The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-01

don't know how much longer we should have stood there-gangers and all-never thinking that dinner-time was over. and that we had somewhat else to do besides listen to a pretty girls nonsense, if we hadn't been called to the rightabout by Tommy Trot the timekeeper, who came along with his book and his pencil in his hand. and MT. Arthur, our agent close behind him The men didn't wait to hear all that Trot had to say about them. for idling on such a nice fine day; they sloped off to where their picks and shovels lay, and began to make up for lost time. Mr. Arthur walked straight up to the gypsy girl, meaning, no doubt, to remind her that no admission eX- cept on business was writ up on our works A fine, welltavored young man was this NIT. Arthur not Very tall. but we'll knit, with fair face. and bright curly hair He had free and kindly way with him, which you could see in his eyes before he spokr l had great fancy for MT Arthur often used te think that if I'd been born Il gentleman instead of q poor workingman should like to be just such another as he Wa l knew that he wouldn't be rnngh on the girl. and no doubt, she being a woman. which k d sharp->ightcd kind of crea- ture, Was aware of his good nature at d glance for instead ot making herself scarce. a~ she would have been obliged to if Trot had taken her in hand she looked up into his face with smile
 Now, then my girl, he said >mil- ing back. what your name. amt what your business?
 My names Hester Welsh she spoke up. and my business k to tell your fortune, sir
 Don't you be ,o sure of that. he answered in a joking sort of way I'm too busy for that sort of thing so you | better clear off, and mind you don come humhuggng with these silly navyies any more in working time
 But she wasn't going until shed gained her point
 'd better let me see vour palm. she said in a coaXing sort of way II won't take long, and who knows what secrets tn" poor gypsy may not find written thcre?'
 can rccollect all that she said and he answered. but l know that her wilful- ness got the better of his good nature al last. She looked into his hand a sight longer then she had into ours. and d, she looked the saucy smile died away from her fac" and left puzzled cXprcs- sion there
 Come come he said at last " cant wait any longer. Tell me quick when my ship k coming in, and let mo gn about my business until it does
 l Saw her start at the sound of Iii, voice a> if he'd woke her up out of kind of dream, and she raised her eyes to his with such d pitful book that could have sworn there, were tears in them.
 It k hard to read she said in low sad voice. Il see what is written there as if through mist Two women will love you and you will wed the one who loves you least More l may not tell you. ! ou will remember my words when next the dead leaves are floating on the river below, for then the doom written in your palms will have worked itself out
 With that she was gone, leaving Mir Arthur looking a little foolish at having gwen way to her fancy, and me with a hot and cold feeling about my cheeks, and silly longing inside me to run after her, and look into her saucv bright eyes again
 However, 1t wash [ much use to long or anything else just then, except to mind the trucks wed got to take on up the line to the tiphcap in the Calder Rough. So put the thought of her out of my head-that is, in SO far as could. tried to keep my wits from wuol-cath- cring for fear of casualties which are always ready for the unwarv, and when the remembrance of her pretty face came uppermost very obstinate like. | promised myself that. as soon as I'd done work and >martcd up I'd go and hay" another try al getting my fortune told
 So, after supper took my way to the little, rough, one-Storied cottage in the lane leading on the down where knew the gypsy family lived It wasn't much of a place to look at from the outside, and the inside was still less recommendablc, being, for neatnesS and cl'annesS about as badly off as possible
 The door stood open When reached 1t saw Hester Welsh and her mother sitting inside tying mp punches of prim- roses. They both had their laps full. and the young imp of boy was putting the punches they had made into baskets lined with wet moss, all ready for talk ing into Dorchester next morning. The house place, miserable and dirty as it was, seemed full of flowers and there was no sound within, while the two wo- men bent their faces over their lapfuls of soft yellow bloom The lad was first to see me, and when he had made out who was-which took long look, be cause of the difference engine-grime makes to mans features-he signifed his remembrance by a screech of la its yon engineman, and was gone like shot. The women naturally looked up, and saw halfScared look cross Hesters face, which she tried to pass oft with saucy laugh.
 Come to have vour fortune told ovar