The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-17

your husband. The stars say So"
''How white you turn, Essie," cried
Clare. i.
al feel faint" 1 said. It's true /
dropped a blue fan at the opera when
Patti sang Traviata. and gentleman
picked it up, but should not know him
from Adam"
You'll meet him again, however,
Miss, - said the,gypsy. ''Some Sunday at
church he will hand you a prayer-book
with the place marked with a
flower; when you see that you will
know your fate has come. His first
name. is Robin. He has black eyes.
black hair and a dimple in his chin deep
enough to put your finger in; and he
wears a mustache."
1 certainly had enough for my dollar.
We all walked home together rather
seriously, but in a day or two the i'm
preston passed away, and we almost
forgot how strong it had been.
The rest of October was very unpleas-
ant. We had prayers in the school-room
instead of going to church. But on the
first Sunday in. November the sky was
blue and the air clear, and we all sci
forth for church together.
p 1t so happened that there were -four
new scholars, and the seats belonging to
the school were full; four of us were left
over to claim the courtesy of our neigh
bors. | was invited to enter a pew occu-
pied by one old lady, and as my prayer
book was in the school-rack had none,
and did not like to help myself without
;,,rvstaf,a,, Ac hncifnfad n hnnLy w 6
passed to me from the pew behind me.
This is the place." said a charming
voice, and as bowed my thanks, l saw
that the page was marked with pressed
daisy. ti. gr tt.'
Instantly the visit TO the gypsy camp
and the fortune-teller' prophesy rushed
into my memory. l could not have
helped looking at the pew behind if my
life had depended on it. | actually
turned my head and looked full at the
gentleman who had given me the book.
He had black hair and eyes, long
moustache and a dimple on his chin that
you could put your finger in.
The congregation wereTising; arose,
too. l held the book in my hand and
softly turned to the hy-leaf before the
title-page. A name was written there
Robin Armytage.
Who can blame if i said to myself:
"Certainly have met my fate at last. y
1t is vulgar to ''fiirt'' wrong to make
acquaintance without introduction, but
it was all Robins fault. When he held
his umbrella over me one rainy day;
when he met me as went shopping for
Berlin wool for my afghan, and walked
with me and talked; when old Billberry,
who made the fires for the school came
upon me in the garden one morning, and
pointing to gentleman, where he had
no business to be, looking over the fence,
said: " Look here, Miss. This here is
Mr. Robin Armytage. Proud to make
YOU knowed to each other" who could
go against fate? And so had the i'm
pudence to introduce him to uncle in the
holidays, and in three months we were
engaged. l graduated, left school, and
soon after married Robin, and was as
happy as a bird, or butterfly, or a
squirrel.
| had told Robin about the gypsy. OF
course, and he had agreed with me that
IL was All very WOuutIlul 81 OlJtiii anu
at last, one bright spring evening, as we
walked together, spoke again of the
strange prophesy, and particularly OF
the fact that the gypsy had known his
name, and was growing little excited
over it all, when Robin put his arm about
my waist and drew me close to him.
"My darling" he said, 81 can't de.
ceive you any longer. There was nc
prophesy about it whatever 1 had been
in love with you for weeks had watched
you everywhere, and follow ed you tc
the camp. paid the gypsy five dollars
to say just what told her, and gave the
old sexton two to get me into the pew
behind you. Of course, also bribed
Billberry. All is fair in love as in war.
You forgive me, don't your" 49,
For little while l wouldn't, but al
last gave in. One must, you know.
81 thought it was the hand of fate that
guided me-" | said, cor I'd never have
spoken to you or let Billberry introduce
you, or deceived uncle ff
at was all very wrong, | know"
Robin answered. cit would have beer
very shocking if it had been some other
fellow, but you see it was L.
Yes, it was him.. That seemed to make
all the difference.
90, Robin, the hand of fate was in it
/ believe, after all. "-Mary Kyle Dallas,
IN N. Y. Ledger.