The Washington times., 1937-11-27

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seem to have a chance. But I've
been that way before. All I can
say now is that I'm in there pitch
ing"
1t sounded pretty funny to most
of Balaclava and pretty reason
able to AIS friends who had faith
in him, but as time went on 1t
sounded pretty unreasonable to
Al himself.
Norma wasn't in the same class
with learning how to play the pl-
ano in 20 lessons or selling hot
water bottles to Y. M. c. A. She
was an extraordinary girl and a
beautiful girl and lots OF men
much better equipped to attract
her attention and keep it and her
after they won them were AIS
rivals.
He was only a young man, not
over 80 at the very outside. But
he had a heavy vandyke beard
that made him look like one of
those young necromancers or
magicians of olden days. That
beard made him conspicuous in
any crowd.
Professor Paythan came to live
in Balaclava because Balaclava
was a pretty and a quiet town,
set half way up the Orange Noun
tains.
Naturally, and of course, the
professor believed in his science.
He had believed in it long before
he ever got the idea of writing
out what he knew about it in the
form of daily prophecies.
STUDIES STARS
He showed how Saturn was just
like what he sounded, a mean
configuration. And Capricon was
Flooding and unlucky. And Aqua
rius was brainy and tops. And
Gemini, the twins, was dual
natured and uncertain and flighty.
The professor had a column,
1.-THE Stars Foretell," in a New
York newspaper and AL subscribed
for the paper just so he could find
out how he ought to act every
day.
He followed their advice re-
ligiously and he got so he was do
ing very well, indeed. And just
about that time the thought oc,
Cured to him that he ought to
enlist the aid of the stars in his
courtShip of Norma.
That courtShip wasn't going any
too well. Norma liked him very
much. She told him so. She said
he was a very interesting man
and she hoped that she would al
ways have him for a friend.
That was the tip-off to Al. He
knew from it that Norma wouldn't
want him any other way. But he
preserved. Every morning he
watched the column, 1.-THE Stars
Foretell," and he ran into the
darnedeSt bunch of bad prophecies
he had ever seen.
For month the stars told him
to go easy on love or forget it or
not to say anything he would
afterward be sorry for and to
watch out for what he signed. The
best he ever got during that period
was the advice to just coast along.
GETS BREAK
But one day he got his break.
He opened his paper to the column
and he read, This is the day for
lovers. Those who truly love will
find their loved ones ready and
eager for their avowalS." And Al
didn't wait a minute.
He dashed over to Norma's house.
She had just gotten up and she
was in her bathrobe, but he was so
eager that her mother let him in.
And as soon as Norma came in Al
jumped up from his seat in the
living room.
Norma" he said, Give been in
love with you for year. know
I'm not much to look at, but I'm
sure I'm going places.
Some day I'll be a rich man.
But whether I am or not, I want
to take care of you. Will you marry
me?"
"Yes," Norma said. What kept
you from asking me before thiS?"
He was leaving Norma's house,
his face still burning from Norma'S
demonstrations of affection and
he met Professor Paythan and i'm.
mediately started to thank him
for the advice which had sent him
hurrying to Normas love.
Don't bother me now" the pro.
lessor said. I'm on my way to
the telegraph office to fire my as
siStant by wire. Know what that
fool did? He printed a column
today that shouldn't appear until
three days from now.
I wouldn't mind it so much
only today is really extraordi-
narily awful. Saturn is on the
rampage. He's got Jupiter down
and Venus screaming. The twins
are bowling across the sky because
Saturn kicked them in the pants.
This is probably the worst day
in ten years for business, pleasure,
love or domestic happiness. If I
could, I'd have that whole column
recalled and warning sent out
against doing anything about any,
thing. I'm telling you it's a
terrible day"
He rushed away and Al, staring
after him, began to grin. 1t Just
went to prove what he had always
said.
Whatever you are is all in your