The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-01-28
FATE AS FORETOLD.

Two Young girls were walking arm
in-arm along a winding country road
at the close Of a mild October afternoon.
Fair as a lily and sweet as cherry
were the epithetS that would have best
described their respective charms. The
rallest, whose name was Alice Vincent,
was a blonde, with smooth white skin
that blended the exquisite tints OF the
blush rose and cream lily, deep blue
dreamy eyes and golden hair that re-
vealed rather than concealed with its
classic coils the contour of her ShapelF
head, which was bare to the kisses OF
the late sunbeams that yet fingered like
lettering schoolboys along the way.
The old house, hidden in growth OF
morning. glories. few yards behind
her al the bend i'll the road, was her
home. whence she had sauntered with
her friend, who had taken tea with her
and was now returning 10 the village
where she lived.
Many 4 baShiul Youth secretly sighed
for the privilege OF the Sunbeams TO kiss
sweet Alicr'~ rounded cheek or burnish-
ed iresseS, but not one of them dared 10
summon courage 10 approach in any
lover-likc fashion This graceful and
beautiful creature, who seemed cast in a
finer mould than they. and made of
purer clay. The maiden at her side
was neither blonde nor brunette, hut
that charming mixture of both that pro-
duceS soft blue eyes and hair
In gloss and hue the chestnut, when the shell
Divides lbrCeinld. TO show the fruit within.
If the rural beauX We're shy of Alice
Vincent, they were not all timid of Eliz-
abeth Adams. whose sunny face and
Ia hal rr1aln an ia1
man and slender stripping for miles
around her bond->layeS in the golden
fetterS OF love.
Cupid attended her at all places. and
nj all season. and sent an arrow into
some rustic heart with every glance OF
her love-lit eyes She smiled on all and
favored all alike, and though every man
she smiled on would have willingly
laid down his life for her yet not one
among them could take TO himself the
coveted honor. and say. Il am her ia
vOred suitnr.
Like the great Elizabeth of old, she
still walked in maiden meditation,
fancy free and smiled on all because
she cared for none.
Il will not 90 any farther with you
now," said Alice as they reached y
curve in the road that hid her home
from sight.
Don't forget to meet me at the old
mill Tomorrow night at dusk, to 60 and
have our fortunes told" said Elizabeth
as she kissed her friend goodbye.
And Alice rrtraced her steps under
the soughing branches, holding her
pink-flowered skirt daintily out of the
dust and wondering. girl-like, what her
fortune would be.
In twentv-four hours the autumn
weather changed from the mild atmos-
phepe in which the breath of summer
vet fingered to the bleak wind and chill
" air of approaching winter.
The arms of the old mill went round
swiftly against thickly cloudcd sky,
and the dark woods that crept almost
up TO it shook and shivcred and sighed
mysteriously in the gloomy dusk, as
Alice, enVeloped in a long cloak and
ample hood thai hid her golden hair,
waited for her friend tearfully cycling
the black shadows among the trees in
the meantime, and starting nervously at
the groaning ot the branches, or the
| rustling OF the wind over the withered
grass and fallen leaves.
The swapping Of dry twigs underfoot
announced the approach OF Elizabeth.
! who was likewise cl03ked and hooded
| from the chill eveEing air and the rain
| The laden clouds might bring.
| The house Of the wise woman who
| was wont to tell the fortunes OF all the
! maidens for miles around, stood little
! over Il mile from the old windmill, and
| on the edge of Il stagnant pond, where
frogs splashed in and out of the green
water and croaEed all night on the
muddy bank.
| At the back Of the house was dense
i wood, which sent out adyance-guards
of beeches, that dropped their long
branches on the mossy roof and creaked
dismally to and fro over the shingles Oh
stormy nights.
! 4 few yards away from the door stood
dead cherrytree, the skeleton rain
| bleaehed limbs of which cleaned shast-
! ~ through the gathering gloom against
| the lowering heaven. and i'll the hollow
| trunk of which 4 venerable owl had
! made his home for wears.
As the two girls approached the house
/ they saw the red CLEAN of a blazing
/ woOd-iire through the uncurtained Win
dow. and beheld grotesque shadows
waving TO and fro across the floor, like
| witches in a wild dance for the amuse-
| ment of the old fortune-teller, who sat
in a high-backed chair by the fire, with
great grey cat curled up in her lap.
She was between fifty and sixty years
! old and dressed in many gay colors. A
bright blue ruffied skirt was short
enough to reveal her scarlet stockings
and curious. sharply-pointed shoes.
Her bodice was crimson. and deep
white lace collar. that reached 10 the
dimensions OF 4 cape, spread III many
starched and crimped rutf1es on her
shoulders Her iron-gray hair was
| kuotted tightly at the back OF her head,
and three long curls touched the collar
on either side her face Long earrings
of antique fashion depended from her
ears: around her neck We're many
| strings of colored glass beads. and on
her breast and head and from every
puff and fomce upon her skirt tloated
long ribbon bows, of purple and azure,
yellow and green, so that As she rose to
welcome the two girls she moved in a
fiutter OF ribbon StreamerS. and. when
ever she ncared the fire put Alice in a
tremor OF terror lest they ignite.
She closed the door behind them 10
the chill wind that was bringing few
drops OF rain with it. and lit the tall tai
low candle in the ancient candlestlck
on the shelf, where it stood with quaint
cups and jars, and long pine-cones. and
curious twisted shells that, in the day OF
her youth, some sailor lover had brought
her from far country.
The lighting of the candle broke up
the shadowy dance of witches, aud
made the weird little room, with if
smoke-blacked walls, a little more cheer
full. and the fortune-teller herself little
less like ghost of the garret that had
arrayed itself in the contents of the rag
bag.
@ $50 you have come TO have your for
tunes told?" she said as she drew up the
old spindle-legged table TO the fire and
prepared TO brew the inevitable cup O
lea.
For she did not trace the tangled
threads OF tate ~ the sHsssss ans sEssl.