At the estate, Mr. Hopkins, the land lord, made every important decision by consulting a mustard seed. I would see him in his office, holding a chain containing the glass ball that held his mustard seed high up, over the important documents he was considering. A contract. A bill that was asking for money. A letter from someone.

He made his decision on how to act by the directions the mustard seed gave him. Sometimes it made a cross. Sometimes it revolved in a big circle all on its own going left, other times right. Sometimes just back and forth. But he always knew what the oracle was saying to him and made his decisions accordingly.