Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1901 — Page 6

OUR STORY TELLER

•Dolly’s Fortune.-

©OLLY was seventeen; she was pretty, she was poor, and she was very superstitious, and fully believed in dreams and signs and all sorts of omens, and her belief in them made her at times very unhappy. If the old red rooster came to the back door and crowed, she at once began to prepare for a stranger’s visit; and If, while wiping the dishes, her towel fell to the floor, she was sure that some friend or relation was coming; If she dreamed of washing clothes, she was going to move; nnd if there enme a speck In the light it was a letter; and If a swallow flew Into the house she felt sure that It announced death In the family, and so on through so many signs and fancies that it seemed as If nothing could ever occur without Its having been foreshadowed. Dolly lived with her grandparents, ■who loved her with that absolute idolatry which grandparents lavish upon their grandchildren, and Fritz Muller, their head man about the farm, loved her, too. She liked Fritz very well. He was good nnd patient. Industrious and a fair musician, and he was also quite well educated; but Dolly did not think of such a thing as ever marrying Fritz, and, indeed, he had never hinted at any such thing, though he had been there over five years. But he thought of her and intended that she should be his wife, and at last he begnn to act more like a lover than pleased Dolly. One day when the hay wns ready for cutting, and the air was heavy with perfume of the flowers In the fields, and the bees hummed drowsily nmong them, nnd the birds fluttered down into the shade, all the men on the big farm went out to cut the hay with Fritz at their head, and old Mr. Martin and his wife went to the funeral of an old friend, Dolly was left alone In the old house. Something weighed upon her spirits. She had seen three black crows circle three times round the old well, nnd she accepted that as a sign of coming evil, and her little heart grew heavy as she Imagined all sorts of dangers that might menace them; aijd then a shadow fell across the doorway and she ruised her eyes, to see an old woman standing there. The old woman was in rags, and her gray hair hung down over a wrinkled and smoke-browned face, and this wus lighted by piercing black eyes. “Good-day to you, my pretty lady. Shall I tell your fortune? I have come all the way over the river to see you, for I rend of your destiny In the stars last night." "Oh, I think not,” said Dolly, half frightened. “Do let me tell you, for you have a wonderful lot in life. Your fortune will take you far, and I have come so far to tell you." "But,” said Dolly, “1 have no money of my own. I never need any, and never have any to spend.” “Well, my little one, perhaps you have an old brooch or pair of ear-rings, or something of that sort that you would give me. For such a fortune as I read last night In the stars for you, people would give handfuls of gold.” “I don’t know," said Dolly. "I think 1 have something like that, if you will sit down here and wait till I bring It,” and with a beating heart, the foolish child went to her room nnd took from a drawer a quaint old pair of earrings with yellow topaz stones. They were heavy and handsome, though oldfashioned, nnd the gipsy received them with gleaming eyes, for they suited her barbaric taste. Dolly did not know they were valuable. They had belonged to a greataunt, and they had lain year after year among her possessions, nnd she offered them fearing they would not be enough. “Now, my pretty dear, take hold of my hands nnd look me straight in the eyes, and never forget what I have said. You were born under a lucky ■tar. Y'our life lies before you a smooth and happy path. You will travel in strange countries und see wonders, and you will be u very rich woman. You will marry a nobleman; one of a long line of nobles, and you will be envied of all women. Your husband will adore you 10 your last dny and die of grief two days later. You will have two children—a son nnd daughter—and they will be both great and dlstingulshed, arid you will live to a good old age and be loved by every one. All this Is yet to come, but the stars say that your fate Is very near you.” Dolly listened In breathless silence. Could this be true? Then she asked, timidly, “hut hpw soon?” "Ah, my dear. I don’t control destiny. I only reveal what I read In the stars.” "But how am 1 to kuow?” ‘That I cannot tell either. It wjll be revealed to you In some way. Now, «o>i’t forget, and good-by,” and the

