Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ii. To-day a man in the street implored me to buy a plant; " Take one at your own price," he said. I answered him that I did not wish to buy one; I had as many, for the time, as I had space for in my room ; but he would not be refused. " Take one at your own price," he repeated, " to change the luck; for we have not sold one, as you can see. Take one, and bring us good luck." " I am not likely, I am afraid, to bring you good luck, I am not a lucky person," I said to the man in the street. " But you will," he said, " you will, if you would but take one, never mind what you pay. You can set your own price if you will but take one, and bring us luck." I have often been besought to buy, and have had various reasons offered to induce me do so ; but Inever yet came across so steadfast a believer in the luck that my buying would bring as this man. I talked the matter over with him. I stood bareheaded on the doorstep explaining to the man in the street how peculiarly luckless I am. I offered arguments, and discussed pros and cons as though my refusal to buy a flower entitled the would-be seller to as many evidences of my lucklessness as have been found for Christianity ; " and besides your plants are very fine," I added, "and you are sure to sell some." The man in the street remained perfectly dogged. " The luck's bad," he said. "If you would change the luck we might sell off the lot. It's the luck we want." It is of course very foolish, but I sympathize with the credulous and vulgar minds that hope and strive after various methods to turn the luck when the luck is contrary. I am ashamed to say that I have often essayed myself to change the luck, and have stooped to disgraceful superstitions to achieve this end. I had a fellow-feeling all the while for the ma...