Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16
penalty but for guardian angel lit.

MY hrst peril was from the noun
tain mist which came down and
around me with bewildering sudden.
ness, blottiDg ont the landscape far
and near.
| Still thought knew my way,
and was stepping onward, though
with caution, when my dress was
clutched from behind as fancied by
some bush; turning to Olsen tangle It
l was confronted with what seemed
an awful apparition looming up
through the misty Teil, and with q
suppressed cry | stood still in
alright.
l saw woman's form bent with
age, q face intersected with lines
and wrinkles like map, from which
nose and chin stood out like noun
tain peaks, and the sunken eyes
cleaned like fiery volcanic c.aters.
"Stop, my leddyl" she cried, "the
gates of death are open before gel
TAX my hand and let me lead you.
Thank God, my BARN, that Elspa
was near you in your peril"
had heard of Elsps as a woman
who dealt in herbs and simples, but
l had heard Of her as one with an
uncanny reputation. She was spo-
ken Of as the "wise woman" but
her words were uttered as if they
meant witch"
/ confess that l was half afraid to
acoept her guidance, but she stamp.
ed her foot and by gesture strong as
words gave me TO understand that
had been walking towards prec.
ipice and three steps further would
have borne me to destruction.
What landmark she had I knew
not, but / think she seemed to feel
her way with her feet. At all events.
after about an hours cautious step
ping we stood below the mist, the
blue lake cleaning like a mirror still
further down, and my uncle's house
within sight. Conscious Of the ser.
vice she had rendered did not con-
fine my thanks to words but was lib.
eral with coin.
As she took the ssiller' she scanned
my face curiously, then seized my
hand and peered into it closely, W bile
sort of creepy sensation (excusable
in girl of 19) stole over me.
"Once. twice, thricel Three per-
lis, my bonnie Teddy. One is past.
The ithers lie before. Perils OF your
ain seeking. The gates of death
stand in the path of your true love.
Open them not with rash or needless
hands before the year be out, for
love may mourn for love that could.
no hide. The air of the mountain
and lake is ma guide for ye, BARN.
Keep mair at hame and dinna be
misdoubtin'. There's q guide God
above a., Remember! One danger
is overpast. Tae heed ye seek not
the ithers; and dinna scott at old
Elspa's warning words"
The old woman trotted off with a
basket on her arm, rusty black
bonnet on her head, garments poor,
but clean, and only a small check
wooden handkerchief to protect her
from the chilly mountain mists.
| had scarcely decided whether to
laugh at her maunderings or to yield
to- the superstitious feeling when l
opened the house door to find all
within 10 a state of excitement.
1t was long past the dinner hour
and my absence had alarmed them.
Of course l explained the cause of
delay, and it was only by Aunt Rit.
sons agitation that l fully compre
hended the danger that / had es-
capped. I think the motherly con.
Germ made me more communicative
than usual,
We were speaking of Elspa and
my uncle came in.
@Ah |" he said, as Winnie helped
him of with his overcoat. 'Ah my
dear, you might thank your stars
Elspa was on the mountain side. l
dare say she folio wed you. The old
ScotchWoman is shrswd and far.see.
ing, she has turned her eighty years.
experience to account. has q good
practical knowledge of common all.
| ments and curative simples. should
lose my own credit, or / might do
worse than take her IS an assistant
| and he laughed. Then she can
read character with any phvsiogno-
mist 10 the world. and the silly folk
think her prophetic when she is only
clear. eyed"
think my uncle was using an in
vi ible probe know colored and
be laughed again but said nothing
nor did I.
The excitement had not oil been
on my account. Bella had received
an invitation to spend some mon this
with newly married friend in Lon
don, and good-natured Winnie was
in high glee. Even aunt aoknow-
lodged it q 'chance not TO be missed
if possible;' and l saw her glance
furtively in U6ele Ritson's face,
which I fanoid was graver than MS
ual. Still possibilities were not dis.
cussed in my presence. 1t was not
until had retired TO my own pref
~ room for the night that | over
heard the sisters discussing the
problem unmindfnl of the thin par
tiLion between the head of my bed
and theirs.
l found that money-or its search
ty--stood in the way aud heard the
chances of the matrimonial market
calculated with balance greatly in
favor of London.
Money! How l hated the word |!
would have given every shilling
1 possessed to be assured that Edgar
Neville was true to me and would
seek me out when the period of pro-
baton prescribed by my father had
gone by. But where could he seek
me Correspondence had been for
hidden. He knew not my address
and my father had Withheld Edgar's
from me. All, how he repented be.
fore he died How glad he would
have been to have left me in those
strong, protective arms.
! soon bridged the monetary diff,
Guilty over in spite of my uncle's
opposition, and | think / showed
something of my old self in the spir
il in which / entered into the peedful