“Laughing is better than crying at any time,” returned Mrs. Bray; “here are five more;” and she handed Pinky Swett another bank-bill. “I'm going to try my luck. Put half a dollar on ten different rows, and we'll go shares on what is drawn. I dreamed the other night that I saw a flock of sheep, and that's good luck, isn't it?”
Pinky thrust her hand into her pocket and drew out a worn and soiled dream-book.
“A flock of sheep; let me see;” and she commenced turning over the leaves. “Sheep; here it is: 'To see them is a sign of sorrow—11, 20, 40, 48. To be surrounded by many sheep denotes good luck—2, 11, 55.' That's your row; put down 2, 11, 55. We'll try that. Next put down 41 11, 44—that's the lucky row when you dream of a cow.”
As Pinky leaned toward her friend she dropped her parasol.
“That's for luck, maybe,” she said, with a brightening face. “Let's see what it says about a parasol;” and she turned over her dream-book.
“For a maiden to dream she loses her parasol shows that her sweetheart is false and will never marry her—5, 51, 56.”
“But you didn't dream about a parasol, Pinky.”
“That's no matter; it's just as good as a dream. 5, 51, 56 is the row. Put that down for the second, Fan.”
As Mrs. Bray was writing out these numbers the clock on the mantel struck five.
“8, 12, 60,” said Pinky, turning to the clock; “that's the clock row.”