Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-10-05

One aSpirant was Pendll Frogmore, u
landed proprietor in the neighbOrhood,
very poor for though his rent-roll was n
fair one, his debts were enormous; but very
handsome, and well set up, Indeed, he
had been in the Blues | don't mean in bad
spirits, but man in armor, commanding
men in armor, and his wife would be I'M
doubtedly county.
Charles Wilson was the name Of the 9th
er; he was young London solicitor, who
had Just been taken into good firm, and
was now on visit to his mother, an In
dian colonel's widow who resided at Lit
telun. Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Thone were
good friends, so all was smooth there.
Mrs Wilson had mumurcd indeed, when
she first saw her sons inclination
"Would she be companion for you,
Charles ? would she be able to take an in
tcrest in the same things you did {"
"No, mother; and that is Just what |
want. should hate wife who was as
clever as myself But how can you fail to
see her merits? She is such very nice
little partyw
"Partic, Charley, partie ; how dreodfully
bad your French accent is | grant that
she would not be q bad match for you
from worldly point of vicw."
Frogmore was the more handsome, Will
son the more pleasant, Really, if fate
would settle the matter for her, it would
save Cissy Thorne world of trouble.
SO the pretty bone OF contention
thought, as she started with her maid En-
ma tor Lttelun Hurst at nine A. NJ. for
Mr.. Thome breakfasted early, and his
daughter presided, Mrs. Thone being a
sluggard. Not drum was heard, not a
pandcan note, as they stepped briSkly
along the gingerbread husbands were coy
cred up from the dust the merry-go-
rounds were still; the clown was darning
his dress the donkeys breakfastcd frugally
on each others names; the tire-eater was
trying diet of bacon, bread, and garlic,
for change. Business never commenced
in the fair before the afternoon. But Miss
Thornc's visit was not to the fair: to the
right, some five hundred yards from the
common, there was clump Of sparse
trees, and sheltered beneath them stood
one of those yellow huts on wheels which
act so wildly upon the imaginations of vii
laee children. This was the abode of the
sibyl, and the adventuresscs turned aside
towards it.
Emma went first up the steps, and
tapped with the bright brass knocker; the
door opened Immediately, and woman of
the mystic race appeared-young, hand
some as a Spaniard, though her splendid
black hair was rather coarse, if you came
to examine it too closely. Emma drew
back, to let her mistress enter first.
"Walk in, my pretty lady," said the
gypsy "don't be aieared am quite alone
here"
Although the fun of the fair did not
commence till late in the day, it was cvi-
dent that custom came betmeS to the
sibyl, for all traces Of night disorder had
disappeared from the miniature interior,
which was spick and span, neat and clean
obviously prepared for visitors. The small
apartment was still further reduced by a
curtain, which ran on brass rings along a
rod, enclosing portion of the space.
The gypsy examined Cissy's hand, and
began making shots-centres though,
most; bulls eyes, some.
"You are ali only child, and your father
and mother would give you gold to cat, if
you wanted it; you had a bad illness four
or five years ago; when child you were
in great peril from dog" A lot more to
the same effect, couchcd in vague language.
but very correct. Cissy began to be sorry
that she had come. "Thcrc's two gentle
men as is very sweet upon you, my pretty
lady," continued the mpoetic sibyl; eff
you marry one you will be unhappy all
your life, but you take the other you will
be lucky, and live to be eighty, and ride
in your carriage and pair all the time"
The idea of this very protracted drive
rather amused Cissy, and that revived her
courage. After all, the woman might have
made inquiries about her on the chance of
her coming.
"And how am | to know which of these
gentlemen to choose ?" she asked in ban
tering tone.
"Ah, that | cannot tell, my lady; but
you can look in the Magic Glass for your
self, and see if it shows you aught."
"Let me see it, then" said Cissy brave
ly, though the feeling of creepinoss began
to return.
The gypsy said that Emma should leave
the caravan; but Cissy would not have
that, so compromise was effected the
maid was blindfoldcd. Then the gypsy
drew slides across the little windows on
either side, producing a deep twilight.
Then the curtain at the further end slowly
parted, revealing a wall Of black cloth,
tightly stretched, in the centre of which
was fixed circular mirror, about two feet
in diameter, and this gradually became lu-
minous. Cissy's nervousness returned
with increased force, and she grasped the
hand of her blind folded maid.
A table separated the girls from the
mirror; and whether it was owing to the
magic quality of the glass, or the angle at
which it was placed, it did not reflect the
figures standing opposite it. Indeed, it
was more like ground-glass than an ordi-
nary mirror; ground-slass with a feeble
light behind it. Presently the surface be-
came covered with ill-defned, shifting
shadows, which gathered so thickly as to
obscure the whole Of it; and then it grad
ually cleared, and head and shoulders
grew upon it it cleared little more and
revealed-the undoubted face of Charles
Wilson. Cissy stood aghast in awestruck
terror before this supernatural ntimation
when suddenly, as she gazed, the face be-
fore her became convulsed with an express
ion of terrible agony. She uttered little
scream, and tainted.
Fresh air and cold water soon brought
her to; she feed the gypsy, and started
| homewards.
"You seed him, miss ?" inquired Emma.
eyes; and I'll never marry any one else,