The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-11-25

love and sorrow become one3 Both
are superstitious, and both are asking
of the future. The village girl has
thousand methods by which she seeks
to test the sincerity of her lover, and
her anxiety is just in proportion to the
earnestness of her ewn attachment,
The beggar was respectable in her
appearance, and had an eye of mysti-
cism entirely foreign to anything like
imposture; she was evidently deluded
by her own Imagination. She had un-
qualified faith herself in all she taught.
s'These piecss of paper" she began,
'look simple and unmeaning enough;
syet it was the operation of a marvel
Gus mind that conceived their number
and devices. They have character
affixed to each, and the position which
they occupy is fixed by fate. Where
the wish is strong in the soul, it de-
cides the place Of each, and they be-
come eracular. But it will take you
long, very long, to learn their true
meaning indeed, you must have the
experience, and the suffering that 1
have known, it may be, before you
! will rightly understand them"
The eyes Of the two met, and there
was that strange look of affinity, an
expression akin, each to the other-the
faint ovcrshsdo swing of reason in each
that had at once established sympa-
thy between them.
She went on to explain:
"This ace of hearts is your house.
You are fair, and you must be the
queen Of diamonds ; your lover must
be the king of the same suit. Now
shuttle the cards and see what is next
you"
She did SO, and the woman went on,
''There you see is your house, you are
beside it, and the ten Of spades and the
ace OF. spades are between you and
your lover. Good angels shield you
poor child, for that means sickness
and DEATH"
Fanny shuddcrcd, still repeating, 81
knew he couldn't be false" as if that
were yeta comfort. She took the pic
ture Of her lover from her bosom, and
the two looked upon it and wept,w with
a strange sympathy,
At length the woman looked up.
"You are young and beautiful. For
get the past and learn to love another.
I have known much Of the world, and
thousands, tens of thousands, forget
their first love, and are happy in an
other"
Fanny looked at her with amaze
ment.
"I! What, I be false to Henry!
false to myself! and you counsel it'll"
Alas! poor girl, so thorough had be-
come the sympathy between the two
bewildered minds, that each had for-
gotten that their intercourse had been
that only of few hours.
The woman took her leave, first
putting the cards in Fanny's hands,
that she might read her own fate.
! And now weeks, months passed
away, and every day Fanny might be
seen. with the cards between her fin
gers, her lids dropping, and eyes fixed
upon their characters. Her face was
calm and serious, a faint smile only
stealing to her lips, as at each opera
ton she observed the deuce ef spades
was never beside her lover. 81 knew
he wasn't false" she would murmur,
and then cut and shuttle the cards
again. If at any time the obnoxious
card bore juxtaposition, her brow
would contract, and she would whis-
per, sNo, no, Henry isn't false, but he
fears for me; he fears l may forget
him in his long absence. No, Henry.
never! neverp And she would burst
into tears.
The village maidens learned to sym
pathize with the poor girl, and brought
her fruits and flowers. and tried ts
while her from her melancholy. The y
would in part succeed, for Fanny was
very gentle, and easily won by the
voice of gentleness. Then they would
ask to have their own fortunes told
and, strange to say, belief in her pre-
dictions gained ground. and the maid
ems learned to rely upon what sh.
told them. Fanny would say they
must be sincere and earnest in wha
} they wished or she could predict no
thing by the cards. All would be con
: fused and only mislead both.
The lunacy of the poor girl had it!
: uses. Her companions began to as
simulate to her own earnestness; t.
: dread falsehood, and to forbear tritlini
in affairs of the heart. Often whel
l two or three were gathered about he
3 Fanny would tell the fortunes OF one
and then bid them wait while she Gu
$ for herself. As piece after piece cam
e before her eye she would read the de
D tails in low voice: "Yes; lon.
removal by water; tears and kisse
Q obstructed yet love, great deal o
h love and disappointment with it. Fan
: sickness and death between; alway
h the same no hope. alas! only in ou
8 faith :" and the tears would trickl
It over her pale cheeks while her com
panions stood weeping around her.
r At length, one bright morning j
June, when the rose was filling tn
Y air with gladness, Il carriage stoppe
/. at the dOor, and Henry, pale and ems
l.;a Tot tn To lo
)" been shipwrecked, had been i'll in
g foreign port, and now he had com
nome to die with Fanny. She felt
n must be SO, and she nestled to his be
d som, moro than content, for she te
she too must be victim. 1t was pi