The Monticellonian., 1903-12-17
WHAT THE BOX HELD By Mrs. Gen. George E. Puckett
Copyrlght. isos. by Daily story Pub. Col

Copyright. lsoS, by Daily story fub Col
 NHRS. LACEY wished that Hal would l IVI laugh. or even smile. as he used to i do Two years ago he had been the life of her Halloween dinner. To be sure he had been to the Philippines since anc 1 had just come home with a bullet wound in his shoulder and leave of ab- senee in his pocket She supposed the Philippines naturally would make a man feel somewhat solemn and perhaps I bullet in the shoulder had not ten dency to superinduce a rollieking mood. But then leave ought to encourage a man into an occasional smile Of good fellowship. She wondered if Kittie Win ston had anything to do with his melan- choly. She had fancied once that he and Kittie were very fond of each other, and recently Kittie herself had seemed too brilliant in her gayety and had talked and laughed overmuch to be really happy girl. Mrs Lacey did not feel it her duty to untangle the complication, but she did think it Hal's duty to try to be agreeable at her Halloween cele- bration.
 The nuts and wine were on and horse shoes and clover leaves with four petals and luck stones had been found tucked away in almond shells. Prophecies, varying all the way from gold mines and orange blossoms to Wall street pan ics and cypress, had ben discovered in innocent-looking bon-hon wrappers.
 A solemn silence fell over the scene, nll waited for the next movement of Fate.
 "tComing events cast their shadows before," quoted Tom with gloomy in- tonation. Mrs. Lacey lifted a warning finger.
 A dark curtain which had hung unob served in an unlighted corner of the op- posite wall was drawn aside and a tall form robed in black draperies that trailed in somber folds across the floor moved with stately tread to the head of the table The face was hidden in flmy veil fastened to it's place by tiara of silver stars.
 Mistress Fate, herself" said Tom in an awe-struck whisper.
 As the mysterious form reached the table it paused for a moment that seemed full of awfll premonition and then white hand slipped from under black fold and threw a silver ball into the middle of the table. Then the strange visitant turned and left the room as silently as she had appeared.
 Mrs Lacey caught hold of the end of the silver cord that hung from the ball and it began to unroll slowly.
 "Unraveling the web of fate," said Tom.
 "Once there was a man and girl" she began in subterranean tones.
 Tragic combination" interpoiateG Tom.
 Do not interrupt the story of fate" said Mrs Lacey in warning voice.
 .sThe girl had eyes like the June sky at monday and hair like the cloud that floats over the mountain when the storm rises darkly from the west"
 Absolutely fatal mixture" groaned Tom
 And they loved each other with a love that they thought was firm and abiding as the eternal stars"
 High tragedy and deep gloom" nut tered Tom.
 There came an eventide when they wandered alone under the shining stars of a moonless night and softly drew the threads from the beautiful web the poets have wrought with flowers of rhyme to mark the places where the shuttle turns"
 Most dangerous business possible" !" objected Tom. "Thawing out dynamite by the fire is nothing to it.
 And suddenly the stars fell from the sky and a pail of darkness hung over the world and the maiden walked on alone into a wide desert where there was no moon nor stars nor yet the faint est light to guide her way across the burning sand. And the youth turned him aside into the wilderness where the thorns pierced his feet and tore his hands and the briars caught and held him as he tried to go on his way. And 1t came to pass"
 Mrs. Lacey paused to detach from the silver cord a small object that was fas- tened to it by peculiarly complicated knot which claimed her attention for some moments. It was wound around with silver paper and stamped with a name in gold letters.
 For you, Nannie." she said, putting 1t down or the plate of young girl who sat near her and who opened her prize to find a prophetic line which she quickly concealed, the light in her eyes seeming to indicate that it was of an ac- ceptable nature. But then Mrs. Lacey was too amiable a hostess to draw out from any ball of fate prophecy other wise than cheerful.
 So interested did the company become in what the mysterious ball might bring forth that they ceased to follow the for tunes or misfortunes of Mrs, Lacey's s sentimental youth and maiden.