Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-01-27
THE EIPsY's PROPHECY.

/ observed i'll the corner OF the
dungeon young ten,ake seated on
:, isasdtel OF straw, narsing her in
fant. Her eonplcxion vas swarthy,
and in her large black eyes glowed
the fire OF the sun q Italy. The
relics OF her appares indicated that
previeus to her Imprisonment she
had worv the gafa of a Roman
peasant. Her expressive physing-
lnomy. and her bold look seemed
Icaloslatcd to excite curiosity.
approached and begged her to re
late to me through what misfortune
she found herself in this place Of
horror.
"St. Francis ]" exclaimed she,
"Ghat interest can the narrative OF
my extraordinary mistortunes hs@e
ter free and happy people 8 My
n2unc ie Meria Grakla- My mother
lost her ite Ly giving birth to nae.
Nv father devoted to his own
pleasures and caring bnt little about
my education, placed me, while vet
very young, in eonsent The
older l grew, the more i,ksoG,e
this kind of life became to me for
my inclinatiois, HIy disposition, and
the vivacity OF my character all
se"mrd to urge me on to 4 tuturity,
tull OF trouEis.
"a circarast 4saee. which [ never
could account for, had powerful
influence upon my fate On some
particular occasions n gipsy W"u.an
was admitted tito the convent for
our amusement. All the sisters
were alle~s.l 30 hold their ears K
the tin speaking-tru'npet of the
old sibyi, who, moreover, gave to
each of Rs Il slip ct ,aaper, on which
was written what she terAaei the
degrc, of heaven. thrice did / &c
up t. her for the pnriase OF elioy-
ing the like favor, and thrice the
oracle became mute. Thl. refllsa
oi he old woman excited partly III,
anger and partly my curiosity.
begged, | cntreated, [ wrpt al
length the gipsy was moved by my
| tears.
"Y"n insist upon It, unhappy girl,
said skc swell, thct., know tha,
you will be the wife Of a rotl,er
vino will murder your father, anG
that your your hair will turn gray
in d dungeon
CAT the age Of fifteen such pre-
dictions make no very deep inn
preston laughed heartily on tl,e
subject with my companions, and
Loaded the OLD prophecies viii
ridicnlc. At night, however, wher
L was alone, my mind became
against my will, Il prey to appre-
tensions. [ PASSED the hours il
anxiety and Painful revery the
prediction Of the tortune-tcller in
cessantiy haunted my waking
dreams.
"My father took me out of the
convent, but only to shut me ul
again with an old housekeeper al
his old country seat, about five miles
from Rome. One night the weather
was very tempestuons. [ could moi
sleep. ] fancird that | heard {
confused sound of voices under my
window, which looked into the
garden. | awcke Ala, who never
went to bed without her weapon
which was large carvlng-knite
Presently we heard the outer win
dow-sh0trcr broken open. W.
concealed ourselves behind the cur
tain l had armed myself with the
knife. A pane OF window was cnt
and hand protrndcd through the
aperture to untastcn the catcl
which secured it. | seized the op-
portunity and strnck go affective :
blow that the hand dropped At my
feet. A yell of agony and the
sound OF tOotseps succeeded, ant
then all was quiet again.
"lt day brake I repaired to Rome
where related my adventure t.
my father, he admired my courag.
and permitted me t, leave the
lonely villa. He was by this tim,
thinking of marrying me, and ever
hoped that my adventure, which Wa
soon rnmnred abroad, would for
ward his design. t5ian t.
"Among my suitors there was ,
! yonng cavalier, the beauty of who's.
handsome features was heightened
by delicate paleness. He CAV,
himself out tor a FloreLtine, ant
carried his arm in sling, in con-
sequence, it was said, OF sligh
wound which he bad received in a,
affair Of honor. His kind atte1l-
ton and amiables manner soou
made a deep impression mp on me
He solicited my hand. My father
with his usual lcvity, gave his con
sent and we were united.
''The.day after our marriage IN
husband was no longer the tende
lover; his looks were wild, his yoic