gipsy disappeared, leaving poor Dolly confounded. She believed every word the old woman told her. She believed In all sorts of supernatural things, and the fact that any one could read the stars was as patent to her as that they could reud a book, but she said nothing and went about her duties nowadays with the same Industry, but with a look of expeetuney in her eyes, as if watching for the enchanted prince to come. Poor Fritz! In vain he played sweet airs on his flute or violin; in vain he sang or talked. Dolly’s little heart was now closed to his voice, and he sighed in vain. He was not an ordinary man, nnd she knew It, though he held a mediocre position in Mr. Martin’s farm, and the old folks liked him so well, and trusted him so thoroughly: that they would gladly have had him for a grandson-in-law, and felt happy in leaving Dolly so well provided for. for with the farm nnd a good husband Dolly would have been envied. But Dolly grew colder and colder, and Fritz sadder and sadder, and do what he could, Dolly seemed slowly freezing into ice before him. He offered her presents, she scorped them; he brought rare wild flowers from field nnd mountain, she took them and looked at them, nnd let them wither and die; and Fritz was almost beside himself with fear nnd grief. As yet the old folks noticed nothing. One morning Fritz tried to kiss Dolly’s hand, and she, angered beyond measure by his presumption, and also by a curious throb of sweet pain that agitated her wicked little heart, drew hack her hand and dealt him a staging box on his ears. Hjs eyes filled with tears, partly pain and partly grief, and Dolly fled from their piteous

appeal, and went upstairs, angrily declaring that it served him just right. How dare he aspire to one whose destiny wns to he so wonderful! But she could not get rid of the sad eyes, and she cried a little to prove to herself that she wasn’t a bit sorry and hated him terribly. A little before noon one of the men came hurriedly up to the house to say that the herses attached to the reaper had been frightened, and run away, throwing Fritz off among the knives; that he was badly hurt, and asking where he should be taken. Dolly got very white for a few minutes, and looked at her little right hand, as If It had wielded every one of those glittering knives, and ought to he cut off. , "Why, bring him here as soon as you can, und send one of the men off for the doctor.” said her grandfather. “Wife, you and Doly get the spare room ready and bandages, and so forth;” and he went out to help bring poor Fritz In. The cruel knives had cut and gashed terribly, and Fritz was awfully mangled; but he did not die. As soon as Dolly could see him she glided up to his side, and while great tears chased each other adown her face, sb» stooped and kissed him on his forehead, and then somehow the poor bandaged arms got around her neck, and It would not be possible to tell who klsesd the other next or last. In that moment the gypsy’s fortune faded Into a fur-nwny vision, and Dolly was happy with a new-found Joy; and, in fact, the whole household rejoiced, though they pitied Fritz for his terrible injuries. “He will be well soon,” said the doctor; “but he will never be a strong naan again. He will always lack the use of his right arm, for the muscles are so cut that he can never use It again.” “I don’t care,” said Dolly; “I can work, and I have two that shall replace his one;” and she laid her trembling lips up<?n the poor inulmed hand. “I don’t think we will have to work, Dolly,” said Fritz. “I am rich now, through the death of my uncle, and now we can go to Dresden, where my little Dallie will be u countess.” Astonishment and dismay seized upon Dolly at this Juncture; but it was true. The poor young lad had been too Independent to live upon the charity of hla miserly old uncle, had found a home with these kind old people, and, as he afterward said, he fell In love with Dolly the day she gave the stranger a drink of water when he was searching for work. Of what use to speak of his family, as long as he could not uphold his name? And bet%veen Fritz Mueller and the Count Von Muhlenbach rolled a wide sea. Well, It wns all over now. The young Count nnd Countess did live happily, did travel, did see many wonderful things, and had seven children, all boys hut one. But the gypsy had known all the Count’s history In bis own couutry, and knowing, as they have the faculty of finding out. Fritz’s love for Dolly, bad easily predicted Dolly's fortune.

CHICAGO'S FORTUNE-TELLERS.

They Are Bald to Oatbar la Haifa Million Dollars Per Year. At low estimate Chicago spends nearly half a million dollars every year upon clairvoyants, fortune tellers, palmists, “voodoo doctors," and a long procession of fakers and confidence folk who prey upon the gullibility of the general public. This, simply for fees. To add to this the long train of additional expense to which the victims are put, such as traveling expenses, para phernalta. Investments that fall to pay, and kindred ventures, probably $2,500,000 would not cover the community cost. According to the city directory, there are nearly 100 -professional clairvoyants in Chicago. At least fifty motp, than are listed as such practice the “art.” There are 100 fortune-tellers, perhaps seventy-five palmists, and an unknown number of kindred folk who live by their wits on these general lines. A popular and successful clairvoyant, who can locate gold mines for his followers, has a gold miue of his own. He may take In $250 to SSOO a week. Others much less fortunate may be reasonably content to make both ends meet. In general, figuring fifty-two weeks to the year, Chicago’s tribute to these seers may be figured out about as follows: 150 clairvoyants at S2O a week. .$150,000 100 fortune tellct-s nt $lO a week 52,000 90 palmists nt sls a week 75,000 Miscellaneous fakirs 150,000 Total $433,000 Tills is almost as much as the general public gives to charity, and is only a fraction of the money that in other ways is wasted upon these people who affect to he able to rend the future. That they do not and cannot read the future may he proved by the caller over the threshold before he lias stepped Inside. When the reporter rang the bell of a West Side house behind whose door—

