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E DEATH-CHARM.
ij a broad highway in the state
'.jrvland rode two persons,
ifi upon two splendid animals,
i isy grace of equestrians accue-
|o the ^/idle.
was a maiden of scarcely six-
ith a fresh, lovely'face and. a
evcloping into perfection,
dark-blue
hat with - iv heavy ostrich
intlet gloves: incased her
and*,.'while, about her there
i air of fligh breeding,
company was nearly double
^nqpff^cal vary.
did not stop when commanded to,” I “She is very beautiful, Fred, and
said.Lulu. accomplished, and sweet-tempered,
“Yes, the doctor is now with the and, and
poor boy and his Outlier too. I fear “And what, Lulu?”
the youth is badly hurt, and Carter “And I do not like to have you
and'the men shall leave my placet find fault with my swoot governess.”
for the little’fellow was doing “Then I will not. She’s an an
no harm, and his being a gypsy is no gel—only she has a history,” and the
crime. But come into the house and persistent man could not be changed
get ready for dinner, for I have a in his opinion
surprise for you.” The next day Fre^ py.op^Cd a
i‘A surprise for me, sir?” said Lu- horseback ride, and when the horses
l u< — - were brought round Viola Hale ap-
Ycs, I have found a governess peared in a habit that set oil her
for you—one in’ every way compe-1 wondrous beauty strangely.
Vw strikiog-lodking man, with a
V, fearless fafe that was very
Wing. '
e was / a love affair cxist-
the two—young as was,
—tljeirj glances indicated,
' (6 of true love, in their
to bo running smooth,
they Came upon a crowd
the rj>ac|way, A youth
n t|)e ground, his face
^Ji'ngjjland above him
d«|on rude fellows, talk-
f.'tomfc. “"t
wlmt means this distur-
cd the maiden, sternly,
slug one of the men.
! man touched his hat politely
m
beans, Miss Lulu, that .we’ve
l a Tartar here, but we’ve got
Ul fast now.”
iat .1)113 he been doing, Car-
tent to teach yon in singing and in-
mii- W rmncnTa 'rTnTj‘sTcrus yoTi crcsiTC, xiiid
who speaks Italian perfectly; she
ill he liere in two weeks, and I
have engaged her for two years, so
He
you can complete your education un
der her.”
I am so glad—I was afraid I
would have to go to boarding sc.hool
And Lulu ascended to her own room iness managed - the wild"
while her father took Capt< DcLacy
in charge.
The gypsy boy was severely hurt,
and for nearly a week the doctor
feared he might not recover, llis
father hung night and day over him.
never caring for himself. At length that threatened to change his mind
the youth rallied, and recuperated regarding her. But fortunately his
with such rapidity that the gypsy furlough was soon ended; and he
chief said he - could take him back to departed for his command on the
camp, and asked to see Lulu, who frontier, a happy man, because Lulu
had been untiring in her devotion to | Sandford had promised to become
J, you see, Miss, I saw him
out of the forest, where, you
. \ydnr father allows nognnniug
called to him to stop, and he
io attention to me, so I calls
-ioys from Hie field and we gave
| and caught him, though he
■tikc^Avgev;.”-..
[nd ..you haveMured to attack a
1 public road 1 sir? My father
roar of this at puce,” said Lulii
>i-d, angrily. #
,Ie’s nbtbrhg but. a gypsy, Miss,
ftiereamp over the hill yonder,”
vlv siM the man.
e is human being, and was do
ff^ jmrmX Unbind him at once,
the wounded boy. Fiuding that the
gypsy would go, Lain ordered the
carriage to drive them to their camp,
kindness, that was accepted.
