Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-01-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
FORTUNE TELLING.

y, NE day, Mrs LarTimers only daughter.
y Niolette, was nowhere to lie found; neither
was the gentleman, Souor ESpauol, who
taught the guitar The whole city was
alarmed 10y an account cI the mysterious dis
appearance Of 4 beautiful hello and hard
working gent!euanIy young foreigner. How.
ever, when some one had discovered that the
last gave lessons to the first, an inference
was drawn by some cool locker. on.
May they not haze gone toge,hcr?"
The mother at once drove the slanicrer
from her presence. rreIerriug the idea that
her Fiolotte was murdered. However, before
long pentent letter, all blotto5 with tears.
reached the poor old lady, all alone in her
great Fifth Avenue mansion.
Eloette was married to Senior ESpanol.-
The more one loves q person the more furious
does any deception on her part make one
less loving mother might have forgiven -
Stunned to madness, this one wrote terrible
letter TO the foolish girl who had so hurt her.
The husband, hot Spaniard, read it. it
insuI.ed him and he forbade his wife ever to
see her parent again. To DO him Justice. love,
and no mercosary motive. had led him en- to
eloPc with his pretty ho;ress
So the gulf was fixed between the only two
of the same blood who lived on earth, and
Senor ESpanoi began to give lessons on the
guitar for two instead of one. Then for
three, then for four, then FOR FIVE IF lie had
lived = little longer it would haze been for
six. But the day the fourth child was born.
coun.ryman. who mistJgk him Tor rival.
stabbed him in the back. lie opoloc,zcd nt
length the next moment, but the poor vic.
tim did not live to hear him through. but
died trying 10 express the fact that the gen
t!emRn was perfectly czcusahc
And so ti0lc,te, who had been vcrv happy
with her music master had he been less ieal-
Gus, was left a widow with four babies. no
morcy and no accomplishment that had been
sufficiently cultivated to earn a living by. OF
course she took in sewing. and Of course dav
came when there was very small prospect Of
supper, and not even p dream Of break fast
Not penny in the house, not n loaf of
bread in the closet, not dollars worth of
work to be got anywhere, what was she to do?
The poor lille woman walked up and down
and cried. That did not help her. She
looked over the relics Of the past. They
were pretty pieces Of jawclry. worth nothing
Valuable things had all been scld long ago.
She glanced cut of the window A woman.
with very large bran new basket aud no
shoes, went begging from door TO door.
The basket was worth two dollars and a
half, the shoes could have been bought for
two. This singular circumstance preycd upon
her mind She began to take an interest in
the ways and manners Of beggars, as the aw-
ful expectation Of becoming one began to
haunt her.
Il could drown myself" she said, "but I
couldn't we'll drown four children"
Then leaning her chin on her hands. sho
.4ri,c f-g-r., De-. It.- i IL
with handkerchief over her head, going
from door to door
Was she begging? It seemed not. Once
or twice she entered and stayed somotime.-
At last she ssw her 1T. icr own door. and
heard Lcr going from room to room. There
was I knock at the door. She opened it and
the dark hair under the yellow silk haHdker-
chief, the big black eyes, the rich complexion,
were there. 'Hcil!' she asked. iuquiriugy
LET mo tell your fortune LADY. only
charge twenty five cents" said the woman.
"My fortune is tod. since | have not
twenty five cents in the world, said Violctte
The wowsn turned away.
"StoP minute" said Yioletta. Tell me
one thing; in this age DO people pay you to
tel! their fortunes 27
mo age is too old" said the woman. to
whom the world had presented but one idea
Il just told an old l-dy's fortune below. 1t
was in the cards that she was to have hus-
band, to0-heT fourth She gave me dol,
lar. Look - she opened her palm.
''I make money, d." said she "I'm 4
gipseY. I'm q seventh child / zee the fu,
turo- I'll take any bit of jswclry if YOU
haven any money. Have your fortune to!d?"
But Fio.cue Ehook her head aud closed the
door.
I cannot steal, and to beg I am ashamed"
said she to herself. After it is dark to-
night I'll 80 out and tell fortunes"
Then she took two fat.irUus to the Junk
shop, bought loaf Of bread and pint of
milk, ani her four children she for whom
nothing had once been dainty enough. and
who had ridden in her own caTrige.
She put the children TO bed, and left the
key with a nciFhbor in case Of FIRE, dread
that Eaunts those many storied houses ike
ghost, AID then. disguised In veil, hood and
shawl went forth On her erraud. 1t was
crazy dream. She had not courage to at
tempt fortune-tslling. 1t was worse than
begging. She wandered along the streets,
leaving the ill-smslliBg ones behind her, aad
coming at last to the pure sweet homes Of
luxury In the end stood before her
mothers windows. There was light in the
basement, and through the lace curtains she
saw table fpread, aud the shadow Of figure
she knew to be her mothers on the curtain,
and there. drawing down the shade, was
Martha. who had nursed her when Z child