Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-03-03

r
lence that the girls started and represseo
little cries of terror when the fortune-tellel
began. ~-t,
81 see tail man whom you love and who
loves you in return. | see many flowers,
and minister with an open book, and a
lonely place where two roads meet, and the
willows grow, where you will go before a
year has passed away and you will be very
happy there, for there is no trouble around
you. This means hat you will be married
| in less than year."
| Elizabeth blushed and dimped and
smiled, for this meant she would marry the
young surveyor. for whom she had wished
Alice passed her fateful cup, and the wise
woman peered into it, frowned, shook her
head, and said slowly:
II see DEATH the skeleton at the top of
the cup, and below him the ground thick With
headstones. and long dark procession bear
| ing Il coffin in their midst. You will not
live the year out, Alice Vincent"
Naturally of a timid and sensitive dispo
si'ior, A lice grew alnt and sick at the pic
ture thus revealed TO her of her young life
blighte9 in its bloom, and was glad to pay
-Fie o'.l Woman as qu;cSly as possible and
find herself standing upon the thre>h id with
her CLOAK folded about her, prepared, with
Elizabeth to brave the darkness and the
warrirg elements Of the cold autumn night
No friendly star shone between the black
clouds I'd guide them, the rain fell steadily
and the roads were ankle-deep in mud
Through the wild rush of wind and rain
they stumbled on. clinging to each others
hands, guessing the way and hardly daring
to breathe, lest some spectral shape should
suddenly rise up in the darkness before
them.
The night journey held greater terrors for
Alice than for her companion, for, perhaps,
the promised death lurked in the under
growth along the way, or followed with
noiseless steps behin.i her, and would leap
upon her at any minute, freezing the blood
in her young heart forever.
But at last they reached her home, and,
frightened. wet, and weary, were glad to
hurry off to bed. and lose, if possible, the
memory of the nights adventures in the
oblivion of sleep. Elizabeth was soon wrap
ped in sweet slumber on the soft pillows
and dreaming of happy future of welded
bliss, but, though aching in every lin ,,
Alice lay awake with sleepless, sta, ig
eyes until the gray light of the rainy Nn-
ing stole in between the curtains. N
From that ill-omened evening in the for
tune-teller's hut Alice saw, sleeping or
waking, the coffin and the open grave, for
never for an instant did she doubt the old
woman's vision.
Even when gallant lover came to WOO,
she turned a deaf ear to his impassoued
pleading, saying only that she was to be
the bride of death, and must devote her few
remaining days on earth to fitting herself
for heaven.
Meantime Elizabeth, also putting all her
faith in the magic cup, gave full rein to h-rI
dreams and hopes. built her castles il Spaj1
and allowed herself to love this young SUI
veyor with all the strength of her tend
wOman's heart.
AS for him, it lighteued the monoto(
charts and figures to walk and talk u
village beauty and whisper soft no1
her she Like ear in the long Az
lights and steal an occasional
rosebud lips.
But all things must ep
first snowfall Spencer del
to write aud come agai1 "a
But he never WI Ote1
In his Owp. heart possessed anv
winch his best friends doubted, he really
loved ths sweet maiden, who had the hand
and foot of fairy and the delicate bloom
OF his favcIi'e wild roses, and was so frank
ny fond of him; but in a great city miles
away there wa- a naughty beauty, who wore
his ring and held his trOth and counted her
money by hundreds.
Elizabeth began to drOop as the Winter
passed and brought no news of her lover,
until her cheek was pale as the snow drift.
Snowhakes melted and snowdrops came
instead, and the April rain dropped from
the leaves with Il musical sound, as if call
ing for the flowers to waken and burst the
dark mould asunder and bloom again.
And as the Spring advanced Elizabeth
faded slowly out of life. paling and pining
from day to day, as if the sorrow at her
heart drained the blood from her lip and |
quencbed- the light in her beautiful eyes, |
until one showery afternoon, when the sun
light played h'de-aud-seek with the rain
drops, she unfolded the wings of her white |
soul and vanished away beyond the sun
shine and the rain.
Sorrowing friends and the bereaved moth
er laid the beautiful clay to rest in the old |
g ave ard and she slept in lonely place,
where the willows waved and two roads
met, and sorrow touched her nevermore.
for she had f und peace
Alice, seeing from the sad fate of her
friend how little of wisdom was contained |
in The reputed wise woman's words. put |
away from her the thought of death and |
married her faithful suitor, and lived to tell |
her grandchildren OF the night she went to
have her fortune told
Whether fate mixed the fortunes of those |
two girls that wild Autumn night is more |
han can tell, being only chronicler of
The material, and not the spiritual; but it is |
safe to say that it is not we'll to seek to lift !
The curtain that hides tomorrow from to- |
lay, for it is merciful and wise Providence
that wells futurity from our eyes