“And, lady,” said the chief with
deep feeling, “my boy owes-you his
life, and the prayers of our people
i young ohicer at once sprang
horse and .quickly released-
1 n, who 'vsis .secured with a
et up, my
'• id ret tirn to you &
[ , • yoqtb tnrt’.ed \ip dark eyes
j ( the-'^oakeb' and "said, faintly
lean not, sir; I am badly hurt.”
i’mmc on yrtu, Carter! a number
, Hy-men to beat a poor boy as
"t; Have done! You shall suffer for
all of you!” cried the .maiden
;i:antly, and as the men living
' heads abashed, she con tin nod
lise him in your arms and car
fa at once to the mansion, while
by and send Dr. Moore to see
■{ Tell Jane"to put him into
table room.”
Scions to redeem themselves in
yes of their employer’s daughter
leu raised the youth in their
and bore him away, while Lulu
ford and_ hor escort, Capt. Fred
Lancy, galloped on .after the
( pian.
^hour after, the two rode up to
a very handiomo mansion
nded by ornamental grounds
gardens, and every indication
lose who dwelt there were pos
of wealth and refinement,
he door an' elderly gentleman
cm, who called out pleasant
fell, Fred, I am glad to see you
fay. Richard told me you had
sd this morning.”
cs, Colonel, I received sixty
furlough and stopped to see
a my way homo; and this uftor-
Miss Lulu and myself ran
Vide,” replied the young ofti
aid I am very glad we did, pa-
nd I ’found your overseer, Car
d five of the hired inon, had
a boy severely just because lie
Refusing the offer of Fred to aid
lifar, she laid her hand on the pom
mel aiid leaped lightly into the sad
dle from the ground.
“She’s been in a circus, I’ll wager,”
said Fred, in a low tone, ns he lifted
Lulu to her saddle, and lie was more
convinced of this \yhcn ho saw the
perfect manner in which the gover
horse she
rode
Whether Viola Hale realized that
the young captain did not exactly
like her, it was hard to tell; but sho
suddenly began to • turn her battery
of fascination upon him in a manner
: It was very kind of.your son to
remember me, rind these are Very
beautiful indeed. I suppose he is
quite a man now?"
But the gypsy made no reply and
his eyes were nvoted upon Lulu.
And again she spoke to him, sur
prised at Ilia■strange look, and ‘then
from his lips burst tho question:
“Where djid you get that charm
lady?”
Supported' by a chain of rare
workmanship that encircled her
neck, hung: a massive gold heart,
with a sihgli rnby of rare size ill-the
center, and vpon this the. eyes of the
gypsy were fixed with a startlod
look. *'
“This beautiful charm,” and Lnln
raised it in Her finders—“it wits giv
en to mo by my governess a month
“Lady, Iwcftildlknow that gold
heart with its singlb rod eye among
million; it is thdDehthVJharm.”
The man spoko in\ hoarse tones,
and bis niftiiner[^tartl^d Lulu, who
said quickly: \
‘The def|)\ oltorriy What, do you
mean?”..
t*
bis wife when she was a year a/fd a
half older, and Col. Sandford approv
ed the match; for the young officer
came of a good family, and was a
brave and dashing fellow, possessed
no evil habits, and yet was tho rich
est man in tho army,
* * * * *
will over be for your joy. I have
money to pay, yet 1 will not insult a J A year pn«oo<l by tmd_ again
heart that was kind—so kind that I Fred De Lancy was a visitor at San
yo u brought my boy to your own ford Hill, and delighted at the won
home, and have cared for him as dorful progress Lulu had made under
though he were of your own Ian, rtnd her beautiful-governoss.
not a poor wandering gypsy!” “Have you picked up any links,
“Now, lady, I beg to remember, if I Lulu, that connect .licr with the
, V
“Lady, lot pm sec it, p%se?”
Impressed by this • nianfapr, Lulu
unfastened the clasp and hii\ided
to him.
For a moment lie-gazed intently
upon it, and then, t.o the surprise of
tho maiden, .touched a spring, the
existence o( Which she know not of
and it flew tfpen liko a lbckot.
“I knew I wasnotmistakon--it is
the death charm. Sco here, lady
doyen see those little marks that
look like engraving? Well, they are
holes through the gold back, and you
see when I hold it*up to tbe light.
