"Oh, Marjie," exclaimed Linnet, "peel one whole, be careful and don't
break it, and throw it over your right shoulder and see what letter
comes."
"Why?" asked Magorie, selecting a large, fair apple to peel.
"I'll tell you when it comes," answered Linnet, seriously.
With an intent face, and slow, careful fingers, Marjorie peeled the
handsome apple without breaking the coils of the skin, then poised her
hand and gave the shining, green rings a toss over her shoulder to the
oilcloth.
"_S! S!_ Oh! what a handsome _S!_" screamed Linnet.
"Well, what does it mean?" inquired Marjorie, interestedly.
"Oh, nothing, only you will marry a man whose name begins with _S_," said
Linnet, seriously.
"I don't believe I will!" returned Marjorie, contentedly. "Do you believe
I will, mother?"
Mrs. West was lifting a deliciously browned pumpkin pie from the oven,
she set it carefully on the table beside Marjorie's yellow dish of
quartered apples and then turned to the oven for its mate.
"Now cut one for me," urged Linnet gleefully.
"But I don't believe it," persisted Marjorie, picking among the apples in
the basket at her feet; "you don't believe it yourself."
"I never _knew_ it to come true," admitted Linnet, sagely, "but _S_ is a
common letter. There are more Smiths in the world than any one else. A
woman went to an auction and bought a brass door plate with _Smith_ on it
because she had six daughters and was sure one of them would marry a
Smith.
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