come to that."

'"Here's an extraordinary fulfilment," says the old gentleman, "of
a prediction of the planets."

'"Is there?" says Tom. "I'm very glad to hear it."

'"Young man," says the old gentleman, "you don't know me."

'"Sir," says Tom, "I have not that honour; but I shall be happy to
drink your health, notwithstanding."

'"I read," cries the old gentleman, without taking any notice of
this politeness on Tom's part - "I read what's going to happen, in
the stars."

'Tom thanked him for the information, and begged to know if
anything particular was going to happen in the stars, in the course
of a week or so; but the old gentleman, correcting him, explained
that he read in the stars what was going to happen on dry land, and
that he was acquainted with all the celestial bodies.

'"I hope they're all well, Sir," says Tom, - "everybody."

'"Hush!" cries the old gentleman. "I have consulted the book of
Fate with rare and wonderful success. I am versed in the great
sciences of astrology and astronomy. In my house here, I have
every description of apparatus for observing the course and motion
of the planets. Six months ago, I derived from this source, the
knowledge that precisely as the clock struck five this afternoon a