The Argosy — page 269: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

250 A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT’S SPELL. \ IOESS was very lovely, and also very romantic. At seventeen she thought it strange that she had never been in love, and felt some curiosity as to what the sensation might be like. Of course if the “‘ higher education of women” had been in vogue ; if Cambridge examinations had claimed her youthful ardour, and if her fair head had been filled with abstruse geometrical questions, there would have been no room for so unprofitable ‘a speculation as to whether a knight would come to woo. Alas, my Violet bloomed before these favoured days, and in her ignorance and simplicity she sought fora sign, It was Midsummer-eve, and Violet’s bosom friend, Cora, sat gazing at her with admiration, while the maid brushed out her golden tresses. ‘Cora, to-morrow is Midsummer-day,” said Violet. ‘‘ Let us try a spell at midnight.” ‘‘ What sort of a spell?” demanded Cora, lazily. * One is to walk backwards to a rose-bush and pick from it a bud ; you must not see the bud —— ” “We couldn’t see much of it at midnight, dear,” interrupted Cora. ‘No. I mean you must keep it behind your back until you get home ——.” *¢ Stz/7 walking backwards ?” murmured Cora. “Of course not, Cora—how'can you be so foolish ? Walk home any way you like, and then put the rose-bud, zwthout looking at tt, in a box; or some other safe place, where you must keep it until Christmas-day. On that day you must wear it, and whoever notices the withered rosebud to you first will be your husband.” ‘‘Good gracious! Have you to wait six months on chance? and then perhaps some aged friend of your father’s will notice the bud!” exclaimed Cora. ‘‘ One never sees any nice young men on Christmas- day, except one’s cousins.” A slight sigh indicated that sometimes even cousins were nice young men. ‘‘' Then another spell is to take an apple and eat it before a looking- glass,” resumed Violet. ‘‘ And if you are to marry that year, the face of your future husband will look over your shoulder.” “ How frightful ! ” The maid looked scandalised. Perkins fully sympathised with her young mistress, and wondered how anyone could say it would be * frightful,” ‘Well, but, Cora dear,” said the beauty, pleadingly, “ you will try to please me, won’t you?” Eomichbooks.co m