River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-11

/ adore Gypsies and / must have my
fortune told. Come, tell It me and I'll
give you a shining piece, else your word
| belle you, and . basket of goodies TO
carry away"
The Gypsy snatched away her hand.
which the girl in her excitement had
caught
"a bit Of food rendered by you would
choke me if / tried to gulp it down.
do not want your money. You are a
rose so environed by thorns that no
man would care to pluck and wear it
upon his bosom"
"And you are wicked old creature
-half-wOman, half-devil, who can see
no further in the future than |, ;" ret TT
ed Maggie, her temper again in the as
cendant. "She is cheat, Eleanor;
| don't trust her"
But Eleanor Carlyle, whose nature
was somewhat imbued with German
mysticism, had made up her mind that
this woman, not of the earth earthly,
could tell her what the mystic future
had in store for her, so she said unhesi-
tatingly:
"I-I think III hear what she has to
say, Maggie"
YOU'RE a big fool" then, irritably
exclaimed Miss France, as she ruth
/ lessly stripped off some Of the purple
morning glories and tossed them to the
ground
OF course. so shrewd q woman as
Myra knew whom Stanley had refer
/ ence to when he concocted the plot
! that was to win him a wife if carried
safely out. 1t was Maggie. But Myra had
| determined to reverse the order of
| things, and have her revenge on the
tantalizing little elf for treating her so
cavalierly.
"To- be-sure," she reasoned; ''the lit
tie vixen must love so fine and rich
gentleman as the one who employed
me on so unusual an errand; but she is
not half good enough for him, and I'll
balk his plan of winning her, if posi-
bic. He is an upright, splendid man,
and she"-meaning Eleanor-''is Il
sweet, dainty woman; and, if l can III
bring them together In the end he'll
thank me for frustrating his scheme"
She took the delicate palm the girl
extended, and studied the intricate lines
"You are i'll love-" she began, boldly.
Al this the maiden averted her face,
which rlvaled in hue the althea at her
waist.
"And," mercilessly went on the pre-
tended prophecies; you will be-yes,
you actually Will be-married in less
than years time. And to such
grand man, with such lots of money
that you can wear your diamonds and
have a new gown every day, ifyou wish.
He is not what you would call tall-nOt
what you would call handsome. He
is-but," breaking off abruptly; "what
is this | see? Lady," flashing the light
of her black eyes on the listening girl,
care you a cOward?'
'Not in the strictest sense of the
term, Myra, the startled maiden slow
ly replied. "Why do you ASK.
Because, thus saith the oracle) if
you want to know who is to be your
husband, you must HE to the spot a
few rods from here where two roads
medicine together like the tines IF
a fork-to might precisely at nine o.
clock. There underneath the linden
which oveIshadows th- by no means
gruesome spot, you will see him-the
man who is to be your fate, who is to
guide you along life's devious ways.
Art thou afraid, my lassie?"
NAY, mother | do not think so. 1t
will be bright, moonlight night"
And the man who is there will pro
tect you from all danger that is liable
to befall you. He is a strong, muscu-
lar man."
'But-but it is bold, unwomanly act
mother" stammered Eleanor. ''Does
does my future"
Husband, suggested the Gypsy, as
the girl blushed ana hesitated over the
word
docs he know anything of what you
tell me, Myra?"
Certainly not, child" boldly assert
ed the woman, inwardly laughing at
the CONSERVATION of the man, when,
instead of a wee flibbertigibbet a tall,
graceful maiden, with face like pic
tured saint, appeared before him.
What would he do? Would he be
mad? Or would he recognize the SUI
perior merits of the girl, and gladly
submit to the inevitable?
''If not, he is dolt," she said, as she
descended the steps. Anyhow it is
1t is written"
AZ lIlt dHIlOIlllCd IOuIs illllC " OiOShs
Justin Stanley was stationed under the
linden, the moon shedding silvery
light athwart the face of the earth, and
falling on the grave, perplexed counte-
nance of the waiting man. He was not
sure but he had done very foolish
thing; for, after all, did he love the
needless girl well enough to make her
his wife?
As the thought fitted through his mind
he saw the figure of a girl in the dis
tance-a slender, graceful figure, that
assuredly did not belong to the lass he
had purposed making his wife. Who
could it be? His amazement was over
powering when, rs lie approached near
err, he saw that it was Eleanor Carlyle,
the lady from Brooklyn who was spend
ing the summer at the eountry-seat of
the Castletors, neighbOrs of the Frances.
He had met her frequently during the
past month-had admired her greatly;
but he idea Of falling in love with her
had never entered his head. Why was
she there? Had she come to meet her
fate? Had the woman gone to the
wrong house, and had she sent the
wrong girl to him? Surely, surely if he
were to propose, that dainty, sweet
faced girl would never consent to be
his But he felt even now that it would
be no difficult task to learn to love her.
He stepped out from under the
dropping branches of the linden-this
man whom Eleanor had prayed might
be the one to meet her there in the
moonlight and softly pronounced her
name.
Miss Carlyle Am l mistaken? Is
il YOU, or is it your wraith?"
Dressed in white, with white bur
moose covering her golden head, she
looked not unlike an apparition-a
sheeted ghost.
At the sound of his voice, confirming
her wild hopes, Eleanor sank back all
a-tremble. 1t vast was Justin STAN
| ley.
She tried hard to utter his name, but
was unable to articulate syllyble. But
ne, growing bold, advanced nearer and
said:
Il must really see whether it is be-
ing of flesh and blood, or creature
without a substance shadow.
She held out her hand
You skeptic Touch me and be
I I Il,