Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-20

BILE Alright? without giving me time for
reply, she again exclaimed She, child.
the mirror will stiIl give thee further
knowledge. look once more The looking
glass was again thrust into my hand and
rather reluctantly consulted Its exhibit.
! saw George Roswell In the uniform OF
an American soldier (thus foreteiling The
War of 1872, and Lydia was In his arms.
The place depleted was on tho highway
passing by the Gipson homestead; George
was in the act Of placing gold band
on her finger, and so real was the scene
that I could SEQ the tears coursing down
her cheeks at the parting. There, said
Nan, that troth is CALAMITY plighted,
but how shall 1t end7' 1 began to gather
courage at this. for to see George attir-
ed as COLDER at a time when. as I be-
heved there was no likelihood of strife,
gave me the idea that all this was a
hoax But why. Man. / asked Why
the soldier? Those are times Of peace.
Child, she said, child. tho mirror say
eth 30 and war. aye bloody war there
will be, but come. let Nan show thee how,
whom the young soldier Ia absent, thou
canst easily rid myself OF thy rival and
claim the brave young warrior for thine
own. Look once more / looked and
beheld a scene we'll known to me and
fondly remembered. 1t was in a small
clearing among the hills, where formerly
had been the rough homestead of an ear
ly settler. The walls of the cellar still
remained together, with few apple
trees and a lilac: the house had been
probably consumed with flames or de-
stroyed by Indians. few rods from
the old cellar was a deep walled well
treacherously hidden by growth Of
heavy grass and weeds. Many times in
years gone by had Lydia and myself
wandered thither In quest for berries or,
later In the autumn. for the fine hickory
nuts that abounded there The mirror
showed us both together again, with
lunch baskets and preparing for gather
ing the sweet hickory. | became so in
terested that l hardly breathed; I watch
ed the girls seat themselves and attack
the contents of their baskets. Neither
seemed happy Lydia had dreamy, far
away look In her beautiful eyes. while
every now and again her bosom would
heave with a sigh that silently uttered
volumes of love and loneliness. As for
the image of myself. the eyes had IN
them that fugitivencss arising from evil
Intentions. and each time Lydia would
turn her face from me the picture show
ed a stealthiness of eye that really
frightened me. The picture showed me
here as the as the principal talker ard
old Nan interfered by sayng.-she tells
mentally see her absent lover and know
actually what he may be doing. She pre-
tends to have the charm by which a per
nd oheeo
one provided the love Is sincere. See.
said Nan. the picture changes and the
two characters arose to their feet: the
beautiful one suffered herself 70 be hood
wlrked by ke-chief tightly drawn over
her eyes, her companion then placed a
four-leavcd clover in her right hand and
turned her about two three times, then
faced her in direct line with tho wall.
Nan exclaimed, 'Dost thou understand.
child? the blndfolded one is to advance
and place the clover leaf in that knot
hole In yon apple tree: watch her close
ly, for | fear she will never reach the
tree The picture moved again, Lydia
, advanced steadily toward the tree; she
was on the brink of the we'll, caught
my breath, she disappeared with a wild
clutch at the top. I screamed and as the
glass dropped from my HerNPleSS myers
/ fell over in a deathlke swoon
SENT BACK HOME.
when I was again restored to my
senses old Nan said,-'Child. thou hast
seen too much of thy future. Get thee
gone for thy home and have care tina,
no one ever hears that thou hast visit
ed Nan this day. or, by the power that
I hay sd 70 tkn,
harm will befall thee l regained my
physically. that 7 have many times won.
dered how l escaped attracting the atten-
! ton of my mother, but such was the
even tranquility Of our lives that l was
allowed to pass 10 my room without any
questions. and an hours quiet rest restor.
ed me to such an extent that l was able
to meet my parents without exciting at
! tenton. ! was soon able to dispel the
frigh,ful influence OF my visit to Nan
and in a day or two I could calmly re-
Wow the whole as so much nonsense A,
this period, stud!ously avoided meet
ing both Lydia and her lover, and was
rather pleased than otherwise to notice
that this inclination was mutual. OnI
month after another slowly dragged theii
| heavy chain OF what was but continual
suspense and heartache 10 me. and l WA,
almost resigned TO the situation, although
ct times, daring schemes offered them
selves to my gloomy mind, when | was
startled BY hearing my father saying tc
mother at the supper table one night
| Well. mother. il seems that we are &c
have another taste OF the British: 1t looks
| Just now as If an invasion from the Can
adas were inevitable and I understand
that young Roswell has received from
our governor a commission as captain OF
volunteers, and that he Is busily engaged
IN raising a company of our boys tr
march north at once This news as
| founded me, and l was unable TO take
part In the converse ton which was &C
| painfully interesting to my parents, and
1t was relief to leave the table and re-
pair to my room to ponder over the mat
ter What Ii Oil Mans forecast WAS tC
be verified? If George was going to thC
front, why could not learn when he was
to start and see for myself If the trotf
! Fighting that had been depicted to me
would actually take place?
PREDICTIONS COMING TRUE.
! waited day or two and heard from
father more news that confirmed tho ri
NOR of war, and | decided to pay LyJis
a visit 1t is needless to say that / found
her in a very detected frame of mind; hel
burdened heart was not long In givias
| free rein to her tongue, and conddnl
her sorrow to her oldtme friend. Sh'