The St. Johns herald., 1901-10-05


 sorts of omens, and her belief 1n then
 made her at times very unhappy. | the old red rooster came to the Dacl door and crowed, she at once began t' prepare for a strangers visit; ana II while wiping the dishes, her towel Tel to the floor, she was sure that some friend or relation was coming; 1T sht dreamed of washing clothes, she was going to move; and if there came speck in the light it was a letter; anC if a swallow flew into the house she felt sure that it announced death II the family, and so on through so many signs and fancies that it seemed as Ii nothing could ever occur without its having been foreshadowed.
 Dolly lived with her grandparents who loved her with that absolute idol atry which grandparents lavish upon their grandchildren, and Fritz Muller their head man about the farm, loved her, too She liked Fritz very well | He was good and patient, industrious and a fair musician, and he was also 1 quite well educated; but Dolly did not think of such a thing as ever marrying Fritz, and, indeed, he had never hinted at any such thing, though he had been there over five years. But he thought of her and intended that she should be his wife, and at last he began to act more like lover than pleased Dolly.
 One day when the hay was ready for cutting, and the air was heavy with perfume of the flowers in the fields, and the bees hummed drowsily among them, and the birds fluttered down into the shade, all the men on the big farm went out to cut the hay with Fritz at their head, and old Mr. Martin and his wife went to the funeral of an old friend, Dolly was left alone in the old house.
 Something weighed upon her spirits. She had seen three black crows circle three times round the old well, and she accepted that as a sign of coming evil, and her little heart grew heavy as she imagined all sorts of dangers that might menace them; and then a shadow fell across the doorway and she raised her eyes, to see an old wom- an standing there.
 The old woman was in rags, and her gray hair hung down over a wrinkled and smoke-browned face, and this was lighted by piercing black eyes.
 "Good-day to you, my pretty lady. Shall I tell your fortune? 1 have come all the way over the river to see you, for I read of your destiny in the stars last night"
 "Oh, I think not" said Dolly, half frightened.
 DO let me tell you, for you have wonderful lot in life. Your fortune will take you far, and I have come so far to tell you"
 But" said Dolly, q have no money of my own. never need any, and nev CT have any to spend"
 ''Well, my little one, perhaps you have an old brooch or pair of earrings, or something of that sort that you would give me. For such fortune as I read last night in the stars for you, people would give handfuls of gold"
 ''I don't know" said Dolly. T think I have something like that, if you will sit down here and wait till 1 bring it," and with a beating heart, the foolish child went to her room and took from drawer a quaint old pair of ear rings with yellow topaz stones. They were heavy and handsome, though old fashioned, and the gipsy received them with gleaming eyes. for they suited her barbaric taste.
 Dolly did not know they were valu- able. They had belonged to a great aunt, and they had lain year after year among her possessions, and she offer ed them fearing they would not be enough.
 "Now, my pretty dear, take hold of my hands and look me straight in the eyes, and never forget what I have said. You were born under a lucky star. Your life lies before you smooth and happy path. You will travel in strange countries and see wonders. and you will be a very rich woman. You will marry nobleman; one of long line of nobles, and you will be en- vied of all women. Your husband will adore you to your last day and die of grief two days later. You will have two chiIdren-a son and daughter-ahd they will be both great and distinguish ed, and you will live to good old age and be loved by every one. All this is yet to come, but the stars say that your fate is very near you"
 Dolly listened in breathless silence. Could this be true? Then she asked, l timidly, "but how soon?"
 "Ah, my dear, don't control destiny. 1 l only reveal what read in the stars"
 But how am to knOw?'
 '9That cannot tell either. It will be | revealed to you in some way. Now, don't forget, and good-by," and the gipsy disappeared, leaving poor Dolly | confounded
 She believed every word the old | woman told her. She believed in all | sorts of supernatural things, and the fact that any one could read the stars was as patent to her as that they could 1 read book, but she said nothing and went about her duties nowadays with | the same industry, but with a look of | in her eyes, as if watching for the enchanted prince to come.
 Poor Fritz! in vain he played sweet airs on his flute or violin; in vain he