The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-01-10


speedy" Ursule said fercely. Sb
flung the belt into one of the darI
corners of the den. "Sav out at one
what yon want
! Silves'ik's faith in the witch's pow
er was shaken by her contempt o
his poverty. How foolish he hat
been to come empty hanaed ant
yet, unless he borrowed money of bi,
cousin, be did not know how be coulC
get any sum sufiicient to offer to tb,
old witch.
Come. bet quick, loiterer, say
what you want" she said boarsely
She saw that be hesitated. and she
VAS unwilli"g'to loose a fresh dupe
Il lwaut"-be stsmmered THAT is
how can a young man who is poor
approach a.,
He stopped, His downcast ewes
and The flush on his honest face told
his secret.
"Sllvestik Kergroes asks"-Ursule
spike mockiBgly to the cat on her
sb' ulder--"how be is to win rick
Pennherez, peasant aud what steps
be l. TO take to get her for his wife ?''
Silvestik's eyes opeued widely, and
so did bis mouth his surprise was
unbuunded
"Well, mother" be said simply.
III ] had not Believed in you before,
believe in you now; you know
wishes before they are s,,nkeu"
HE is young foil. Tsrtare :"
She had turned her face round to the
cat, showing a hideous wrinkled
throat in the action. "He fnrgets.
Tartare, that Before a man hints his
love he must make sure that a girl
will listen with patience, at least"
Yes, yes, mother, know she
would listen With patience" be said
eagerly. "Anpik is sweet and gen
tie, but | want to know what her an
swer will be- Only hope that she
loves could encourage me to ask her.
aud us she is rich aud | am poor"
Rich ia. ia, be calls few hun
dred fraucs riches, Tartare. Annik,
Indeed it is well Sllvestik sought
our advice Anuik" she stood think
ing, while the eat nestled its head
against her face and pnrred loudly
Boy ~ she turned suddenly to
Silvestik, "you have no chance with
Aunik give her up aud choose some
one who is less sure of lovers
Il will not give her up" Silvestik
said stou,ly; III you caunot belp me,
| will fnd out myself whether she
Will De my wife"
He turned to go, for he was pro-
voked by Ursule's mockery.
She bent forward and caught a;
bis sleeve her eyes cleaned with
anger
Listen. fool! since you will not
take friendly warning; listen, ana
be sure you doas | tell you You
shall Try The spell. | know Annik J;
ard If you wiifsucceed with her you
must not give word or look Of love
till you have tried the spell-not
even if you see others wooing her"
The spell l"-Thoughts of Father
Pierr, t the warnings be bad often
spike a aa -st belief in the Pagan
traditions that haunt tbe landes aud
stones Of the country, came back, and
made S.lvestik hesitate
UrsuIe read his face easily:
"Go your ways, fool, aud never in
trude here again | tell you the man
who approaches Annik without first
hayeing tried whether be can master
her love looses her forever. Only by
be spell can be learn his fate, and if
the spell says Yes, it binds her also
to be his"
Well" be said GROSSLY, what is
he spell ?"
Before | tell you, you must swear
to do as | bid you-swear on the
bead Of Tartare"
And she kept her eyes Gzed, with
a strange eonstraiuiDg power, on
As if the cat understood her mis-
iress's words i; leaped down ol to |
he stone, and sat there, upright aud
with closed eyes, like black idol. /
Ursule stretched out her lean fin
gers for Silvestik's hand, and placed /
i on the cats head. Say my words"
shv whispered She paused aud fixed
per eyes on the youth. who repeated
ger words Iik' parrot,
Il, eilsestik X rgoe," she said.
swear by the soul of my mother,
and by my own salvation"
At The word salvation" Silvestik |
hesitated, but the witch grasped his |
irm warringly, and be went on
That Will, on the night of SAT-
lrday, go alone without teIiiLg my
purpose 10 living soul, to the Rock
u Stone Of Tregune, There | will
strive three tines To move the stones,
Dy gentle pushes Of my body aud
hands. Ii it remains firm, | may
isk Annik with shure hope but if it !
locks ever SO little, her love Is not for
ne !; it has been given TO more than
Jne before me-
As Silyestik repeated the last words,
be cat opened its great yellow eyes,
and leaped bacs to its resting place
IN prsule's sboalder.
Ursule took something from a !
pocket in her apron, and strewed it
,n the stone table then she struck
sparks over it With flint aud steel A
sudden light 'fared out aud lit up the
den with iurid glare, in which the
I'D woman looked Ike an animated |
corpse.
She caught hold of Silvestik's
maud, and held il over the fame.
Swear TO do this" she said hosrse.
y.
Il have sworn already" Silvestik
'elt sullen and ashamed be shivered
100. for he believed ia the witch, |
.pite of himself
hut. moiber, Pierre Mao did all
.bis,n he said. 'and a week after his
corpse was washed up BY the waves
% the rocks beyond The Stone OF
Treggle,
ursaie did not answer for some
moments.
"Silyes,ikr said she. as the flames