ttle of the peculiar negro
dialect, except when he forgets himself for an instant, and
unguardedly relapses into the old habits, which he has evidently
carefully endeavored to overcome. He looked at his visitor very
sharply for a minute or two, while he pretended to be abstractedly
shuffling the cards; and collecting his valuable thoughts, at
last he remarked:

"I s'pose you want me to run the cards for you?" The reply was in
the affirmative, and the colored prophet concentrated his mind
and began. Slowly he dealt the cards, and spake as follows:

"You don't believe in fortunes, my son--I see that. Must tell you
what I see here--can't help it--if I see it in the cards, must tell
you. You've had great deal trouble, my son; more comin'. Can't
help it; mus' tell you. I see trouble in de cards; I see razackly
what it is."

Here he suddenly stopped, and resuming his guarded manner,
continued: "You've lost something, my son; something that you
think a great deal of. Now I don't like to tell about lost
things; I'se 'fraid I'll get myself into a snare; I'd rather not
say nothing about it; fear I'll get myself into trouble." His
auditor here gave him the most positive assurances that he should
never be called into court to identify the thief of the missing
article, and that he should be held free from all harm; whereupon
he consented to impart the following information:

"Dis thing you lost is something that hangs up on a
nail--something bright and round--you thinks a great deal of it, my
son--when it went away it had on a bright guard--hasn't got a
bright guard on now; got a black guard--you see I knows all about
de article, my son, and I can tell you razackly where de article
is--but I'se rather not tell you 'bout it, my son; 'fraid I'll run
myself into a snare; dat's the truth, my son, rather no say
nothin' 'bout de article."

Being again assured of safety, he went on: "Well, my son, I'll
tell you 'bout this yer thing. Has you got any boys in yer
employ? No. Got two girls have you? One of dem girls is
light-haired and de other is dark--the light one is de one who
comes in your room in your boarding-house every morning when
you'se gone away--'cause you lives in a boardin' house, I sees
that--can see it in the cards, can always tell razackly. If you
make a fuss about dat article you make your landlady feel bad.
You has accused somebody of taking that article, but you 'cused
de wrong person. The light-haired girl is who