"I don't want to know the future."

"That is odder and odder," quoth the Cobbler, staring; "I never heard a
girl say that afore."

"Wait till she's older, Mr. Merle," said Waife: "girls don't want to know
the future till they want to be married."

"Summat in that," said the Cobbler. He took up the crystal. "Have you
looked into this ball, pretty one, as I bade ye?"

"Yes, two or three times."

"Ha! and what did you see?"

"My own face made very long," said Sophy,--"as long as that--,"
stretching out her hands.

The Cobbler shook his head dolefully, and screwing up one eye, applied
the other to the mystic ball.

MR. WAIFE.--"Perhaps you will see if those two gentlemen are coming."

SOPHY.--"Do, do! and if they will give us three pounds!"

COBBLER (triumphantly).--"Then you do care to know the future, after
all?"

SOPHY.--"Yes, so far as that goes; but don't look any further, pray."