The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-11-25

full of fire, her teeth white and beautiful.
Her dress was crimson, and around her
waist a sash of crimson and orange; on
her bare neck and arms were bands of
gold, and a small circlet of gold was
bound across her forehead. In coming
forward, with a light step, she bowed,
but very distantly and somewhat
haughtily, and waited for her visitors to
speak. All, both ladies and gentlemen,
were astonished at the beauty and ap-
parent refinement of the gypsy fortune
teller.
'Will you oblige u.s." said the hand
some st. Aubyn, ''by telling our for
tunes? We have come far for that pur-
pose, and hope you will not refuse" And
for once the happy gallant was quite
humble in his demeanor, for the charms
of the girl before him had subdued the
anger he felt at the insolent conduct of
her father.
81 will read the future of those who
wish it. Let one ut time come to my
tent, ask me no question, but listen to
my words and follow my advice" The
girl spoke In low, musical tones, standing
gracefully and in q careless attitude be-
fore the group. At length, turning, she
entered the tent.
Blanche Deveigne, her costly silken
robe trailing over the brighthued leaves,
and her white hands flashing with gems,
looked the very embodiment of beauty
and patrician birth: yet even she felt
somewhat awed by the imperious manner
of Tara. Entering the tent, she found
the gypsy seated on n pile of crimson
cushions, and rs Blanche let the drapery
fall ut the entrance, Tara, with one little
hand, motioncd the court lady to ad-
vance. She did so; and the fortune.
teller, taking the snowy, jewelled hand
within her own brown palm, examined
the lines very attentively.
"You are fated to see many changes,
and foreign soil will end your days.
You will wed with one whom you love.
but he will prove false to you; but,
lady, you may avoid all the sorrow that
will come if you will give up your high
marry one who truly loves you but is too
humble for one SO naughty as You to
notice. You will meet him soon; marry
him and be happy, or wed the noble and
your life will be full Of shadows"
Ending abruptly, the girl motioned
her visitor away, and Blanche, pale as n
hand of Tara, left her presence. To each
one the sibyl predicted coming events,
gave them warning and startled even the
most sceptical by her wondrous skill.
That night there was great rejoicing in
the encampment, for Tara had received
large pile of shining gold from those who
had come from the palace.
About week after the visit of the
court party to the gypsy Queen, Tara, at
the close of a warm October evening,
was seated in her favorite haunt, near
the silvery stream. The moon slowly
rising above the distant hills transmitted
the soft gleam to amethystine mist, the
foliage of the trees looked mottled with
silver, while their shadows lay under
meath in great black patches; now and
then could be heard the sweet notes of
the whip-poor- will and the merry chirp of
crickets. Deeply lost in thought, the
girl noted not the beauty of the night,
nor heard the sound of approaching
footsteps.
81 must, I win be great, I care not by
what means, but rich and powerful I
will become; my father tells me that my
mother was lady, the daughter of a
wealthy land owner in the north of Eng
land, that she was well educated but silly
and romantic; meeting the handsome
gypsy lad at fair she fell in love with
him, ran away from home and in two years
after died in q decline, brought ON by
exposure and her rude wandering life.
From her I get my refined tastes and
love of ease and luxury. From my
father the art of deceiving and talent for
reading character. My little spy and
helper Antonio is of great service. He,
by going to the servants hall and pre-
tending to read their future, finds out
the secrets of each family, and now will
he come? / have waited long and pa
tiently to gain the desire of my heart; ]
| must and will be great" Such were the
thoughts of Tara, and so deeply was she
meditating she had not heard the foot
steps that came softly and rapidly ovel
the messy ground. and not until deef
but musical voice addressed her did she
awaken from her dreamings.
| 81 wish to see Tara, the gypsy queen
cali you direct me to her?" and looking
up the bright moonlight revealed to the
girl gentleman, dressed in plain, darl
clothes, with nothing about him denotine
rank or wealth; but underneath hi
chapeau cleaned out pair of keen
dark eyes, and his face, pale and intel
lectual, was stamped with nobility, Will,
he had an air as though born to com
mand. --~
"Sire, you see before you the humbl,
parsonage you deign to seek; command
me, for am your obedient servant.
And the willy gypsy knelt humbly at tn,
feet of Napoleon, for she knew him i'm
mediately.
Struck by her great beauty the EN-
peror raised her from the ground, ant
with looks of admiration, which were no
lost on the cunning, artful fortune-teller
he bade her lead the way to her tent, a
he wished his fortune told. He ha
heard of her wonderful talent at predict
ing future events, and he wished her t
tell him something of the past, littl
of the present, but more Of the future.
An hour passed, and when the En-
peror left the gypsy camp it was with
lighter step and q smile on his stsr
countenance, for in NcIl'1;o-..'r natur
there was Jnrch of SUPERSTITION, and h
irs;l;itiy Delisved all that Tara had tol
him. She had fiattered him by the brigh
pictures she drew of the brilliant future
telling of more victories, more conquest.
and that emperors, kings and prince
would humbly sue for favors at hi
hands. Nothing was said of defeat, dil
appointment or sorrow; all was rost
hued and full of brilliant promise.
One year passed rapidly away. The
there appeared at court a new sta
fresh exotic amid the bouquet of raj
flowers-one whose dark, rich beauty fl
outshone the cold, stately lily, Blanch
| in, m
Countess de Lisle, Tara, the gypsy. A
but the Empress. She knows her rs I'll
wife of one Of the haughtiest and mo
powerful mobiles of the empire, and h
romantic meeting with the beauty, lo'
. at first sight, the marriage, sanctiont
by the Emperor, etc. all these fac
3 were known; but the infatuation of M
: polean for the gypsy Countess, his dai
: interviews, her predictions, and her i
g huence, these facts were q secret eve
/ IL