The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-03-25

unitedr' ,.
"Can it be possible l asked, that
you really believe that imposter's half
! drunken sallies to have been veritable
! Inspirations
"'Yesr she replied with vehemence.
/ They are scared upon my soul in charac-
ters of living flame. I read my destiny
! there as clearly as if it were written with
| the point of a diamond upon the crystal
/ rock. Did she not say that l should
! loath my food and to me it is becoming
daily an object of disgust 1 eat that l
may not starve,-for 1 would not die;
but the food which l feel obliged to swal-
low is odious to my sight D"
| at is painful to relate to you all that
/ passed; her excitementrose in proper
| ton as l tried to soothe her; and she
ended by rejecting me, with solemn ap-
! peal to heaven"
The poor young man concluded his re-
cital with heavy sigh. Icould perceive
that he was deeply affected, and prom
| ised to call with him the following day.
Matters appeared now to be coming to
crisis. 1t was a grievous thing to see the
happiness of two amiable young people
contravened by the counterfeit divina-
| tions of Grim inal pretender. | had al
ways considered the encouragement given
to fortune-telling to be deplored, since it
| has been frequently the cause of mischief,
as was too lamentably proved in the pres
ent instance The very desire to look
into futurity, when the Almighty has
evidently withdrawn it from our scrutiny,
| is sinful; ard when we seek to crafty a
| sinful wish, evil may be expected to
ensue. If it had been the will of God
/ that we should, under any circumstances,
| be made acquainted with future events,
it is scarcely to be credited that He
would endue with the power of making
such communications, class of bosotted
| old women; for such are invariably re-
| sorted to when the secrets OF the future
are expected to be unfolded. Neither
! pious men nor pious women are ever
consulted upon these matters, because
! they are not so prolane as to assume that
| they hold prophetic gifts; it is, therefore,
one of the strongest anomalies in the
moral constitution of a large number of
| persons and those too frequently pos
| sessng deep religious feelings that they
| should seek information upon matters
| hidden in the unexplored depths of tu-
turity from the most protane objects. and
believe that these are especially gifted
with power which can proceed from
God alone; for evil spirits. by which
some of the credulous suppose that for
tune-tellers are governed, possessing not
the attribute of Omniscience, can not
impart what is perceptible only to the
| Divine mind.
| On the following morning, 1 accom-
panied my young friend to the house of
| Mr.. -, where we were Immediately in
troduced to the unhappy girl who had so
solemnly rejected him the proceeding
day She was reclining on sofa, earn
estly gazing upon a linnet which was
singing in cage near the opposite win
dow. At our entrance, she turned her
eyes languidly and extended hel hand
towards me, without rising, accompany
ing it with an expression of appeal that
she might be spared the regular forms of
courtesy, from her state of health. She
was as pale as a corpse. The fine glow
of animated health which used to mantle
IN her cheek-a legible record OF happy
thoughts and of exemption from care
had been succeeded by that sallowness OF
skin and relaxation of feature, which
told a sad tale of narrowing reflections
| and heart-burning My bosom throbbed
with painful solicitude, as gazed upon a
young creature thus smitten in the bloom
of youth and health, with blight that
seemed to have reached the very toun-
tain of existence, and was hurrying her
rapidly to that land of darkness which
the regions of everlasting life. 1 seated
myself by the sufferer, and retained her
hand, which she had extended to me on
my entrance She did not attempt to
withdraw it, but every fibre was so re-
laxed, that it appeared as if she were un-
conscious of the pressure of mine. A
deep sigh was heaved from her bosom,
and tear suffused the halfclosed eye.
She did not speak. After short inter
VAL broke the silence, which was be
coming painful to all parties, by asking
her how she felt The question evident
| ly affected her, for she instantly closed
her eyelids and tear, gradually forcing
its way from within the crystal cell which
they had enshrined, rolled over her pal
lid cheeks.
Come" said I, my dear girl this
weakness is criminal You are wanting
in your duty both to God and to your
self, in thus giving way to idle fantasies.
You are, besides, doing an injury to those
who love you affectionately. Resort for
support to Him who never refuses to sus-
tain such as diligently seek him"
She opened her eyes to the utmost ex-
tension, and, fixing them upon me with
an expression of intense anguish, said,-
81 am lorsaken OF God
MY child" I replied solemnly, "this
is blasphemy; do not give way to such
unholy fancies God never deserts those
who appeal to Him earnestly in their
hour OF visitation"
NAY" she exclaimed, interrupting me
with energy, Il am past consolation now.
My doom is sealed. The predictions of
that awful nj ght must be accomplished;
most of them have already come to pass
l have not caressed dumb creature since
the prophecy Yonder linnet, which |
used to take its groundsel daily from my
hand has never since heard from my lips |
the voice Of cheering, or taken from my
fingers its morning nourishment l have
stunned my companions, have loathed |
my food, and my tongue has pronounced |
a VOW of separation from him who had
won my heart.
But you are fulfilling the predictions
of your own fatuity. Because you have |
heard them pronounced, you seem deter
mined that they should be accomplished, |
as if you wished to established the credit |
for divinaton of q wicked woman, who |
can see no further into futurity than |
worm into rock over which he crawls |
If you had never heard these follies, you |
would have neither neglected your bird, |
Stunned your companions, loathed your |
foop, nor rejected your lover You are |
yourself bringing to pass all those partic-
ulars, the fultillment of which you SO |
much dread"
Nay, SIR you may try to blind me to |
my fate; but | see it as clearly as | do |
the beams of yonder sun, which at the |
moment, pass with the blast of mocl1ery |
over my spirit They cannot dissipate |
its darkness. Charles, said She after
pause, extending her fair hands towards !