Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-06-05

The Sorceress' Spell.
L was invited to spend a few weeks
with friend at a town not far from
Paris. My friend was married. l had
calculated on this circumstance as likely
to be troublesome. seeing that it might
interfere with the bachelor luXuries
ofcigar-smokinga and unrestrained chat;
but nv friends wife was so charming
a woman that | soon decided things TO
be better as they were. She dotted upon
reciprocating the feeling. They had
two pretty children, whose smiling IA
ces and delightful prattle would have
made any one envy the parents. To
the pleasure derived from the society of
my host and hostess Was added the en-
tertainment arising from an occasional
reunion of all the magnates of the place
around the hospitable board of my
friend.
Fortune-telling became the subject of
our converse one evening. The Mayor
of the town, who CHANGED to be present,
and who thought it befitting his office
TO seem as wise and enlightened as pos
Sible, gave us a descant on the folly of
such superstitious practices. He called
divination by cards and palmistry a
remnant of the barbarism of the Middle
Ages, and altogether unworthy the il
Elimination of modern days. The school
master and notary of the town, as in
duty bound, thought as the Mayor did.
la fact no one dissented from the oracle
of the place. Flushed with his triumph,
the Mayor turned to our hostess, and
continued confidently:
81 am sure, Madam. you have never
had recourse TO fortune-telling?
| had noticed something like smile
on the lady's lips during the harangue
of the Mayor. The smiles now became
marked and undeniable, and on her
husbands lips there played similar
expression, as the two glanced at each
other in obvious intelligence.
Eyes, sir" said our hostess, at length,
replying to the Mayor. 81 have had
recourse ere now TO fortune-telling.
She again looked at her husband. and
it was plain that some pleasant remini-,
scence was embodied in the glance, for
they reciprocally held out their hands,
and my friend pressed and kissed that
of his wife. These signs of mutual feel
ing did not pass unnOticed by any
member of the company. Seeing their
faces full of inquiring interest, the lady
continued:
81 observe you are all surprised; but
there is nothing extraordinary in the
matter. Listen and you shall judge.
My marriage with Alphonse (her
husband) was nearly arranged. lnch-
nation. parental consent, and, in short,
every favoring circumstance, were on
the side of our union. Alphonse had
the free entry of my fathers house,
and we had leave to see each other, to
talk together and to walk together. All
went on pleasantly, till one fine day
Monsieur Alphonse chose to assume a
cold look. to speak in monosyllables,
and, in place of calling me Anne, to
call me Ma'msellc. L wept the whole
night after. To what cause to attrib-
ute this sudden GOODNESS | knew not.
was in despair, but 100 proud to seek
an explanation. l concealed my un-
easiness. and even affected unusual
gayety before my lover. Poor AL
phonse, | have since learned what he
suffered, but, indeed. L might have
known pretty well at first, from con-
sciousness of my own torturcs.
"AlphOnse was jealous of one of my
cousins, a student of st. Cyr, who was
then passing few days of his vacation
with us. This youth had taken the
liberty of saluting me, and, perhaps, of
putting his arm around me. Alphonse
was neglected one whole day for the
little cousin.
Doubtless, thought he, this cousin
is preferred. As for me, the marriage
with which am to be honoredi is plainly
matter of convenience, and Heaven
knows what my fate may be afterward.
''Hence the frozen aspect, the Othel-
lo-like visage of Monsieur Alphonse;
and my assumed gayety seemed but 10
crown my perfidy. He felt himself
bound to quit such an ingrate-to BAN
ish from his heart love so unworthy.
"'Let her go and marry this cousin,
thought he, 'since she will not take the
trouble of even discriminating before
me-
''As for himself, he would go abroad !;
nothing like travelling for banishing the
recollection of an unfortunate love.
'.While Alphonse was occupied with
these thoughts, all at once an idea
struck him-he would consult fortune
teller, who lived in the town, and with