Year: 1876

Ezra Alden was in love with Clara
Scudder; and sometimes in moments
Of great exaltation-for he was a mod
est youth, as every true lover should
be--he had dared to think that she
did not frown upon his passion. But
Clara was the squire's daughter and
an heiress while Ezra was but q small
farmer, and so far from successful in
that pursuit, that it seemed absurd as
we'll as impossible, that he should as
pire to the hand of the lovely Miss
Scudder, who had been courted in
vain even by fine city gentlemen. So
he had sighed and cast longing looks
from his place in the choir (where Che
sang In fine tenor voice on Sundays)
into the squires pew and more than
once he thought pretty Clara blushed
brightly and he knew we'll enough that
she always smiled sweetly: and her
voice when she spoke to him, had a
carressing sound: and altogether her
manner toward him was not discoura-
ging.


But Ezra would not be encouraged.
He felt that it was useless for him to
ask the squire for his daughters hand
unless he had good pot of money in
his own hand with which to back his
proposal. So, instead Of trying to
compass the desired end by increased
industry he neglected his little farm
more than before, and spent his whole
time in wishing that he could find a
pot of money somehow, in the manner
of old fashioned stories-at the foot Of
a tree; under the foundation of his
house. l believe he would even have
sought for it at the end of the rain.
bow, like the boy in the nursery
rhyme if he had been told there was a
good chance of finding it here.


Suddenly rumor spread abroad
that a wonderful gypsy had appeared,
who was telling people fortunes that
came true in the most remarkable
manner, and all the country side was
in state of excitement on the sub
iect. She was of somewhat exclusive
character, this madam gypsy, and
could only be consulted in certain
place, in the shadow of wych-elm in
the open air, and during certain hours
these hours being between the last
rays of the declining sun, and the first
shadows of the coming night.


Of course the rumor of the gipsy's
marvellous fortune telling reached
Ezra Alden, and equally of course he
was much exercised in mind concern
ing it. He found out the place where
the fortune teller OWNED these fail
fortunes; and one evening, after
watching the sun slowly disappear
behind the western hills, he repaired
thither, stealthily and little afraid
of meeting Clara Scudder somewhere
in the vicinity, for the wych-elm was
on the further side of the squire''
farm. However, he met no one, ex
cept hurried squirrel, fast speeding
to its home, and it was even more
scared at being met than Ezra was, 81
he hastened to the wych.elm, anC
there, sure enough, was madam gypsy
sitting curled up against the trunk
} and looking precisely as if she wer
waiting for him. She was very olt
woman, bent almost double; her lineC
and wrinkled face was the color o
5utternut, and the tangfes of her hail
hung in selflike, grizzled locks abou
her brow and over her cheeks; bu
her black eyes had a wonderful brill
fancy and such keen look that the.
seemed to see right through him. Sh
was wrapped in tattered old scarle
cl1ak, and hood of the same wa
drawn we'll over her head. She CAV
a quick nod to Ezra, and motione
him to take a seat at her feet, whic
he did with his heart humping as
he were before the Delphie oracle
And when she spoke he had to ben
his head and listen very attentively
for not only did she mutter her word
% in very toothless fashion, but sh
spoke in so low a tone that he ha
some difficulty in hearing her. Bu
he made out that she said:


81 was expecting you, my son, an
l know what you come for; and the
she held out hand even more buttel
nut than her face-a shaking an
tremulous hand and Ezra made hast
to cross the palm with silver, thi


being, as he knew, the time honore
custom. This happened before "


had begun the return to a specie basis
and silver was scarce, but Ezra ha
= in his pocket halfdollar piece, wit


a hole in it, and a cross drawn on i


face, which he had kept many yea


for luck. So, as there could be I


more suspicious occasion than Il
........L q. ..n;.n.. q h A;rniIlrr III q no