Telegram-herald., 1890-11-19

snip vas non seventeen. ner DlrthCGy
was celebrated with all the splen0or
ana pomp that became her station IN
life. Toward evening the Countess
grew tired Of all the gaYety and fes-
tivities that were going on in the cas-
tie. and slipped out into the park, ac-
compan!od only by myself The air was
cool and refreshing, and the twilight
fast settling into darkness under the
hugo old chestnut trees For the first
time al that day the Countess seemed
to feel quite happy, and danced about
like little fairy among the deep shEd-
ows Of the park.
suddenly she stopped, and gave
little startled scream. | ran TO her
side, and was nearly as scared as her.
self. when ! saw the dark. bent form Of
an old gypsy woman standing IN our
way. The gypsy muttered something.
and grasped the white little hand OF
the Countess, and led, without saying q
word further, tho frightened girl little
out OF the way. into the lingering rays
OF light which still played on the west
ern horizon. In low, husky voice l
heard the gypsy say, after shc mo-
ment had glanced at the lines in the
Countess hand: My pretty girl, be
careful not 10 throw away thy heart 10
any one Of thy many woocrs. Nobody
but King shall ever take thee away.
BE patient il he should tarry. He shall
come, even If ii is late
The gypsy disappeared as suddenly
as shc had come; scared and trembling
did wo leave tho park and return TO the
castle. On our way back the Countess
told me that year ago, just the very
night before her sixteenth birthday,
she had had dream 10 the same effect
as that the old gypsy had told her-that
nobody but a King would ever carry
her away from the castle Of her an
cestors. And she could not help find
ing in this meeting with the gypsy and
her prophesy a very strange coincidence
to her dream Of year ago. She took
my promise to keep all this secret,
and did so until this timo.
From this day she was moro reserved
than ever to all the gentlemen that
came within her presence, and nobody
won her heart or hand. Thus years
passed away, and for every year the
number of her suitors decreased. Her
old parents began to despair and sought,
at last, some reason for their daugh-
ter's strange way Of refusing even the
thought Of marriage. Whom they would
not give her any rest she told them all
about the dream and the Gypsy, and aft
er that they lot her do as she liked in
peace.
~ few years more and the Countess
was left alone in tho world. | staid on
in her service oven after my marriage,
my husband being the Countess stew
ard or business manager till his death,
and | continued to DO her maid or COM
panion.
"On every birthday she ordered me TO
bring out her costly trousseau and mag
nifccnt wedding dress, worthy Of a
queen, for her inspection, and after she
had looked at this wealth Of lacss and
silks, diamonds and pearls she would
turn away. signing, and repeat TO her
self the words of tho gypsy: Even II he
tarry, yet he will come. He shall como
oven II il is late But for twenty
/ NCAEN SGt has never Iepc&Le0 tAtSc
words to mo, ,an1 the King has not co me"
This is the story the old housekeeper
told on her deathbed. The faithful
friend preceded her mistress TO the
grave few moaths, still half cling
ing to tho gypsy's prophesy, although
tho Countess had only FIVE moro birth
days 20 celebrate till she reached her
centennial.
/ AS said before. the Countess did not
I 1.-Two many months after her true friend
/ and faithful servant had loft her. She
died, as she had lived. in peace and in
faith; and "the girls" trembling old
hands dressed the Countess at last in
the queenlv bridal gown, not FOR tho
altar. but for the grave. And lel when
tho undertaken scrambled up the hill 20
tho old castle and gave his namo at tho
F iron gates his nsme was King and the
gypsy's prophesy was fulfilled.
When this King laid the Countess in
her royal attire down in the narrow
conn 70 be- taken away at last sho
neither could smile nor cry a. the BIT
ter irony that was in this mOckery Of
her destiny.-Signe Anksrielt