The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-11-12
INTERESTING STORY.
FORTUNE-TELLING.


the road in the pleasant summer afternoon,
with the sweet color in her cheeks repeated
in floating feather in her hat, and full.
blown rose in the belt of her white dress,
was very picture that might have been
called rose in bloom by any artist who
had been there to paint it.
She looked beautiful, but she did not
look happy. Now that no one was looking,
and she was alone with nature, the corners
of her mouth dropped, and tears filed her
sweet blue eyes. Rich, lovely and admired
as she was, abe had great trouble in her
heart. Roger Delany was going away
Roger, who loved her, she felt quite sure
and whom she loved with oil the strength
of her womanly heart, purely, truly, tender
ly. He was going because she was rich and
he poor and he would not speak of what
he felt while this was so and until he
was her first great trial.
The grief of being an orphan was rather
negative one, for she could not remember
either of her parents, and an excellent
maiden aunt had been more of mother to
her than many real ones are to their dangh
tiers. All was well with her except just
here, where Roger Delany was concerned,
and for that very reason she felt her trouble
to be great He loved her, she loved him :;
and next week he was going away, far away,
in Colorado, and she dared not say word
to stop him--she, who would willingly have
had him always at her side.
For Roger Delany was poor, and luck If
there is such thing, had been against him ;
and there was the bugbear of family
Hers an old one, rich one, an educated
one his, destitute Of grandfather of i'm
portance enough to remember, without
estate or position, and decidedly unedu-
Gated. Roger had educated himself by dint
of many sacrifices he was gentleman at
every point but in that an exception to
the general rule of those of his name. Yet
Miss Mattaran-old General Mattarans only
daughter by his pretty young second wife,
who could trace her descent from old May
flower people-would only too gladly have
changed her name for his.
She was of age-her own mistress II O
few worthy people wondered" what
would she care? The only difficulty was
that he did not ask her.
He did not mean to, unless he came back
from Colorado o rich man. He was too
proud. and he could not guess that she
loved him, though he was aware that she
had no aversion TO him. When he came TO
the village to teach the little school and
board around, she had met him at friends
house, and she had seemed to him as far re-
moved from him as though she were a
queen.
He held the theory that the poor man
who married rich woman placed himself
in false position; and though he wished
over and over again that Miss Mattaran was
poor, he had no thought of changing hia
views Of his life because of his emotions.
The love had grown in his heart, how.
ever, and this was why he was going away,
to make his fortune II he could, In order to
lay it at her feet. He was well aware of the
chances against him. He knew fortunes
were hard to make that out of sight was
out of mind, and that pretty girls were apt
20 marry; but still he took the chances.
Tomorrow he would say good bye, and
go.
Minnie Mattaran, walking slowly up the
road, was thinking Of this. She knew what
was in his mind as well rs II he had told
her; and wild dreams of what she could do
to stop him without doing anything unwo.
manly and unconventional filed her mind,
as she passed the hollow where gypsy
camp had lately been pitched. She paused,
and looked down into its green depths. The
horses were grazing in their little Enclosure
The children running wild everywhere
dusky, brutal looking men lay idly about
and smoked. A fire burnt against a big,
gray rock, o kettle hung over fame Of
brushwood, gridiron stood near, and one
or two women were getting meal Of some
sort
: Some amongst the idle ones spied her,
and gypsy girl, in red cloak, came clam
bering up from amongst the bushes to ask
il she would have her fortune told
A girl in love is sure to be ready for any
folly. Minnie laid her palm in the pretty,
lark creatures hand, and listened to little
promise of happy love, and the man of hen
choice OF her feet, with thrill of pleasure
She knew it was all nonsense, but it com.
forted her. And as she stood there, an idet
came into her head.
Will you do something for me if pay
you well Z" she asked.
Eyes," replied the girl !; and glad to
do it, too. What is it ~
"Lend me your dress for one night, and
1T your own price," 8
The girl laughed.
g That's easy. suppose the young lady
is going to fancy BAR, p she said, and
leave it to herself what she will pay,n she
answered. ~
Minnie named generous sum, and the
girl promised to bring the dress to a certain
part of the woods as soon as she could get
It. s8s
1t viii be this costume, but my new
dress-my best dress" she said, +" far pref
tier and better"
And on the edge of the woods Minnie
waited for the parcel, and carried 1t home
herself through the twilight, though II was
done up in ragged newspaper.
That evening, as Roger Delany entered
long, green lane that was favorite lovers
walk on Sunday evenings, bus was quite
deserted on this particular occasion, dark