The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-12
THE HAND or FATE.
MARY KYLE DALLAS.


 graduating class, to be sure. and past Sx,een, and very large for my age tour of ns made up our minds. one Sat urday afternoon. to have our fortunes told.
 There was gypsy camp oa, on the common beyond the town, with vans, tents, cauldrons. and the whose pArapher. nala of gypsy life. and Everybody walked or rode out to visit 1t. We decided 10 walk. and, as 1t vas a bright. cool day. enjoyed ourselves much better than if we had been cooped up in the stage, or even a carriage.
 1t was October. Some of the foliage had changed color httle, and there were red and golden unts amongst the greens. Now and then the wind shook the trees and scattered showers of leaves upon the road. purple-asters and golden-rod were still in bloom. Here and there ereM crimson squaw-berr,es, and biiter-sweet burnt like gold along the stone fences. Each of us gathered a great bunch, and we held them in our hands as we entered the path that led to the hollow where the camp lay. Young and romantic. we were .eady to be de lighted with everything with the swarthy gypsy selling colt ,o a stout farmer l; with old grand mother, landing ! dusky baby on her knees and the dirty. black eyed children squattins about every where.
 There were visitors in plenty, and most oi the women were busy telling fortunes. As we approached, a woman who had been sitllns on a fallen log. arose. and man who had been talking to her. pulled his hat over h.s eyes and turned away, like the villain m melodrama. The woman wore wide -bfimmcd straw hat, with wreath of artificial flowers around 1t. Her hair was dressed stiffiy and primly in well-oiled bands She had lowered delAine gown. and little rcd woolen shawl covered her shoulders, She was certainly neither young nor beautiful, as the gypsy maid s ot song and drama must inevitably be but she smiled amiably upon us, and. calling us pretty young ladies" asked if we would have our fortunes told.
 Clare. our spekeswoman. declared that to have been our intention m coming ; and we soon proved the truth of the adage ' A fool and his money is soon parted by dropping each dollar into the gypsy palm.
 Who shall begin with. pretty la dles.n asked the woman. And ~ill you have your fortunes told privately, or together!
 Clare answered that we had no secrets from each other. and that ",hls young lady" indi,a ating Belle, with the po,n, of her parasoi, would bc first to have a glimpse into faturity.'
 Belle. blushing rosy red, put out her little hand. and we all listened while the gypsy told her that some one with title. a lord of a duke. would cross the sea ,o fall in love with her tha, she would live in palace beyond the ocean, and he waited on like queen. There was more. but l have forgotten H. Belle was delighted, and Rose was the mex, victim.
 The gypsy told her that she would marry great musician, and VIC all laughed. for we knew that MT. Manelli who tAugh, the piano to the graduating class. was very much m love with her. Then Clare seated herself on the old log, and opened her hand. palm toward. { something like Lady lane. not pretty, bu, massive" The gypsy told her she would be d soldiers wife.
 Oddly enough, u really happened not d year afterwards We were .til d, the wedding. The next day Col N------ rode out oi the town al the head oi his reg,- meuL He neser came back. Clare wears her widows veil fot ham yet, and his nm iaiure lies over hei heart day and night. forever
 I3u; where have s,rayed to. Let me go back ,o the bIgh, autumn day. and the gygsy camp. and the iour school gtrls, half maek.ns. half believing. very merry, and l l',le frightened. 1, ~as my iurn. and 1 ss, before the dark. hard eyed woman, vlih 4 lace like d sm.lng ogrtas eafSed in black walnut. and iis- tened as she peefei 4, he ines m Iny palm.
 iou are a ,all young lady. Miss. ? she sad Al ias, % but you gn to school yet. hou are fond of masie. and you have ali elderly gentleman relation who iakes you oa' good bi, to places oi amusement, and the like. l don't sec whether its relaion.
 This was so true rha; l came nearly crying out l. Is Uncle Henry.' but bethought myself in time.
 -Yoa year blue s good deal, she went on. '' and you have blue fan. Al con- ccr, one evening you dropped il. The gentleman who picked II up is 10 be your husband. The stars say so. How white you turn. Essie," cred Clare.
 .I feel iaini,' 1 sad. It's true l dropped blue fan a, the opera when Fa,ti sang Tt4.aatia, and gentleman picked | up, ou, should sv, kno@ hIm from Adam
 1oa'H meet hiIB sgaln, however, ailss. sad the gypsy. some sunday al church he ~ili hand you prayer boot. wi;h the place marked nith flower : when you see that you ~ill kno. that your fate has come. His fIfst name h Robln. lie has black eyes, black hair. and dimple in his chin deep enough to put your finger in and he wears mous- taohe.f