Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-06

Unionist military department, and
he had sent General Lyon with
small army to drive out the Confed-
crate troops, who had entered the
State from Indian Territory under COM
mand of General Ben McCulloch. The
movements OF both commanders were tor
awhile as chaotic as the diverse sentiments
of the people, for the Governments of the
United States and the Confederate States
were alike indecisive in their policy con-
cerning the uncertain territory. The battle
of Wilson'S Creek was not far of, and the
immediate region was loosely possessed by
Confederate troops.
But peaceful quite was the yard of a
farmhouse which overlooked the stream at
sundown of a summer day. Four persons
were unconsciously grouped in way that
made fair picture. They were two men
and two women, not one of whom had gone
further in life than a few years beyond
maturity. One woman sat negligently on
bench, with one arm hanging over its back
and the other swinging at her side. Her
face was so perfectly regular anG proportion
ate in its features that it might have been
derfullv lustrous eyes. He who stood be-
hind ner leaning on the back of the seat
was a very manly fellow. A tendency to
slouchiness in his clothing was in keeping
with free and careless ways, and indicated
his rural rearing as certainly as the woman's
nicetv of dress showed her acquaintance
with the exactions of q fashionable life in
the city.
The other couple were in a swing that
hung from the limb of a tree, the brawny
man clasping the ropes with his hands, and
the slender woman clnging to him with
more energy than her position seemed to
require. She jumped down of a sudden,
and perverted the fact by saving: "You
were hugging me, Tudor Bovine" She ran
out of the yard, he following, and clumsily
protesting his innocence Of Intentional i'm
propriety.
The pair that remained had listened with
the air of being still diverted bv something
that was by no means new to them: and the
woman said: "They are amusing, Mr..
Willett." Her tone was lazy, like her atti-
tude and her manner. Whether she was
affected by the listlessness that comes of
summer lounging in the country, or whether
her calmness OF surface was careful cover
ing of activity underneath, young Oliver
Willett had been trying to discern. He
courageously determined on a more direct
way to the desired knowledge than guessing,
and precipitately began, in thoughtlessly
chosen, but ardent words, an avowal of his
passion.
A woman came to the open window of the
house and stood eaves-dropping. This was
May Willett-Oliver's sister, and older
than he. She waited only long enough to
comprehend what her brother was doing
and then interrupted by presenting herself
before them. Oliver walked into the house
without saying another word. May took
the place that he had left at the back of the
seat, and said quietly, but with firm mod
ulation: MRS Armytage, 1 have been
listening. / heard what nv brother said,
and know what he was going to saw. l
am going to speak franklv-it is nv duty.
You and Mrs. Dimmock-married women
came here to spend a few weeks. 1 well
coined yo9 as a school-day friend, and her
as your friend. You asked me not to tell
anybody that YOU were wives"
''That was her freak, not mine" Mrs.
Armytage repl ed; Il was ashamed of it
from the start
"You acquiesced, at least, and 1 gave you
my word not to let even Oliver know. did
not foresee that you would so quickly be-
come lovers. He has been commissioned an
officer in the Confederate army, yet he
dangerous proximity to the Unionists' ad-
vance"
Mrs. Armytage's manner was placid as
she said: "Am I TO blame? L have not
undertaken to control his conduct or his
heart. am the wife of a United States
armV officer, and who can saw that am un-
faithful? / have tried to discourage your
brother, and it is not my fault if have not
succeeded. But if you order me away, L
will not hesitate about going"
Mrs. Armvtage arose with stately dignity,
but MAY drew her back to the seat, saving:
Forgive me.
81 impose only one condition." Mrs.
Armytage said. "Promise never to unde-
ceive your brother. Let him continue to
think of me with respect"
81 promise" May said.
Tudor Bovine and Mrs. Dimmock returned
to the yard, and saw nothing in Mrs. Army
tage's beautifully immobile face to show
that gust of feeling had swept over it. Mrs
Dimmock was clinging to Tudor's arm with
a clever mockery of affection, and he was
exhibiting an exaltation of delight. They
were bringing along an aged uegress, whose
gaudily turbaned head and tatterdemalion
garments made her singular figure. That
was old Judee, of familiar repute in the
county as witch. but an engrossing novelty
to the guests. A wandering vagabond she
was and she told fortunes with all the
weitdness of which she was capable. She
was regarded as a voodoo necromancer, and
among the blacks she was feared, if not
quite revereEced; while the whites were not
free of superstition regarding her charms,
spells and prophecies, although at the Will
lett homestead there wss an intelligent dis
position to treat her loosely whenever she
visited the place.
But she was quickly the center of group
comprising all the persons of the premises,
and she shrewdly chose the two strange
ladies to especially impress herself upon.
The account which is here to be given of her
prediction and what ensusd, is to be con-
strued as the reader pleases-either as a mar
rative or something occult, or of something
altogether explainable as matters of chance |
coincidence. The writer is merely a his |
torian, with no disposition to theorize upon |
the incidents which he sets forth.
Old Judee was formal in her method as |
prophecies. She profered her services to |
Mrs. Armytage first, and then to Mrs. Dim |
mock; but those ladies, conscious /
OF their roguery in having figured be- |
fore their two vooers as maidens, were
scared by the negress' offers of divination, |
and refused 10 have their fortunes told