There, you see this sponge within
this wire, case? This is saturated
deadly p.ai.4£m._peio<rn^•That yon
ever the world should turn against,
ou, that you have true friends in
the camp of Capt. Carl, the gypsy.”
Lulu offered her hand in farewell
to both Capt. Carl, as lus tribe call
him, and the boy, and^tbe dignified
mimnerand striking appearance of
lie wandering chief could not but
impress her.
»h * *
The second day after the departure
of the gypsies from Sanford Hill, as
the rich old ex-army officer’s place
was called, there was an arrival in
the person of the governess engaged
to “finish off” Lnlu^s education.
At the first glance of Viola Hale,
Lulu did not like her; but a few mo
ments after she changed her mind,
and seemed almost fascinated by the
beautiful governess, for she was
strangely, weirdly beautiful, with
great black eyes in which slept
worlds of passion, ripe rod lips,
teeth like milk and without a blem
ish, and hair that touched the floor
when she was standing—hair blue
black and’ with aiu inclination to
curl. . *
Iler complexion was dark, almost
bronze in hue, but there was rich
blood in the checks, and her form
was tho very perfection of grace and
beauty.
Her ago was hard to toll—at times
she seemed like a girl, and then
past?” asked Fred.
‘For shame, Fred ! She'is all
that is lovely, and I. believe that pa
pa is really in love with her; and I
assure you I would not object, to her
for a stepmother,”
“And does sho cure for your father
Lulu?”
‘I thought so onep; now I behove
sho only admires and respects him.”
‘fie has lost heavily of late, ho
wrote me.”
‘Yes. You’ll not get the rich
heiress you expected to, as papa is
now barely well off.”
“I have been more fortunate, for
my wealth 1ms increased, and after I
marry you, Lulu, I shall resign from
tho army and settle . down to take
care of my vast estates.”
“I am glad to hear you say so, for
I have no desire to sco vour brown
curls taken off by an Indian’s scalp
ing knife. But hero comes Miss
Hale/’
As Lulu spoltt, the governess
swept, into the room, and more than
ever gracious was she to Capt. Do
Lancv, and during his entire visit
did sho devote herself’..to him i i such
a kindly way that when he-again re
turned to tho army he admitted that
he had misjudged her, and believed
her to ho a thoroughly true wqman.
“I would like to sco Miss Sand ford
again one might not be fur wrong if —my boy has scut hor some little
he said she was nearly thirty.
From her entree into the mansion
she ruled, and yet no one scorned to
know that she hold the reins, but
Col. Sandford soon becamcjicr slave.
Lulu seemed wholly under her influ
enco, and no one seemed conscious
that she made her power felt. She
was an accomplished musician, and
sang with a depth, of feeling that
would capture any listener.
When at length Capti Fred. De
trinkets he has made for her,” said
Captain C'irJ, the gypsy chief, ap
pearing at Sandford Ilill one day,
two years, nearly, after his depart
ure.
In his hand he held sT basket, in
which wore some shell and wooden
ornaments skilfully carved.
“Miss Lulu has not been very well
of late, fand it’s a pity, as the Cap
l-tain’s coming home soon to marry
her; but I’ll toll her you arc hero,”
Lancy came again to Sandford Hill sfrid the butlor, and he soon returned
on a visit, and met Viola Hale, he with the word that he was to come
seemed to Lulu’s surprise not to take into the library,
a fancy to her. r In an easy chair, t a book lying
“That woman has a history, Lulu, closed upon her lap. sat Lulu Sand-
and a dark one, mark my words for J ford, looking pale and with a hag-
it,” he said. ' gard expression in her beautiful eyes.
will onh’ale day by: day, until you
gradually d*e, and -none know, the
cause of yotir death. L idy, the one
who gave you this wished io murder
you
As white as snow and trembling
wifch excitement Lulu, cried:
“No, no, no! It was given mo by
my dear governess, Viola Halo.”
“Viola Hale! The first name
hors; she must ho tho one who
your foe, lady. Is t he woman you
speak,of in this house?”
