Today's Stichomancy for Monica Potter

Connecticut courts, which was delivered me from that gentleman himself. I find it dated at ten o'clock last evening."

So saying, the lawyer exhibited the date and signature of the note, which irrefragably proved, either that this perverse Mr. Higginbotham was alive when he wrote it, or--as some deemed the more probable case, of two doubtful ones--that he was so absorbed in worldly business as to continue to transact it even after his death. But unexpected evidence was forthcoming. The young lady, after listening to the pedlar's explanation, merely seized a moment to smooth her gown and put her curls in order, and then appeared at the tavern door, making a modest signal to be heard.

Twice Told Tales

with the throw-down jerk of a marksman. "Sidney, Nebraska."

I nodded. This was not the lady's name--he could not recall her name--but his geography of her was accurate.

One day in February my friend, Mrs. Taylor over on Bear Creek, had received a letter--no common event for her. Therefore, during several days she had all callers read it just as naturally as she had them all see the new baby, and baby and letter had both been brought out for me. The letter was signed,

"Ever your afectionite frend. "Katie Peck,

and was not easy to read, here and there. But you could piece out the

nus, both the yellow and the grey; primroses, anemones; the early tulippa; hyacinthus orien- talis; chamairis; fritellaria. For March, there come violets, specially the single blue, which are the earliest; the yellow daffodil; the daisy; the almond-tree in blossom; the peach-tree in blos- som; the cornelian-tree in blossom; sweet-briar. In April follow the double white violet; the wall- flower; the stock-gilliflower; the cowslip; flower- delices, and lilies of all natures; rosemary-flowers; the tulippa; the double peony; the pale daffodil;

Essays of Francis Bacon

were all in all. But the reason is plain. There is in human nature generally, more of the fool than of the wise; and therefore those faculties, by which the foolish part of men's minds is taken, are most potent. Wonderful like is the case of boldness in civil business: what first? boldness; what second and third? boldness. And yet boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness, far inferior to other parts. But nevertheless it doth fascinate, and bind hand and foot, those that are either shallow in judg- ment, or weak in courage, which are the greatest

Essays of Francis Bacon