ng as was the
matter of these oracular communications, he felt it to be his
duty to interrupt them for a time and change the subject to a
theme in which he felt a nearer interest; accordingly he asked
the musty Seer about his prospects of future wedded bliss. This
was a subject of so great importance that all the other
calculations had to be erased from the slate--this little
operation was accomplished in the manner of the schoolboys who
haint got any sponge, and the dirty hand plied briskly for a
minute between the juicy mouth and the dingy slate, and became a
shade grimier by this cleanly process. Then a new horoscope was
drawn with more signs of the zodiac than ever, and in due time
the result was thus announced:

"I shall now endeavor to give you a description of the sort of
person you might be most likeliest to marry. There is indications
that your wife might be respectable. The significators do not
denote that there is a likelihood that you might marry a very old
woman. She would be as likely to have fair hair and blue eyes as
anything else; nor would she be likely to be very much too tall,
and I don't imagine you are an individdyal that might be likely
to marry a woman who was very short. She may not be very old, but
I do not think that the indications point her out as being likely
to be a child; in fact, I think it possible that she may be of
the ordinary age, though I do not wish to be understood as being
positive on all these points, for I may be mistaken, though I
think you will find that there is a likelihood that these things
may be so. You will be married twice, and I think you are an
individdyal that would be likely to have children--six children I
think there is indications that you may be likely to have. The
significators point out one very evil condition, and I think I
may say that I'm quite sure. I'm positive that you will separate
from your first wife. No, I will not say that yours is a
quarrelsome natur', but the significators look bad. Things is
worse, in fact, than I told you of, and now I look again and am
sure you are prepared, I will say that there cannot be a doubt
that _you will pizon your first wife_. It cannot be any other
way; there is no mistake; it is so; it must be true; the fact is
this, and thus I tell you, _you will pizon your first wife_. And,
my young friend, I will advise you, in case your married futur'
is unhappy, and you do find it necessary to give pizon to your
consort, d