As the gypsy spoke the governess
glided into tho room, and as her eyes
fell upon the tall form near Lulu,
she stopped, tilled livid, and with a
cry upon her lips sank upon the floor.
“Oh, sir; call the servants, for she
has fainted,” cried Lulu in alarm.
Lady, lot hor lie there while I
toll you she is not worty of a kind
thought. That woman iTmy wife!”
“Your wife?” whispered Lulu.
“Yes, lady, she is, liko myself, a
gypsy, and, at fourteen years of ago,
became my wife and queen of the
baqd; but the year after the birth of
our boy, whoso life you have saved,
she van away from me to go with an
Italian Prince, and when she had
squandered his money sho left him,
too, to attach horsolf to a Spaniard,
a’sorceror, and lira man who made
this death charm I hold in my hand.
She killed him lyith his own poisons
and caniQ back to me. professing re
pontanco. Alas! it was a desire to
get hor boy; as I still doubted her
she gave rne'this very charm to wear
around my nock, telling me it would
bring back my lovo for her.
“Accidently I found a paper one
day that told me the secret of the
death charm and its poison, and I
accused hor of treachery, and so
great was hor assumed grief that
did not make known hot intent to
kill me to my band.
“The following day she disappear
ed and carried the charm with licr.
Since then I havo never known what
became of her; but thank heaven, I
came boro to-day!”
In horror Lulu liad listened to
this awful story, and then she felt
all was true, for it came to her now
how her old nurse had said the gov
emeus wanted to marry Fred Do
Lancv herself; then how she had in
aisled for lovo of hor the deat h charm
to be worn day-and night, and from
the time she had puti.toh her health
begun (<> fail.
“Oh, how* could she be so wick
ed?" eried llie girl. ,
“It is her nature, lady. Ah ! she.
is recovering consciousness,” and tho
gy^j^c^ofktepped toward the pros-
lr;tte'\vonian, and, in his own lan
guage, spoke to her sternly.
With every norvo quivering, and
icr black eyes looking wild with ter
ror, the woman arose and Rtood be
fore hor master thoroughly conquer
ed. ' ■.
“Lady farewell. PIoiiro send this
woman's tilings to this address in
the City,’Valid Carl handed Lulu
card, while ho con tinned: “Keep
that doatli charm, but take from it
that deadly poison. Keep it ns
souvenir that Capt. Carl repaid the
sorvico yon did his son.”
Then turning to the guilty trenih
ling-woman, he said to her simply:
“Como!” .
Without a word and with bowed
bond, sho followed him, and Lulu
was left idono in horror and grief.
Tims hor father found hor, and
from her lips heard tho terrible sto
ry. Ho fofffbd his daughter in his
arms , in a rapture at* her escape
while lie said:
“I do beliovo her guilty now, Lu
lu, for'I remember I boliovod sho
loved mo at first, yot her mannor
changed as soon as I met with flnah
cial misfortunes; and it was evident
ly hor intention to kill you and mar
ry Fred De Lancy, for sho frequently
asked about his riches. I will onloi
hor trunks sont off at once. I won
dor what her band will do witHjiai??”
‘‘I ciumot miL Aa-Uor.”
“Then wo will drive to their camp
to-morrow and have a talk with Cap
tain Carl, who seems to bo a splon
did fellow.”
And the next day Lulu felt
much bettor that she drove to the
The introduction was made, and
everything wen I on lovely.
Two woftl.-H liitnv Onii
wo weeks later Quince met
Swipos and asked him how ho was
gelling on, . •
All right,” said Swipos 1 “You
lot. me uiono for a little wliilo, and I
ivfll have it all right.”
A month later tho two mot, and
when Quinoo linked about it, tho
same answer was given,
Yesterday wo mot Quince on tho
street.
How are yon gotting along with
that lovo affair?” wo askod. “Did
Swipes fix it?”
Yes—for himself* They’re to
bo married to-morrow,” and Quince
looked as sour as a pioiiio lemon*
squeezer. v
1
1
The son of a coffee' and spico
dealer was asked at school whore
coffee ctuno from, and tho reply
was, “Father said I mustn’t toll', and
he’ll lick me if 1 do.”
