Year: 1874

man of high rank, who had led
very wild and dissolute life, but now
desired to settle down on his estate
and take to himself wife who would
preside over his household in q ftt~
ing manner. Being rich and hand
some, his wickedness went for
naught, and soon he was betrothed
to lovely lady, whose family were
pleased with the alliance and who
brought him fine fortune.


The wedding was celebrated with
great pomp, and when he brought
his wife home to the place the poor
of the place, as usual gathered
about the door, and one, withered
old beggar woman loud in her prai~
les of the lady's beauty, and begged
to be permitted to present her with
boquet of white wild flowers that
she had gathered in the woods.


"A poor offering, my lady said
the woman, 'but all the poor gypsy
has to give


The lady took the flowers with
smile, and dropped coin into the
gypsy's had. AS she entered the
door she bent her lovely head and
inhaled the perfume of the flowers.
The servants remembered the
action and her smiles as she passed
into her apartment leaning on her
husbands arm, for it was the last
they ever saw of her. An hour af>
ter she lay dead, and all the doctors
in Madrid could not tell what killed
her.


| The young widower was very sad
| for long time, but by and by he
began to find life bright once more,
and chose for HIMSELF a second wife.
This lady was younger and lovelier
than the first, though not SO rich.
Her predecessor fate did not alarm
her, for she was strong and full OF
health. Death seemed to be very
far from so radiant creature when
she stood before the church altar
and plighted her troth to the man
with whom she hoped to pass her
| life; but those who remembered his
first wife's fate shuddered, as at the
fall of evening she entered the
gates of her husbands villa. The
same old gypsy who had greeted the
former bride stood amid the crowd.


Heaven and the saints bless you
LADY, she cried. Il greeted hel
who came here before and she faded
like flower. May you live til
your hair is as white as mine. Flow
ers are all I have to give. vii
you honor me by taking them lady?
The bride, as the other bride hac
done, accepted the Offering and
repaid the giver with coin.


She held the blossoms in hel
had, and passed into the hall. A
banquet was prepared and she par
took of it. Wine was on the board;
she tasted it. When the dance be-
gan none danced more gayly thar
the bride. It was a merry wedding
and when at last in the early hour!
of the morning the music had dice
away, the guests departed, and the
lamps were extinguished, the beau
tiful girl turned with smiles and
bushes to seek her place of rest
As she crossed the threshold of thu
t hall she stopped and picked some
thing from the floor.


My poor gypsy's flowers sh'
t said. 4 will not reject the humble
token of Kindness and bending he
head over them she passed out ot
sight.


Half an hour afterward the hus
band also entered the bridal room
All was still. The lamplight fell
upon the pillows but no fair heaC
rested on them. He looked abou
him; in a far corner of the room Ia,
what looked like bundle of rump
led satin at first sight, He advsnc
ed toward it, and saw a hand tina
| graspcd convulsively q little bundl
of white flowers, and with a cry o
horror, cast himself beside the bod,
of his bride. She was dead; sh
bore no wound, no sign of injur,
about her. Again the physicians
could find no cause for the death
and people began TO whisper tale
of the evil spirits who haunted thi
fatal bridal chamber, and did t.
death the fair beings who braves
them by entering it.


Again the gentleman was wido
wer, again he suffered much sorrow
but it was not eternal. He begaI
in time to seek another bride, bu
in vain. No one would risk tn
: fate of those other young and lovel


women. No one would have thi
\ Bluebeard, the mystery of who's
castle was so terrible: and for year


the widower went a wooing withou


winning, until one morning, meet
ing the Donna Mora on her way t
: church, her black eyes relied be


meath her black mentilla, be mad
:. a grand impression, and was pei
= mitted ere long to offer his han


and heart with true Spanish gallar


try.


Donna Mora who was a widow
!, listened not i'll pleased.


4 do not detest you, Senor,' an


l will tell you frankly so; but 20


have had strange bridals heretofore


I do not feel tired of life, and desil