aeeordlng to an advertisement—was a clnjrvoyant “ordained to do what she does and whose marvelous achievements are demonstrated in your presence while you look, listen, nnd wonder,” the door opened about four Inches, and the face of a stout, com-monplace-looking woman peered out as If she was suspicious of a collector or constable, or perhups somebody who wanted to kill cockroaches. "Good-morulng," said the caller. "1 didn’t know if you were ready, but I’ve come over to ask you about it.” "About what?” and the door closed another inch. "You know," insisted the caller, "about elatrvoyanoy, trances, and that sort of thing.” "I don't know anything about It,” said the voice; "who are you, anyhow?" "What! You don’t even know who I am? 1 thought you were a dalrvoynnt ” But the door had closed with a sudden Jnr and the caller wus outside of It, staring nt the porcelain name-plate on the door. Yet, according to this woman’s advertisement, "the greatest mysteries of life will he revealed.” business troubles will l>e unraveled, love affairs will he straightened out nnd made smooth, your enemies will be named nnd placated, and life generally will be made merry as a marriage bell. Incidentally, too, she "locates lost nnd stolen articles, mines,” etc.—whatever “etc.” mpy mean In the context. At the same time, b,v actual proof, she does not know a book agent from a customer until the caller hns explained; nnd then the book agent might lie to her successfully.

Legend of a Spring.

Swimming about In a large marhlelined tank in a small church Just outalde Constantinople are to be seen a number of fishes, brown on one side and white on the other. These, it l&

■aid, are the descendants of the ones that gave the name “Balukli" (place of fishes) to the church. The legend Is as follows: At the time of the invasion of Constantinople by the Turks, a monk was cooking fish near a spring of water, where the little church now stands, when a messenger rode up In haste, announcing “The city is taken!” Discrediting the story, the monk declared that he would sooner believe that the half-cooked fish before him would jump back Into the water. As he spoke, the fish, sd the story goes, did actually leap from the pan Into the spring, Ever since that time the waters have been regarded as curative, and once every year pilgrimages are made to It by sufferers from various ailments.

YANKEE LAD IS A FIGHTER.

Boots, a Waif from America, in the Field with the Boers. Thomas F. Millard, the war correspondent, tells the New York Sun the following story of Boohs, a 12-year-old Yankee, whom he met fighting with the Boers, and who may be still dodging bullets and lyddite shells. Said Mr. Millard: “His real name Is William Young, but in the laagers he Is known by the sobriquet of Boots. 1 think he came by his title honestly enough, for he drags nbout a huge pair of legging boots many sizes too large, and ornamented with enormous brass spurs. "Boots is a midget of 12—or at least he gives that as his age, though he doesn’t look It by three years. "Boots was born in the United States. When very youug he remembers being taken to England, whqnee he came to South Africa. His parents are long since dead, and since their death William. having no other relations that he knew of, has rustled for himself. “When this war began William espoused the cause of the Boers and joined the Irish brigade under Colonel Blake. The men who formed this ad-

A VOODOO WOMAN.