Tho -woman who onn seo a defoCt
in hor neighbor’s dross at five hun
dred yards, in nine cases out of ton
can’t sec a hole in hor huaband’a
socks at three pitoos. _
“I rise for information,” said, a
mouther of a legislative body. “I am
very glad to hoar it,” said a bystan
der, “no man nooods it more.”
m
m
so
Mr.O. Hell is tho name of a dea
con in a Chicago church. When tho
clroiriinish a poorly rendered song
tho minister 1 impatiently calls out: ,
„ , “0. lloll, pass tho contribution host”
gypsy encampment with lior,fptho»:fc ( ^- ; Cit; ,
.A young lady, if a visitor knocks
at the frontdoor, will sometimos send
the word “engaged” though' sho
never had an offer in hor life.
to
but the wanderers had departed, and
when they returned again to the
neighborhood, five years later, Lul
was Mrs. Fred Do Lancy, and had
little boy named Cart, aftor the
chief, who with his son, oamo
Sandford Hill to visit them.
The gypsy boy had grown into
handsome young man. and Captai
Carl’s locks were nearly white, and
look of settled melancholy rested in
his eyes.
When asked by Lulu and her hus
band nbout Viola, he said, in a low,
stern voice:
“She is dead, lady; #nr tribe sen
tenced her to die by her own hand,
and, being a gypsy, she obeyed.”-
And Capt. Carl and his son wend
ed their way back to their woodland
encampment, burying in their hearts
a hitter secret.—[New Haven Regis
ter.
“Shall I have your hand?’'’ said an
exquisite to a hollo, as thodanoo was
about to commonco. • “With all my
heart,” was the soft response.
• A desperate chap roocnlly miulQ
the dorterminato resolution of mar*
yiiig tho girl ho was in pursuit of, if
lie never had another as long as ho
lived.
“Johnny,” said a dovotod young
mother of our acquaintance to hor
very Juvenile son, “you cannot havo
another cookie till you ask for it
properly!”
Mamma, give mo another cookie,
please, for Christ’s sake, anion,” said
little innocence, with immediately
folded hands.
“JIow far is it to Cub creek?”
asked a traveler of a Dutch woman
“Duly slioost a Jittlo vays.”
“Is it four, six, right or ten
milos?” impatiently asked tho
stranger. ' *
“Yes, I dinks it is,” seronly replied
the unmoved gatekeeper,
“Money does everything for
man,” said an old gontloman
pompously.
“Yes,” replied the other ono,“ but
money won’.fc do as much for n man
as some men will do for money.”
She made the clerk tumble ovor
all the stockings in the store, and
objected tjiut none of them wore long
enough. “I want,” she said,” the
longest hose that are made.” “Then
madam,” was tho reply, “you Inti
better apply at the next engine house
Tho mail who owns a fine gold
collar button with a diamond-sot in
tho centre always consider*! it ooolor
and more coiniortable to go without
a necktie.
A Detroit man was astonlalied the
other day to find tho tolophono could
talk French. Me said ho thought it
was on English invention.
The misguided compositor of the
Oshkosh Christian Advocate has Bot
tled thd*qtication of his hcxnafter by
setting it up “Man wants but little
beer below.”
“ Py Bellirnminy, how dot boy
studies de languages !” is what a d<}-*
lighted elderly Gorman said when
his four-year-old son called him a
blear-eyed boii of a Baw-horso. .
What dear, delightful state of
uncertainty politics would ho thrown
into if women voted. Every time a
girl changed her sweothoart she
would change her politics.
A leopard never changes his spots.
A mosquito does, however. It will
settle in a new spot every five seconds,
mid sing all the tiino it is changing,
Wo are acquainted with “a
monster in human form,” who say
that tho only time a woman docs not
exaggerate is when she is talking of
her own ago.
Tho brother who prays the loudest
in prayer-mectng is a good man to
watch in a horse trade,
