Matrimonial Openings - Sailor's Knots, Part 5. by W. W. Jacobs
page 4 of 17 (23%)
page 4 of 17 (23%)
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host into the kitchen and gazed tenderly at Miss Dowson--"best joke I
ever had in my life; I've 'ad my fortune told--guess what it was! I've been laughing to myself ever since." "Who told it?" inquired Mrs. Dowson, after a somewhat awkward silence. "Old gypsy woman in Peter Street," replied Mr. Foss. "I gave 'er a wrong name and address, just in case she might ha' heard about me, and she did make a mess of it; upon my word she did." "Wot did she say?" inquired Mr. Dowson. Mr. Foss laughed. "Said I was a wrong 'un," he said, cheerfully, "and would bring my mother's gray hairs to the grave with sorrow. I'm to 'ave bad companions and take to drink; I'm to steal money to gamble with, and after all that I'm to 'ave five years for bigamy. I told her I was disappointed I wasn't to be hung, and she said it would be a disappointment to a lot of other people too. Laugh! I thought I should 'ave killed myself." "I don't see nothing to laugh at," said Mrs. Dowson, coldly. "I shouldn't tell anybody else, Charlie," said her husband. "Keep it a secret, my boy." "But you--you don't believe it?" stammered the crestfallen Mr. Foss. Mrs. Dowson cast a stealthy glance at her daughter. "Its wonderful 'ow some o' those fortune-tellers can see into the future," she said, shaking her head. |
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