Thought Better of It.

Otago Witness, Issue 2157, 27 June 1895, Page 49

Thought Better of It.

An American lady recently over in England related an amusing experience of bera that happened shortly before she left the States. She said that tbe incident took place at a town in Arizona called Boulder, and that they had not many amusements or excitements iv those days, excepting shooting matches, which the town puople coon berame accustomed to. So when a Mrs Somebody, who stated tbat she came from London, stiewed the town with handbills stating tbat she would shortly give a spiritual seance in a hotel drawing room everybody was excited about it. "I was a very good pianist," said the lady, " so when the medium offered me sdol to furnish the music for the evening I jumped for joy, though I was rather nervous about the spirits. My parents gave their consent, and tickets sold rapidly. " On the day of the seance I met a young Englishman who bad emigrated from the old country and settled in Arizona, where he gained a reputation as a deid shot. I asked him if he was going th&t night. •' • Haven't heard anything about it,' he said. Then I explained it to him. " ♦ Tho*e things are f rsuda,' he exclaimed. « I've seen any number of them in England. I'll go, aud the first spiiit that shows up I'll shoot; at ib. If it's only a spiiit it can't bs injured, and if ib isn't — why, serve 'em right.' And away he went whistling merrily. " I knew he would keep his word, and I made up my mind that I'd not be there for the music. So I went to the hotel and explained to the medium that I had changed my mind, and would not perform. " She Beemed annoyed, and pressed me for my reasons. At last I told her, and she turned as white as aeheel;. "' Do you think he'll keep his word ? ' she queried. " ' Certainly; and he's a dead shot ; so good a shot, in fact, that they've barred him at all the pigeon matches.' " She thanked me, and I went away. That afternoon the town was again flooded with handbills, which stated that there would be no seance on account of the illness of the medium. She profited by my information."