Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-12-04
TIE FATAL PROPHECY.

what this prophecy is which seems to
give your friend. Melville, tho blues.
Indeed he has lost much OF his old
time vivacity within the last few days.
don't believe in family legends you
know. Mr.. Herndon and am panied
TO see Melville Blauvelt tho gentle
man that he is, under what he calls
the shadow OF portending evil"
These words to me from the lips OF
Therese Thrane fell upon my ears in
the spacious garden to which we had
retired from the heat OF the ballroom,
and while she talked she pulled yell
low rose TO pieces and was scattering
the fragments over a bed OF violets.
T'herese Was beautiful. but no one
loved her She had come from the
far South. with the hot blood OF tho
tropics in her veins and with eyes
aglow with the passion which GIBBS
and flows under the luscious limos
1t was said. no one knew by whom.
that her father was Cuban insurrec-
ZIONIST who had fallen before file OF
Spanish soldlery; but this il true. did
not particularly predjudice US against
her. One OF those bastard letters with
out q name had spread abroad rumer
to the effect that Therese was a mere
adventures, and with the report fairly
awing there were many ready to be-
lievo all that was said.
had hoard nothing OF my friend
Blauvelts dependency previous to
my ballroom companions words. In
fact had not seen Melville for sew
eral weeks owing to my absence and
when / expressed astonishment at
Theross's information she repeated her
request with emphasis.
We went homo together that night
Blauvelt and l. More than once on
the way l approached the delicate sub
ject in my thoughts, but as often | re-
Trained from questioning him.
Il want you to go to my room be-
fore we separate" suddenly said he,
looking sharply at me. Il have found
something which unaccountabIy AZ
fects me There. don't ask any ques-
tons Claude. Let me tell you all "
Once in his room Blauvelt opened
the drawer OF "A dressing case and took
out piece of parchment-like paper.
which he handed 10 me without a
word
Read for yourself" said no. in re-
ply 10 the mute questioning OF my
eyes ..Yes. it is will and curse.
And it affects my very existence"
/ opened the old document and
glanced at the broadly written name
at the beginning:
IGNACIo MENENDEz,
HIS WILL AND HIS CURSE
Biaavelt who had discarded his
coat for the night was warm, leaned
against the mantel and q CHASTITY
whiteness enthroned on his handsome
face read:
In the Sacred Presence, !, Ignacio Menen-
dez, make this, my last will i bequeath
20 the children Of my chief enemy, the
American Captain Blauvelt, the curse OF
my house / have been reduced to wretch =
edness by the Vaccinations OF this man,
and solely because / won the love OF lnez
de Castro. l bequeath to his descendants
eternal ruin through my blood. My
daughter will marry; she will have chill =
dren. These will marry in time, keeping in
beat the hot tropical blood Of my revenge
Several generations will pass away, but
the descendant of Captain Blauvelt who
shall love my blood kin shall receive the
benefit OF this curse. Done on the ship
Isabella. the last of my possessions, this
the 9th day Of June, 1909.
IGNAcIo MESENDEz.
] looked up at Blauvelt and smiled.
Tho statute Of limitations operates
against that foolish curse" said /.
The house of Menendez may have
been blotted from existence years ago.
Is this the thing which has rendered
yon despondent?"
Blauvelt came forward and took the
paper from my hand.
This has pierced me like n sword. T"
answered he. Il am the only living
descendant OF the Captain Blauvelt
mentioned in the Spaniards will I
love- ma3ly love, the only person in
whose veins flows the blood of Menen-
DEE. The curse has blighted my
whole hfe. What did she say to you
Tonight Anything about the cursep"
TO whom do you refer?" cried ].
forgetting in the excitement OF the
iultINIcW anOuR bltt HOW-
ers with Therese.
- Where Is your head Claude?" He
had my arm in his hand and his grip
was vise-like in its intensity. Il can
mean but one woman-Therese"
I was speedily conscious that my
look had become a stare.
Where did you find this docu-
ment2" / asked, holding up the old
paper.
; 1T crossed my path like a serpent
of evil. My father died twenty years
ago, leaving among certain papers the
one you have just read. found IL by
the merest accident but see in it the
hand Of fate coming out of the past TO
blight the love and the life OF tho de-
scendant Of Captain Paul Blauvelt."
'.But Thekese' Are you sure"
was interrupted by the lifting of
o hand.
She is the right person, con-