Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-01-06
MAHALA.

% uolhiuS w Soiiio udSh tuOIc lux.
The farms were worn out tho church
was closed. the shops were all to let
the houses were all for SALE and no.
body wished to hire or buy them.
And suppose | shall decay with
it" said Mahala Evans milking old
Sukey in the early morning light.
want your fortune told?' said
voice on the other side OF the rickety
fence that surrounded the barnyard
of the Evans farm; its old old stable
and COW and carriage houses; Its hem
house. which kept no hen from roam
ing; its neglected piggery; its dove.
cotes, where the doves seemed always
TO be quarreling instead Of making
love as they did in other places.
WANT your fortune told. miss? I'll
tell it for quarter
Mahala looked mp. Her eyes met
others small black and beady, dane
ing under the shaggy black brows.
A man who had some tins on hoop
over his shoulder. and carried sack
OF tinker's tools. stood looking at
her.
1.-The master won't buy my uns ="
he said. Maybe his daughter might
like to know the future. for all that
says to myself It's n lonely place
for a pretty lass Have your fortune
told miss? You'll get the worth OF
your money"
Mahala having filed her little pail
rose from the stool and, with soft
'Soh- sob, drove Sukey away.
MY fortune needs telling badly. !"
she said. with smile. but / haven
a quarter to spend on it My step.
father doesn't fling his silver about
can tell you l do his work and
get my keep as he calls it for it.
You're a gypsy amt you?"
'Tm Romany" said the man;
and we're not "a mean lot, take us
all together. Pay me in milk If you
like; the old gentleman will never
know. and my breakfast will be the
better for 1t. like to oblige tho
ladies when | CAM
He swung a tin can before him. she
filed it.
Give me your hand" he said; AID
peered at its lines as she held it over
the fence.
you are a pretty girl. and you
know it." he said; but there is not q
husband for you In blackstone
That's no news" said Mahala-
This is news though. replied the
gypsy; there's one coming. Sit at the
station when tho train comes in TO-
night and he'll come TO you"
Now Mahala was naturally a girl oil
sense; but perhaps livi G all alone
with her stepfather-who had mar
ried the Widow Evans for her prop
erty. Us everyone knew. and who had
nagged her into making D will in his
favor before she diod-had made hel
fanciful and dreamy. as people with
out sympathetic friends are apt to be
All day she declared that she would
not 60 TO the depot that afternoon.
| but when the afternoon came curios
ity got the better of her. No one
would know; there never were any
passengers; she would not let it BIZ
seen that she was watching the train
and she so wanted to know il gypsie.
knew anything. 1t was quite impos
sible. yet some people believed il
their prophecies.
NBefore she reached the depot sh'
heard the cars at distance and just
as she reached the platform they
dashed out OF the tunnel and came u
stop. Trunks and boxes were
bundled out and quite a little groul
of young men descended from the
train - we'll dressed, wide. awak,
young men in modern clothes. Sucl
sight had not been seen in Jack
stone for long years.
Confused. she slipped aside out o
what seemed to her large crowd
and one of the young men in passin.
her accidentally jostled against her
and as he turned to ask pardon ,h'
flowers fell out OF her belt and he
stopped to pick them up.
| AS he handed them TO her theil
eyes met She smiled; he smiled
and she said, ''Thank you" Tina
was all. Then he lifted his hat ant
she walked away.
1t was all very ridiculous sh
thought The gypsy had known O
the coming of these young men
somehow. and had played her a trick
And this indeed was true. for TIL
coming of an engineering party tina
day to blackstone was common talk o.
the road down which he had tramped
e Her stepfather was not in whel
she reached home. oh. what
moclIery OF the name the place was
Sne changed her dress and put OF
the kettle for tea which the head O
the house liked black and strong, an,
sitting before the cracked old stove
the whole dreariness OF her lot SCENE
to dawn upon her for the first time.
How different it would be if Their
was some one to love her. som
bright-faced. cheerful being wit
pleasant manners some one for who's
sake it would be worth while to cult
vate herself. She was sinking dow
into a mere drudge in her step
father kitchen. But what could sh
do? She had not even the mean
with which to run away. Her tear
were falling fast when cracke
voice at the door called out:
On You kin cook some hamn egg
for supper Mahala and hev som
sweetmeats. I've took a boarder"
q "A boarderp
Mahala jumped to her feet be
thinking herself OF her old Gallo
frock. her careless attitude. her tears
and saw outside the door the strange
she had met at the depot
When he saw her he lifted his ha
and bowed and smile again. He
heart gave one grclt leap and