38 Star anfr Meatbet 6oss!p 



" How many degrees ? " (This, if the reader will 

 pardon the digression, to the Small Stargazer, who is 

 examining the thermometer.) " Thirteen degrees of 

 frost," is the reply. 



The sun's place in the heavens at the beginning of 

 Winter, let me add, is in Sagittarius, the Archer, a 

 sign considered by the old astrologers as lucky, which 

 makes me believe that those occult gentlemen must 

 have originated from South Africa. One of them, 

 though Arcandum by name had but an odd notion 

 of what luck was, in that a Sagittarius-born person 

 was not only to be thrice wedded and to be very fond 

 of vegetables, but he was to become a matchless tailor 

 and to have three special illnesses. Well, to begin 

 with, the blessings of triple matrimony are certainly a 

 matter of opinion, neither do vegetables in bulk appeal 

 to everyone ; whilst as to the prospect of becoming 

 even a matchless tailor and having three illnesses, 

 even though they be special ones . 



