Middletown transcript., 1894-05-05

She iudied her subject deeply, con.
suited wi h all the experts in the art,
and read mahy ponderous volumes on
it. Naturally quick ard clever, she
soon estab lished reputation as a
reader of character. She used her ac-
cOmplishment, in the main, as pleasant
social one, as other girls play the violin
or sing; but now and then it gave her a
cruel advantage, as once when she told
rich pork packer that she could not
marry him because his hand in
dieated that he would have four wives
AMI she did notwish to court an early,
death by being the first.
This story was going the rounds
when George Awkright. first met her.
He had decided that she was a silly,
heartless little thing, and, though he
soon forgot that opinion and fell under
the spell of her sweet nature and mag
netic cleverness, he refused to let his
hand be studied. He seemed to have
little curiosity regarding his future.
laughed at the girls enthusiasm for tli,
study, and politely but firmly declined
to believe that there was anything but
vague generalities in her revelations.
He teased her until her faith became
quite shaken, she lost confden e in her
self, made mistakes, and began, event
ualiy, to hate the very name Of palms.
try, however, she did not wish Mr..
Awkright to guess his victory, and in
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the more she weakened
at heart, the frmer she appeared on the
surface.
One day they nearly came to an open
rupture.
do yon really mean to say" lie
said, at the end of long argument.
"that if you saw, or imagined you saw,
in "A mans hand that he was goin! to
be a murderer or a bank rObber, that
you Wouldn't marry him because you'd
believe that was his fate?'
81 certainly should drop his acguain-
tance at once" she answered, firmly.
These discussions took a good deal of
their time and society; they disagreed,
but their a, traction for each other was
undoubted; they might quarrel and part
in anger, but the next day Mr.. Awk-
right would gravitate towards Con-
stance, at dinner or a dance, as though
their ideas ran smoothly in single
channel. Perhaps indeed, he found
the girl more amusing than if they
had.
One spring day they were both stay
ing at a fri, nd's country house. In
the twilight, when most of the guests
had taken themselves to their rooms to
snatch an hours rest before dinner, Mr.,
Awkright found Constance curled up
in heap in corner of a big oak settle
in the hall; she had novel and box
of c..nly beside her, but the book was
unopened as she dreamily gazed into
the fire Of big logs that blazed pleas
anily, for there was still lingering
chill of winter in the April air.
He sat down OF the other end of the
settle, looked at the title of the book,
which he noted was not on palmiS;ry.
and displaced the box of candy with
masculine expression of wonder at
girl's destroying her appetite by eating
chocolates at i've O'Clock.
'.I've something special that |
wanted Ia talk To you about" he sad,
land I'm SO glad to find you alone for
a mament:"
Il hope yen are not going 70 tease.
b. cause I'ln ing up for The evening.
| won! let ynu stay unless You solemn
" piomi + no tn quarrel" +"
"Oh. didn't ecme tn tease, | wanted
TO ell you that you have made lew
convert. You see, Miss ilaydon, you've
talka,, 81 nuc!. to me about palmis.ry
that At last I've begun 10 believe in il;
and. DO you know, yesterday went TO
C--and had my hand examined.
The girl raised herself from the nest
of soft pillows in which she was loung-
ing. and scruiinized his face; he was
evidently in earnest.
"What did he tell you2" she asked,
eagerly.
Mr.. Awkright stared gloomily into
the lire.
"Ob he told me a lot of stuff about
the past that was true, bat it's the fu-
ture that's bothering me-. Miss Hayden.
I suppose if he told the truth about the
mast, he must be right about the future,
don't youp'
"Yes,' said the girl, "but what did
he say about your futuref"
"He said that l shall meet, at ],
country-house, very soon, the lady
whom | shall marry; ;,she is widow,