venturous corps took a fancy to the waif and made him one of them. So it was that Boots saw all the bloody battles of the Natal campaign—Dundee, Newcastle, Nicholson’s Nek, the Tlatrand. und the many fights along the Tugela. Armed with two water bottles, the midget would enter a fight, and more than once has a wounded brigadier, on finding a cooling drink placed to his parched lips, looked up to discover Boots. If the fire were too hot to permit his wounded comrades being removed to a place of safety the boy would remain to attend them until the battle was over or night fell. "When Captain Hassell organized the Amerlcnn scouts ns a separate company Boots decided to Join his country men. Boots has a horse to ride, but his ambition is to possess a pony of his own, nnd n Mauser carbine, so lie can fight like the other scouts. For the purchase of a pony he has saved up £2 and 5 shillings, which will buy no horse In South Africa In war time. So Boots has to go without a pony until better times. But he hns hopes of capturing one from the British. “Meanwhile, since he cannot fight like a full-grown man, he makes himself useful around the laager. As to the future. Boots scorns to contemplate It. “ ‘What’ll I do when the war Is over?' he said. ‘I dunno. I'll do whatever I can. Mnyl>e. If the Boers lose. I’ll go to America.’ ” Most men devote a large part of earnings to their wives and ehlldrei-1 and work patiently from yon’.n until old age. How much there in to admire In the average mi.-! Vet how the men are abused! Any woman is free to shoot a man. Do_ people avoid you because you are disagreeable? And did you ever try "to overcome the habit?

WOMANS REALM

THE MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN. HE sees, or thinks she sees, neglect and a lack of appreciation on every side. Even the fashion magazines forget her needs and cater largely to those who are young. So she either, quite Inexcusably, allows herself to subside into a nonentity or else she fills her dressing table with lotions, and creams, and massage rollers and enters upon a combat with youth. She starves her mind, sometimes she neglects her soul, that she may find time to use her many appliances to urge back retreating youth. All the while she forgets that an eternal youth abides with those who are tenacious In tlielr hold upon a youug and ardent spirit—a spirit which looks from merry eyes; which Impels the tongue to loving words and the hands to brave and tender deeds. It is like one of those old-fashioned plaster-of-parls castles which Image peddlers used to carry In numbers on the boards willed held tfieir wares. White nnd smooth and flawless and inane these castles were, until, a lighted candle being placed within them, the tiny windows became radiant and the small structure a thing of beauty. What the middle-aged woman needs most of all is a better understanding of her privileges and of the amenities of her position. Let her refresh her mind and comfort her heart by a glance at the fragile dainty blossom and the golden fruit, at the lovely rosebud and the gracious rose, which is odorless until all its petals are unfolded and Its golden heart exposed. Let her look at the loveliness of June and then at the glory of October. Then let her remember that she is October. let her remember that the youth of creation was chaos, and that .the completed universe is maturity. Then will she the better understand the chorus of the morning stars. Then will she wonder at the mad chase after fleet-footed youth. Youth which accepts happiness In place of Joy; the false for the true; the unknown for the knowable; the shadow for the substance; the apparent for the real. Then will she know that her years are jewels. The middle-aged woman should lend herself to all sweet and pervading emotions. She could give herself to the varied influences of pictures, of sculptures. of music, of literature and of sweet and noble thoughts. She should watch the splendor of the dawn and the glory of the night. She should thrill at the grandeur of the tempest as well as the peace of the sunlit, windless sky. She should be compassionate, she should be loving, she should be true. Then will a charm more potent than that of youth abide with her, and her gracious influence will make her an added power for good in a needy world. —Ledger Monthly.

To Mjr Wife. I. as an actor, hnve played well my part. Not showing how the sons of men I scorn; Those shriveled, greedy souis who crave the corn. The oil and wine, the treasures of the mart; Deep in my soul I burn the flame for Art. As one who was a lyrie poet born, As one who leads a singer's hope forlorn Yet with unshrinking and unconquered heart. 1 can exißt on what a Spartan can; Endure as granite; smile when friends do fail; Face Poverty; and see the years grew stale. Or bide my time with any sort of man; Full in the teeth of Fate I fling the glove— Come age, come dcuth, while I have you, my love! —St. Louis Mirror. Women to Fight Fire. Mont Clare, a suburb of Chicago, has a fire department organized by women. The Assistant Marshal 18 Mrs. E. O.

