The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 1: Essays, Sketches, and LettersWard, Artemus
General
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 1: Essays, Sketches, and Letters
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"Yes," continued the witch, "I know'd 'twas. You can't deceive
Jupiter, me, nor any other planick. You may swim same as Leander
did, but you can't deceive the planicks. Give me your hand! Times
ain't so easy as they has been. So--so--but 'tis temp'ry. 'Twon't
last long. Times will be easy soon. You may be tramped on to onct
or twict, but you'll rekiver. You have talenk, me child. You kin
make a Congresser if sich you likes to be. [We said we would be
excused, if it was all the same to her.] You kin be a lawyer. [We
thanked her, but said we would rather retain our present good moral
character.] You kin be a soldier. You have courage enough to go to
the Hostrian wars and kill the French. [We informed her that we had
already murdered some "English."] You won't have much money till
you're thirty-three years of old. Then you will have large sums--
forty thousand dollars, perhaps. Look out for it! [We promised we
would.] You have traveled some, and you will travel more, which
will make your travels more extensiver than they has been. You will
go to Californy by way of Pike's Pick. [Same route taken by Horace
Greeley.] If nothin happens onto you, you won't meet with no
accidents and will get through pleasant, which you otherwise will
not do under all circumstances however, which doth happen to all,
both great and small, likewise to the rich as also the poor.
Hearken to me! There has been deaths in your family, and there will
be more! But Reserve your constitution and you will live to be
seventy years of old. Me child, HER hair will be black--black as
the Raving's wing. Likewise black will also be her eyes, and she'll
be as different from which you air as night and day. Look out for
the darkish man! He's yer rival! Beware of the darkish man! [We
promised that we'd introduce a funeral into the "darkish man's"
family the moment we encountered him.] Me child, there's more
sunshine than clouds for ye, and send all your friends up here.
"A word before you goes. Expose not yourself. Your eyes is saller,
which is on accounts of bile on your systim. Some don't have bile
on to their systims which their eyes is not saller. This bile
ascends down on to you from many generations which is in their
graves, and peace to their ashes."
MADAME CROMPTON.
We then proceeded directly to Madame Crompton, the other fortune-
teller.
Below is her bill:--
MADAME R. CROMPTON,
The World-Renowned Fortune-Teller and
Astrologist.
Madame Crompton begs leave to inform the citizens of Cleveland
and vicinity that she has taken rooms at the
FARMERS' ST CLAIR HOUSE,
Corner of St Clair and Water Streets,
Where she may be consulted on all matters pertaining to
Past and Future Events.
Also giving Information of Absent friends, whether
Living or Dead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account