The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-10-31

P&fBUn 70 O0k upon bu9u 0te1 ucf nus
band. The hue of hsr skin vas e dark a
hia. She was also Of his sgs-a woman Of
full ffty. She Was the tallest female IN her
tribe but her stoutness took away from her
stature. Her eyes were small and piercing,
her moss sqallins and her upper lip was
''bearded like .the pacd"
While her husband sat at his cSr3usals.
and handing lhe beverage to his followers
and the domestics Of the house, Elspeth sat
examining the lines upon the palms Of the
hands OF the maid -ssrvaDts-pursuing her
calling ~ spaeSife. And ever a. she traced
the lines Of matrimony, the ybii would
pause and exclaim-
Via I-Eonsy money cross my ioof
again, hinny. There IL fortune before ye |
Let me seei A sp1r Ia sword Ia shield !!
"A gowdep rursei Heaven bless We They
are there there, as plain as pikestaff /;
they are = 10 your path. Cut cross my loof
again, hinny, for until siller again cross it,
l Gamma see whether they are to be yours or
no."
Thus did Elspeth 60 on until her ssloof
had been crossed" by the last coin amongst
the domestics Of the house Of Clennel; and
when these were exhausted, thear trinkets
were demanded and given 20 assist the spell
of the prophecies. Good fortune was prog
Dosticated to the most Of them, and especi-
ally to those who crossed the loof Of the
reader Of futurity most freely but to others,
perils, and sudden deaths, and disappoint-
ments IN love, and grief in wedlock, were
hInted, though to all and each Of these fore
bodings, a something like hope-an unde-
fined way OF escape-was pended.
A0w fha voiea ~ Zf.n.kh Il. n
emn tones, and as the mystery Of her man
ner increased, not only were the maid ser
wants stricken with awe and reverence for
the wondrous woman, Dut the men servants
also began to inquire into their fate. And
as they extended their hands, and Elspeth
traced the lines of the past upon them, ever
and anon she spoke strange words, which
intimated secret facts; and she spoke also
Of love-makings and likngs and ever, as
she spoke, she would raise her head and grin
a CHASTITY smile, now ut the individual whose
hand she was examining, and again ut .
maid servant whose fortune she had read
while the former would smile and the latter
blush. aud their fellow domestlcs exclaim-
~Thats wonderfu'!-that dings a'i-ye are
queer folk hoo in the world do We ken ~
Even the curiosity Of Mr.. Andrew Smith
was raised, and his wonder excited and
after he had quatfed bis third cup with the
gypsy king, he, too, reverentislly approached
the bearded princess, extending his hand,
and begging to know what futurity had in
store for him.
She raised it before her eyes, she rubbed
hers over it,
1T 10 dark and difficult hand,'' NUT
tered she: "here are ships and the sea, and
crossing the sea. and great danger, and a
way to avoid it-but the gowd the gowd
that's there And vet We may lose it al
Cross my loof, slr-yours is an i'll hand to
spae--ior it's set WI fortune, and danger,
and adventure"
Andrew gave her all the money in bis pos
ssson. Now 1t was understood that she
vas to return the money and the trinkets
with which her Ioof bad been crossed; and
Andrews curiosity overcoming his fears, he
to intrust his property in her keep
Ins; for, as he though, il was not every
day that people could have everything that
vas to happen unto them revealed. But
when she had again looked upon his hand
"It Wilma do" said she--'T Gamma see
over the danger ye hae to encounter, the
seas ye hae to cross, and the mountains o.
gowd that lie before ye yet-ye mann cross
my loot again" And when, with q woful
be stated that be had crossed
It with bis last coin
"fe nae chronometer, man." said she
1T tells you the minutes now, It may enable
me to show ye those that are to come 70
Andrew hesiGted, and, with doubt and
placed the chronometer in her
hand.
Elspeth wore Q short cloak Of "a led Grim
son and In sort Of pouch Of it, every coin,
trinket, aud other article of value which was
put into her hands were deposited, in order,
as she stated, To forward her mystic opera
tions. Now the chronometer had lust disap-
peared in the general receptacle Of offerings
to the oracle, when heavy footsteps were
heard descending the staircase leading to the
hall. Poor Andrew, the ruler Of the house
hold, gasped-the blood forsook his cheeks,
his knees involuntarily knocked one against
another, and he stammersd out
"For Heavens sake, gle me my chronom-
eter l-Oh, gle me ii I've are q ruined 70
"It Gamma be returned till the spells CON-
plsted," rejOined Espeth, in q solemn and
determined tone-and her coantenance be-
trsyed nothing Of her dupe's uneasiness
while her husband deliberately placed his
right hand upon sort Of dagger which be
wore beneath a large coarse jacket that was
loosely flung over mis- shoulders The males
in his retinue, who we're eight in number.
followed bis example.
In another moment, the laird, with wrath
upon his countenance, burst INTO the hall.
"Andrew Smith," cried be, steraly, and
his foot 6ercely on the floor, "what
scene 10 this see Answer me, ye robber,
answer me I'VE shall hang for its
30 sir ! sir !" groaned Andrew, "mercy |
10 sir ~ and he wrung his hands
together and shook exceedingly.
"Ye fause knave r. continued the laird.
grasping hrm BY the neck-and dashins nim
from him, Andrew fell fat upon the Eoor.
and his terror bad almost shook him from
his feat before-"Speak, ys ause knave l''
resumed the laird "what means your ca
rousin' WI sic gangs Ye robber, speak !"
And be kicked him with his foot mn ne lay
upon the ground.
20 sir l-mercy sir |" vociferated Andrew,
10 the stupor and wiidness Of terror; | can
IA speak l--ys has killed me outaight am
dead-stonr dead But it wasna my blame
-thsyT a Say that, IL they speak the
truth.n sfs'n @
Z .Fut out, " thieves l-ys gang o. plum
dersrss born 10 the gallows out o. my
housep added the laird, addressing Willie
Faa and his followers.
"Thievesf ye acred loon i's exclaimed the
HAa ki4g, STARTING 70 his feet, and drawing
hinsslf mp 10 his fell height-H wha does the
weEm that burrows in the lands o. ,Clennel
c., thievest Thieves, say We l--speak such
words 10 your equals, but no 10 me. Your
fofbs9s eamsiowst W the Norman, invaded
sle suntiss, And seized upon land--mins In
vsded it also. and only laid tax upon the
docks, the cattle, and the poultry--and VIA
cr ye thievssf-or VII what grace Do ys
SpoGk the Vordf'e e 4as4 taE ,Es5
3sAway, ys andacisus vagrant I" coutinued
the lard; "ken ys mot that the kings
suthority u in ,m5 hands f--snd for your
formsr plundefings, il T again lind you sst-
ting f6ct upon grotndH o mine, on ~ near
sst trss ysshsll fad . gibbstsp ~ ;s
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