Eames. The Captain is Miss Harriet M. Sayre. The suburb awaits a fire in calmness. The chemical rests in a barn, resplendent in red paint, and charged with a deadly soda coni p o und. Aiderman Keeney helped In the organization. If possible, he will be Invited to the first Mont Clare fire and

MRS. EAMES.

be given a seat of honor while the feminines of the department drag the hose about, scuttle floors and dig out walls. The ProgreM of Woman. A well-known English writer In a leading Ix>ndon paper, commenting upon the Idleness of British women, says that “owing to their exclusion from the higher grades of employment, women of the better classes are given over to useless and frivolous pursuits.’’ Dress and fashion, aupKfcfnenta and flirtations mainly mc’.e up the giddy round of their occupations and bar all solid Intellectual work. What Is such a life but a protracted debauch? Yet wbc can blame fhese gilded butterflies of society for being what their fathers and husbands have made them. Here the situation Is different. The progress of woman in her efforts.to take her position in the army of workers mny be seen when It Is shown that In all occupations, whl|e from 1880 to 1890 man Increased bis numbers only 27.04 per cent, woman Increased her numbers during the same period 47.88

per cent. In the professions woman Increased In numbers 75 per cent and man 48 per cent; in agriculture, fisheries and mining man Increased 12 f>er cent, woman 14 per cent. But the most remarkable showing is that made by woman in trade and transportation, In which callings, while the men Increased between 1880 and 1890, 71.75 per cent, women Increased in numbers 263.35 per cent—over three and onehalf times ns fast. These figures bespeak the Industrial energy of the up-to-date American woman.—New York News.

ABOUT THE BABY

The 'besf-born babies will grow up with the manners of barbarians unless they are taught the little graces and courtesies of the table. The nursery tea is now an established institution, and the tiniest men and women are there taught to observe the restraints and etiquette of the table which are proper, and which a little later make of the small member a very delightful and welcome addition to the family board. Little children should be taught not to sit sidewise or on the edges of their chairs or to lean hack In them, or to put their elbows on the table, says the Philadelphia Press. They should not be permitted to play with bread or stray silver, and should be taught to wipe their little mouths before and after drinking, and not to drink until after they have swallowed what they may be eating. Do not allow the little ones of your family to turn up their glasses or mugs on to their noses while drinking. Show them how to break a potato with a fork, how to carry a fork to the mouth with the tine curving down like a bowl. Teach them to take soup quietly from thfe side of the spoon. Watch them and see that they do not put their spoons and forks too far into their mouths, and that they do not crowd their mouth with food. Little children are great mimics, and after they have been once properly trained in table manners commit fewer breaches of etiquette than their elders. Hence the importance of carefully watching them, of setting them a correct example and of checking Improper tendencies as soon as they appear. She’* n Promoter. Mrs. Anna McElroy Brett, formerly of Ohio, who represented Texas at the congress of independent telephone man-

agers at Buffalo, owns a franchise for an lnd e p e ndent telephone system at El Paso, and hns organized a company in Cleveland to build the plant. She Is also organizing a building and Investment company that will operate 4 at El

MRS. BRETT.

Paso. Mrs. Brett and her husband built the first independent telephone system that competed with the Bell. They were the promoters of the Detroit system wdth Henry Everett Since her husband's death, Mrs. Brett has carried on the same line of work. For Fat and Lean. Doable chins are again doubled by high pillows. Eat cereals, drink milk and quarts of water to help pad your bones. Toast for stout people, never fresh bread. Omit a meal a day and drink sparingly. Tight lacing Is the curse of maidens. The waist will be small enough if you know how to exercise. The lean girl should eat potatoes roasted, with plenty of butter, or mashed with cream. Avoid pork nnd lord. Stout women rear backward and add fifty pounds to their appearance. Walk from the hips and walk straight. Bad breath Is an insult to your acquaintances. Tlnctnreiof myrrh aud camphor are cheap and effective. Never use perfume. Girl* Who Walk Gracefully. Girls w ho walk gracefully know how to maintain a correct balance. The shoulders are thrown back, the spine straightened and the back just below the waistline curved inward. The legs swing easily and freely from the hip joints, and the weight of the body is thrown upon the ball of the foot, not upon the heels. Nine women out of every ten walk upon their heels. Do not forget that correct walking means a light, elastic, springing step. If you walk properly you will not tire easily and the exercise will be beneficial. On the other hand, if you walk Incorrectly, the exercise Is fatiguing and of no hygienic avail. Whit* Glove*, White gloves have been In regular fashion standing for twelve years now, and by all signs nnd omens for reading the future they are good for another dosen years for modish patronage. Very heavy cream-white dogskin gloves are the choicest dress for the hands In the morning. These boast one button, not of the patent clasp variety-