Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1887 — Not That John. [ARTICLE]

Not That John.

He was having his fortune told. “I see,” said the medium, contracting her dyebrows and turning her toes in, “I see the name of John!” “Yes, ” said the sitter, indicating that he had heard the name before. “The name seems to have given you a great deal of trouble.” “It has.” “This John is an intimate friend.” “That’s so,” he said, wonderingly. “And often leads you to do things you are sorry for.” “True; every word.” “His influence over you is bad.” “Right again.” “But you will soon have a serious quarrel, when you will become estranged. ” “I’m glad of that. Now spell out his whole name.” The “meejum” opened one eye and studied the face of her sitter. Then she wrote some cabalistic words and handed it to him in exchange for her fee. “Do not read it until you are at home,” she said solemnly. “It is your friend’s whole name.” When he reached home he lit the gas and gravely examined the paper. There he read in picket-fence characters the name of his ’’friend” : “Demi-John!” —Detroit Free Press. An Economical New England Wife. This story is told of the wife of an eminent benefactor of the town, whose residence was on the “Hill:” One day, while the lady was in the midst of preparations for the midday meal—this was in the olden time, when people got up in the morning and had dinner at the proper time—a caller was announced. Hastily leaving the kitchen, where she was overseeing operations, she entered the next room where the visitor was. The door between the two was open, and pretty soon the lady broke off the conversation and called to the “help” in the kitchen: “Nancy, does the kettle boil?” “No, ma’am.” Then the conversation was renewed, to be broken again in a few minutes by the inquiry: “Nancy, does the kettle boil?” “No, ma’am.” “Then take the pine stick in the corner and put it on the fire. ” This was presumably done, for shortly after, when “ma’am” repeated her questipn: “Nancy, does the kettle boil ?” “Yes, ma’am,” was the answer. “Then take off the pine stick and put it in the corner.” This shows a spirit of saving hardly to be surpassed.—Jso3 fori Record.