Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-06-02
irl like a lady," said Philippe, sheer

"And she is such wild thingl"
added Rosaline, who prided herself on
being SO very much like a lady.
Penelope smiled to herself. If only
1t hadn't been for keeping Rhoda's
secret how she could have electrified
them all.
All day long the beautiful black eyed
gypsy girl told fortunes on the Rothley
fair grounds. She became the fashion
after an hour or two. One or two
lucky hits-a shrewd guess here-a
pretty play of language here-and her
fame spread raidly abroad. She
laughed within her heart as she told
fortunes to staring people who knew
her at home as "Howitt's hired girl,
that wild Rhoda Lee" as she foretold
a second wife to old Deacon Philbrick,
who was always scolding her for gig
Cling in church-and promised a rich
lover to Miss Pamela Peck, the tailor,
who had boxed her ears with the thin
BILE hand not q month ago.
Fortunes flew about like golden
leaves in an October gale-every body
was pleased, and one or two really be-
lieved that there was something in her
palmistry beyond the ordinary rules
of science.
The littleno handled pitcher in which
Rhoda dropped her gains was nearly
half full of silver pieces of different de
nominations, and the girls large eyes
were glistening with oxidation and
excitement, when all OF O. sudden the
| fortune-telling came to an abrupt
termination in an altogether unex-
pected manner. A small lad whose
purse could not compass the small
sum of admission was endeavoring,
just at dusk, to insinuate his lank
body under the folds of the tent at the
back. Some especially energetic wrig
gle tore up one of the wooden
pegs, the draperies fell side
ways across thelittle lamp that Rhoda
had just lighted. In an instant every
thing was in blaze.
y X X X \ X
"I knew it," said Mrs. Hewitt: "I
always foretold it from the very first.
She always was in some sort of mis-
chief since first I took her from the
asylum"
"Mamma! mammal" faltered poor
sobbing Penelope, "will she die?" Is
this the way God is going to punish
me for not telling you about it? But
I promised her. Is it wickeder not to
tell ones mother than to tell q lle?"
"Ah, poor Rhoda," said Mrs. Hewitt,
wisely evading her little daughters
sphinxlike questions. And in her
secret heart she felt sorry for poor
Rhoda, who was so fearfully burned.
1t was all very well as long as the
girl lay on the borderland of death.
But when she began to recover the
long-deferred tempest of reproaches de-
scended upon her devoted head, in
which the hair, all shorn away in fever,
was beginning TO grow in soft, silky
rings, like those of a baby.
"You deserve it all," said Miss Pa
mela Peck, the tailor, whose rich lover
had not yet come. "Making fools of
your betters in that ridiculous, i'm
modest sort of way"
"But Rhoda couldn't havetold your
fortune if you hadn't come to have it
told; yes, and paid for it, too," cried
vehement little Penelope.
''You are certainly preparing for
some bad end" groaned Grandmother
Hewitt (who believed that three-quar-
tiers of the world at least, was to be
burned in everlasting fire.
And presently Mr.. Allan came in
Mr.. Allan, the tall, pale, young clergy
through that weary illness. In fact,
Rhoda could almost have wished to.
lie there i'll forever, to be sure she had
his sympathy, his tender interest.
"Rhoda," he said gently, "you are
better now-you are sitting up"
eyes," she said, family.
'"Then tell me the whole story" he
said.
"I know 7 am q wicked girl" she
said. deiectedly. 81 kno~ that am
rightly punished, but if all the past
could be undone-I think [ should do
it over again"
s'Tell me why, Rhoda," he asked.
ct wanted to earn money" she said,
with downcast eyes.
"My poor child! and what use could
you have had for money!" he asked,
compassionately.
"Must | tell you all ?"
eyes, tell me ALL" said Mr.. Allan
earnestly.
ST wanted g. new Dress" she said in
g. scarcely audible tone. ''I wanted
to be able to go TOTO your historical
lectures, Mr.. Allan"
And then poor Rhoda burst into
tears.
Little Penelope was waiting down
by the lane to see the minister as he
passed by.
"Mr. Allan, is she very wicked?"
she whispered.
Allan took the child's hand with
smile.
mo, Penny" he said. "she is very
good. Listen, little Penny, and will
tell you q secret"
Penelope s,eyes frightened. "Rhoda
used to tell me AL her Secrets" she
said.
'.This is a secret which we share be-
tween u.s." said Mr.. Allan. "When
Rhoda is a little stronger | am going
to marry her and take her to the par
sonage. Will you come there some
times and visit her, Penny?"
Penelope gave a cry of delight.
at is just like the end of all the sto-
ry books" said she. "And they