Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘3 3 ye an WHOSE didn’t wake up, and won’t know nothin’ *bout hit unless you tells her.’’ ““T won’t tell her, Susan,’’ I said. And with a broad expanse of white teeth, she went out. De Charleu and Nita were pleasant, and he was charmingly affectionate, as usual at breakfast. No mention was made of that horrid scream of the night before. I might almost have been inclined to think it a dream; but I knew I had not been asleep. Besides, Susan had heard it, too.. Why had she not got up, or called some one? And why had she been so anxious that I should not mention it to Nita? And why were so many things in this house? “Have you ever turned a cup?” Nita asked gaily, as we lingered over the table. De Charleu had. left ‘us alone. “Oh, yes, lots of times,’-I answered; “but I use tea grounds.” “ Coffee grounds are better,” se as- sured me seriously. “ Mammy is wonder- ful at reading them. Susan, tell her we want her to read our fortunes.” She began to talk in her bright, rapid way of the carnival, the while we drained away our coffee, leaving only the grounds, Then he turned the cups three times above our heads, making a wish, and set them top side down in the saucers. “You go “long, honey,” Mammy smiled, as she ambled in. ‘“ Yo’-all know dey ain’t no truf in dem groun’s.” Mammy politely took my cup first. “ Ah sees some money in de cup, an’ a surprise. You is gwine to git a letter ’foh long. Dey’s a little sickness ahead of you, an’ a long trip.” “T suspect I’m going home,” I laughed. “YVassim, Ah ’spec’ you is. Dah it is, plain as daylight,” she said. ‘‘ Dey’s gwine to be a big crowd round you, an’ a heap of talk, too, an’ folks laughin’. Sho is.” “That will happen to-day,” I smiled. Dr. Richard, the old family physician, dropped in during the fortune telling. Nita introduced him, and I recollected what she had said: “Le pauvre docteur is an infi- del.” Mammy continued my fortune with many amusing. platitudes. I was rather astonished to see that the doctor did not look upon this mild pastime as amusing, HANDS? 395 but seemed to regard it with distinct dis- favor. “ Rot, perfect rot!” he sputtered. “Oh, no! but it is not, M. le Doc- teur!” cried Nita, seriously, “ for how can you explain—” “ Explain? Anything can be explained,” he broke in, it seemed to me more bruskly than the occasion demanded. ‘“ There is no supernatural thing in life that common sense can’t explain,” he said, rising. “ Come to my office as-soon as the carnival is over. I’ve made up my mind to have aeserious talk with you, young woman. I don’t work during the carnival, though. Nobody does.” He winked at me; but I felt that he was serious. After he went out Mammy took up Nita’s cup and stared Jong into it. “ Hit’s bout de same, honey,” she said gravely. “Are they there, Mammy?” the little woman asked eagerly. “Yes, honey.” Nita’s dark, eager face seemed suddenly to sag all over. She stared vacantly at an old portrait, whose faded face had a ghast- ly hue. A deathwatch ticked loudly in the stillness. A mouse squeaked behind the wainscot—and Mr. Burns was an- nounced. Il. As we had planned, we went to meet Rex, King of the Carnival, on Mr. Burns’s boat, No royal personage was ever more gra- ciously received. From the time his. craft was sighted, three miles up the river, until he landed, was a deafening roar of cannon, a clanging of bells, and blowing of whis- tles. The big, golden key to the city was handed him as he stepped ashore, and New Orleans was figuratively and literally wide open. We followed him from the river and up- town as far as St. Charles Street. Everybody seemed to,go mad. The pa- rade was an imposing military affair, and lasted all day. In the evening Canal Street seemed lift- ed out of some fairy tale. Music mingled with laughter. Gay buntings fluttered Commiclooolks.comnn