The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-11-06
THE ARTISTS STORY.

81 tell you, ladies, declared band
some aud cynical Wilton Robeley, the
artist, "a fortune teller showed me tho
image Of my wife two years before /
ever saw her in the flesh and thou
sands OF miles from the place first
met her"
you are the last man in the world
whose mind / would think obscured
by the clouds Of mysticism, replied
the rich Mrs Austyn, his friend and
patron. "You have never shown any
patience with the charlatans who pre-
tend to expose and expound the Sc
crets that a wise Providence has or
dained We should not fathom. And
yet you are taxing our credulity with
a statement that would be marvellous
if true.
81 must insist upon my veracity in
this instance, smiled the artist
"Now don't stop to argue, mamma"
urged the elder of the Austyn girls.
'There is a story in this, and after
Mr.. Robeley has told it you can re-
claim him from the darkness Of his
superstitions aud air your theories.
Now do tell us all about it and three
pretty sisters sighed their curiosity in
chorus.
Just so, you don't ask me to ex-
plain, said the artist with a quizzical
look. 81 shall give You the remark
able facts and leave you to wrestle
with them. Eight years ago was in
Paris pursuing my studies, and lived
the life of Bohemian from choice,
rather than from necessity. We fell
lows held the responsibilities of life
very lightly and laughed at all human
phenomena that would not yield to
the test of materialism. I was chief
among the scoffers, and found bare
faced fraud in everything from clair
voyancy to the piercing of the future
through the medium of tea grounds.
Then as now I occasionally broke
entirely away from my usual sur
rounnings and was one day sauntering
alone through Rue de Bouges. As l
passed one of the most pretentious
houses was startled by scream for
help and dashed through the open
doorway to find a woman battling with
flames that with great leaps and fash
es we're consuming the white draper
les OF what struck me as consecrated
altar out of place. Our combined
efforts soon mastered the incipient
confagration. As the woman anoint-
ed my hands with some soothing To-
ton saw that she WAS as dark as a
gypsy. Her hair rippled back from
her forehead in waves of blue black,
her eyes we're brilliant in the same
deep coloring, and her strong, even
teeth suggested polished ivory. She
was an amazon in size, yet the sweep
ing curves of beauty were such as to
fascinate the artist while her motion,
were supple and graceful as those of q
tiger.
You are gentleman, anC
there is but one way in which
I can offer return for your services,
she said as turned to leave. Hel
voice was soft as the notes of n Tut,
and her accent gave unsupported
charms to my mother tongue. 4 wal
born of royal blood in India
Through study of the sacred Veda
and the pure doctrine of Karma at
tanned the power of divination. You
people would classify me among Tor
, tune tellers; but / am poles apart from
the vulgar humbugs that trade upol
> ignorance and approximation. Prom
Use you will come tomorrow, TO
, am upset by this accident. Then
} will be both your historian and you
prophet. / shall count on you
m'seur.
. Though mentally sneered at tn
, woman's pretensions aud lay awak
half the night assuring myself tina
I would never seek her ont, ] was a
her door ten minutes before the az