmaster to deliver to the bearer
what mail there might be for Perry
Barton.
Elsie received three letters at the
post office. She had 1t In mind to
have her little brother Ned take them
to the hotel. He was not In ready
call, so she herself walked back to the
lake. Mr.. Barton was profuse in his
thanks. He told Elsie the details of
his accident and she sympathixed In
his mishap. He had started for Elm