Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-04-19
ARIAuNE'S PROPHECY.

Isoh
"You viii be famous yet, Paul, believe
met"
These words were uttered in a sweet,
earnest tone; the speaker was fair
young girl, standing in the moonlight
beside her lover. A mansion with
princely walls cleaned white from
among the distant shrubbery; and
forth from that mansion her girlhood
home, had Ariadne Homer stolen to
meet her lover for the last time. For
the arrogance of the purse proud rich
man had done its work the boy-artist,
the dreamer, he who is richer far in his
dowried soul than the great manufac-
turer, Amos Homer had been forbidden
those walls and the favoring glances of
that rich mans daughter.
Il wish my faith were as strong as
yours. Adne ~ he said. doubtingly.
''It should be, Paul." replied the
girl. My heart Is a true prophet; 1
can always t,ust its teachings. You
will come back some day, and then"
She stopped suddenly, and then
added, "And Paul 1 will be true and
patient, and await the day of your COM
ing" And small white hand stole into
his.
'Tt is enough, Adne. 1t is more than
deserve-more than L hoped. Now L
can go forth from the humble home of
my boyhood and wrestle manfully with
life, bearing with me the words you
have this night spoken. Adne, you
have saved me. You shall be my good
angel, my prophet, my guiding star.
Now good by, darling, and God keep
you when am ever seas. and bring me
again to your side -
And there, under the tender moon
light and the linden shade, they parted.
Bridging over five long years of toll
and endeavor, and study, We come to
time in Paul Billiards life when that
life seemed fairest and best. because,
his dreams fulfilled, his feet fairly set
upon the highway of fame and fortune,
he began to turn his gaze homeward to
the land where his heart lay-over the
ocean.
But few letters had found their way
to the toiler, and those were all penned
in the brown weather stained farm
house at Spring Meadow-none from
Ariadne Homer. But these he did not
expect relying implicitly on her faith,
he mad asked no token.
And how is 1t with her? All, hearts
will change, and gold is a strong lure
it has won many before now, and this
girl, bred in affiuence, the pet of an
idolizing father, is 10 wiser nor better.
And then Paul billiard at best was but
boy and a dreamer. He could never
bring her to a home like that to
which she had been accustomed, or like
the one old John Etheridge offered her.
Thus it happened the twilight of the
same eve that joined the lives if not the
hearts of AriadDe and John Etheridge
brought back Paul billiard to his
boyhood's home. Honors and laurel
wreaths had all faded before the beacon
light of love guiding him homeward.
The falntest rays of lingering golden
twilight shot upwards through the dus-
Ky bars that latticed the west in the
dim gray twilight, when the oid-fash-
ioned stagecoach set down a weary,
traveE-staIned, bearded, foreigp-look-
ing man at bend in the dusty country
highway and few minutes brisk walk
brought him into the green grassy lane
leading to Jonas billiards. farmhouse.
He Will pass over ms welcome In that
home where he was so loved, but when
he r, tired that night there were tears
n the proud mothers eyes as she pres
ed her quivering lips to his cheek; and
Jonas billiards. own were not dry.
"Paul's turned cut the right sort OF
stuff. after all. He'll do something for US
our old age yet. 'Twant bad move,
his going off to furrin parts, was 1t,
mother"
When the old farmhouse was stu,
and the night shadows had Heightened
on Tower Hill, Paul billiard softly lifted
the doorlatch of the large "sPar cham
Der" and stole down the winding STAIR
case. Sliding back the bolt OF the OLD
oaken door. he stood in the outer ar
he had not slept; maHy thougn's
crowded upon him-thoughts OF her
whose eyes had lured him homeward.
The night was calm and warm a dark
blue, star studded sky bent down upon
him. Two miles distant lay the village
in whose suburbs, on a linden-crowned
hill. stood Amos Homer's mansion. be
stood a moment on the broad doorstep,
then passed down the grassy lane and
out into the highway. Then setting on