Year: 1878

out any delay. he hurried to the house
of the sybil. He waited not to knock
at the door, but entered, and rapidly
mounted the stairs leading to the wise
woman's room. The prophecies was at
the moment engaged with young girl,
and both of them were so entirely alb
sorbed with the matter in hand, that
neither of them perceived or heard the
approach of the new visitor. The
chamber of the sorceress was dark and
gloomy. Alphonse placed himself in a
corner to see what passed The old
woman was looking attentively at the
girl before her, and examining now and
then her visitors hand. Then she
placed her hand over the girls heart,
and a card was drawn. The meaning
of this card was explained by the old
woman.


"'At this moment you have great
trouble expressing you, which would
cease if you dared to speak; but you
have lucky star, and the person who
causes your uneasiness will soon see his
error and atone for it,


'Oh, my good mother,' cried the
girl, can this be true? Read it again.
The old woman did so. oh, if this be
true. cried the girl, shedding tears,
how happy you have made me by Civ
ing me this hope! Here is some recon-
pense for you, at the same time giving
her several francs. She then turned to
depart, murmuring, dear Alphonse !,
he will yet be mine"


But Anne, for you may guess that
it was L." said our hostess blushing,
"started, and uttered cry of surprise
on meeting Alphonse face to face


Glow said she, have you followed
me hither, or have you, too, come to
hear?'


YES said Alphonse, in voice
more tender than ever l had heard it
before; yes, my Anne, my angel, L
came TO learn my fortune, but you have
fixed the fate of both. Pardon me
love is suspicious


"'I told you this, said the sybil, tri-
umphantly, the cards never fail


"Alphonse and came away together,
more attached than ever. Alphonse
explained the affair of the cousin, and
l wondered that he could have been
disturbed by such a trifle. But | took
care that no trifle of the kind should
o. fn 1i-tnrh hin, rrhic
is our story; and this, Monsieur lie
Marie, was the occasion on which had.
recourse to fortune-telling. You see
that it sometimes leads TO happy is
sue. The old woman still lives close
by, and the Mayor may, perhaps, find
good wife by consulting her."


This remark suggested an idea to me.


Come said L, ''let us all go and see
this wonderful sybil, and hear what she
has to promise to each of u.s."


The Mayor, mindful of his eloquent
TRADE, was alone disposed to demur to
the proposition. He muttered some
thing about the "gravity of his office, F"
but we all promised to keep the matter
secret, and curiosity led the worthy
magistrate to forget that the middle
ages were past, and to go with the rest.


The sybil received the party politely,
and bent on us pair of quick and
searching eyes. The Mayor tried the
cards. They announced to him that he
was to lose his office at the next NUM-
cipal elections. when they occurred
he was turned Out.) The notary's jolly
red face grew rather lengthy when it
was foretold TO him that paralysis
would unfit his fingers for holding the
pen of office. (The poor notary was,
ere long, obliged to resign his pen from
this very cause.) In short the prophet
ess gave us all something of the same
character TO look forward TO; and our
visit closed with a rather different tone
to that in which it commenced.