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

and symbols she read. she removed the
brass candlestick from the shelf to the
table, partly turned her back to it. 50
that the light would fall over her shoul-
der into the cup, and became suddenly
transformed from garrulouS old wo.
man TO solemn sorceress who held the
keys OF futurity in her skinny hands.
Elizabeth was first to hear her future.
Carefully placing the cup upside down
on the table thar il night be drained OF
all clears" and turning if three times
round as she iaain The wish which she
would have c,:n2 true above all Other
things. she passed the cup TO the for
tune-teller.
Although the wish was q secret one,
yet it brought vivid blush OF maiden
shame to Elizabeth's lovely cheeks, for
it concerned the handsome surveyor,
Spencer Graves, who boarded at her
mothers and who had taken her for
moonlight drives and walked home
with her from church every Sunday
evening since he came at midsummer,
much to the discontinue OF The rustic
swains.
An ominous silence fell upon the
circle as the old woman peered into the
cup.
The candle at her side spluttered and
hared, the fire cracked and smoked,
and the fire-dogs thrust their hideous
faces ont of the flames and grinned like
her familiar demons, while the wind
howled in the wood without. and the
rain splashcd and pattered against the
tiny window panes and flashed into
fretwork OF diamonds against the dark
ness of the StarleSS night.
So prolonged and profound was the
silence that the girls started and re-
pressed little cries oil terror when the
fortune teller began.
Il sec tall man whom Won love and
who loves Won in return. | see many
flowers. and minister with an open
book. and p 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 hap
py there, for there is no trouble around
you. This means that vOu will be mar
ried in less than YEAR
Elizabeth blushed. and dimpled, 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;
Il see death, the skeleton at the top
of the cup, and below him ground thick
with headStOneS. and 4 long dark pro-
cessiOn bearing Il coffin in their midst.
You will not live the wear out, Alice
Vincent"
Naturally of timid and sensitive
disposition, Alice grew faint and sick at
the picture thus revealed 10 her OF her
young life blighted in its bloom. and
was glad to pay the old woman as
quickly as possible and find herself
standing upon the threshold with her
cloak folded about her. prepared. with
Elizabeth, to brave the darkness and
the warning elements of the cold autumn
night.
No friendly star shone between the
black clouds to 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, cling
ing to each others hands. guessing the
way and hardly daring to breathe. less
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 underground along the way. or fol-
lowed with noisclrss steps behind her,
and would leap upon her at any MIN
,ltc. freezing the blood in her young
heart forever.
But at last they reached her home,
and, frightened. Wet. and weary, We're
glad to hurry of 10 bed. and lose. if
possible, the memory OF the nights adj
ventures in the oblivion of sleep. Eliz-
abeth was soon wrapped in sweet slum-
Der on the soft pillows and dreaming Of
a happy future OF welded bliss. hur,
though aching in every limb, Alice lay
awake with slccples5, starting eyes un-
I'll the grey light OF the rainy mornin G
stole in between the curtains.
From that ill-omened evening in the
fortune teller's hut, Alice saw, sleepin G
or waking, the coffin and the open
grave, for never for an instant did she
doubt the old woman's vision.
Even when q gallant lover came TO
WOO, she turned deaf ear to his impaS-
stoned pleading. saving 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 her dreams and hopes. built her
castles in Spain and allowed herself to
love the young surveyor with all the
strength of her tender woman ; heart.
As for him. it lightcnrd the mnnotOny
of charts and figures 10 walk and talk
with the village beauty and whisper
soft nothings in her shell-like ear i'll the
long autumn Iwili2hts aud steal an oc-
casional kiss from her rosebud lips.
But all things must end. and with the
first snowfall Spencer departed. prom
ising 10 write and come again n Christ
mas-iile.
But he never wrote or came.
In his own heart, ii he possessed any.
which his best friends loubrrd. he real
ly loved the sweet maiden. who had the
hand and foot of fairy and the deli
cate bloom of his favorite wild roses,
and was so frankly fond OF him: but III
4 great city miles away there was !
naughty beauty. who Wore his ring and
held his troth and counted her money
by hundreds.
Elizabeth began to dfoOp as The WIN
ter passed and brought no news of hel
lover, until her cheek was pale rs the
snow-drift
Snowtakes melted and snowdrop,
came instead, and the April rain drip
pei from the leaves with u musica
sound. as if calling for the flowers IL
waken and burst the dark mould asnn
| der and bloom again.
And as the spring advanced Eliza hetl
faded slowly out of life. paling and pin
ing from day TO day. as if the sorrow a
her heart drained the blood from her liz
and quenched the light in her beautifu
eyes, until one showery afternoon. whel
the sunlight played hide-and-scek will
the raindrops, she unfolded the wing
of her white soul and vanished ava,
beyond the sunshine and the rain.
Sorrowing friends and the bereaveC
mother laid the beautiful clay TO rest il
the old graveyard, and she slept in ;
lonely place, where the willows wave,
and two roads met. and sorrow touche,
| her nevermore, for she had found peace
Alice, seeing from the sud fate of he
friend how little OF wisdom WAS con
II 4