The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-04-23
INTERESTING STORY.
A WICKED GIRL,

curious thrill, her black eyes glowing fer
vently. Somehow there was something
weird and uncanny about her. The New
Hampshire farmers wife felt the discrepancy
between the girl and her surroundings. and
sighed.
II am sorry for you, Rhoda," she said,
but don't see any earthly way that yon
can go to those lectures ~
. will go." said Rhoda, quietly
9 You can't" shrilly piped out Rosaline,
Mrs. Howitt's plump, blue-eyed daughter,
You've got nothing to wear"
II intend to CO." stubbornly repeated
Rhoda
But ma says you amt to go" uttered
Philippa, the second Miss Hewitt. Don't
you hear?"
Nevertheless" said Rhoda, flashing an
oblique glance at Philippe from under her
level brows, I" will 60"
. Hold your tongue, Rhoda, said Farmer
Hewitt, sharply, as he turned the weekly
paper inside out. Where's the use of talk
ing such ridiculous nonsense ?"
Rhoda was silent-but any physiognomist
would have said, that her will was unbroken,
her determination unstirred
Little lamo Penelope, who was reading
" Robinson Grusoe," up in the garnet, was
her only confdante, as late into the night,
Rhoda sat stitching by the light of two soli-
tary dip-candles, which she herself had
manufactured.
81 But what ON earth are you making,
Rhodafp asked the child, coming temper
arily ont of the palm groves and mango
thickets of the g Island of Juan Fernandez"
and staring at her companions work
=" Your old scarlet shawl-and little Tom,
cast off suit of black velveteen. Oh, how
strange. Is it for fancy ball ?"
Rhoda smiled. Those large, limpid eyes
Of hers were strangely sweet when the hard
CLEAN had melted ont of them.
$ 1t is fora masquerade" said she.
i" Where ~
" You will promise me not to tell 2"
Did ever tell of you, yet, Rhoda :n re-
proachfully asked Penelope.
4 ''Well-it is to be on Rothiey FAN
Grounds. am to 60 as a Gypsy Girl"
Does mamma know2 And the girls 2"
"a Your mamma does not know. Nor do
| the girls. 1t is great, great secret. I am
going to earn some money, Pen, by fortune
telling!"
Oh, Rhoda %
1t is often done on fair grounds, you
know" Rhoda explained. % have made
little tent out of those old hay-covers that
your father threw away. ! have whitfield
out pins to fasten it down, md borrowed
rope-line to make it secure. This is to be
my costume! And look, Pen! ~
With quick, impatient movement of her
hand, she pulled out hair-pin or two-a
perfect cascade of ink-black hair, CLOSED
here and there with purple lights, fell about
her. She wrapped the scarlet draperies
about her, in unconseiously graceful folds.
Now!" said She "Wliat do l look
like 7"
I" A gypsy-regular gypsy" cried Pencil
/ ope, clapping her little hands. 4 Oh,
Rhoda, you are perfect picturei But
father and mother? They will not let you"
=. Pen, you have no originality at ALL"
said grave Rhoda- ~ shall not ask them,
at all. I shall take the big basket with the
lid, on Tuesday. / shall go black berrying,
before dawn. In the thickets I shall dress
Il shall 60 to the fair grounds and pitch
my tent early, before any one comes. And
them shall tell fortunes all day for silver
pieces rather think that some will come
my way"
" Tell my fortune, Rhoda!" said the
child, holding out little thin hand. But
sRhoda turned away with q shiver.
81 will tell the fortune Of no one that
lover" said She " And after all the whole
thing is sheer nonsense. But want money.
need new dress-not Grandma's snuff
colored alpaca made over, nor your mothers
dyed bunting, which is so streaky that no
one else will wear it, but pretty dress to
wear to the minister's historical lectures"
Rhoda Lee was true to her word. Early
in the purple dawn of the August morning
she packed her barbaric costume into the
big basket, and set forth across the dew.
sparkling meadows. And when an hour OF
two later, the Hewitt family gathered about
the breakfast table, Rhoda's absence pro-
| soked no especial comment.
. She said she meant to go to the black
berry pastures, 7 said Mrs. Hewitt = Its
about time to make jam-and was afraid
she would take notion to go to the fair
I'm glad she's safe otter berries
And why shouldn't she go TO tie fair as
we'll as Rosaline and Philippa p said little
Ben.
She has nothing fit.to wear. said Mrs.
Hewitt. TIT. e'ItE}ssd59ilf ~ s
"We don't expect 10 dress the Bound
Girl like lady," said Philippe, sneeringly.s
And she is such wild thing!" added
Phiiippa, who pried herself on being sc
very much like lady.