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VOL. XIV.
jNTISAV" BLOOMPIELD, !Pi.., TUESDAY, AUGUST 01, 1880.
NO. 35.
I'-Vl l MI i ins r ) A.
THE TIMES.
in Independent Family Newspaper,
18 PUBLISH BD ITERT TUESDiT BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
TEltMS i
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
One year (Pontage Free) l fiO
UK Months " " 80
To Subscribers In this County
Who pay In Advance, a Discount of 2!i Cents will
be made from the above terms, making
subscription within the County,
When raid In Advance, $1.25 Per Year.
Advertising rates furnished uponappll
cation.
The Gipsy's Warning.
THE little village of San Pablo, which
lies three leagues distant from Mad
rid, was once the residence of many
proud and opulent familes who have
long since passed away from earth.
Among muleteers, shepherds and water
carriers, one would hardly look for old
Spanish grandees, and San Pablo is now
only populated by an Ignoble race.
At the period of which we write there
lived in San Pablo one, Count Rodrigo
de Bivas, who claimed to be descended
from that Blvas who was called the
thunderbolt of Spain, on account of his
military exploits.
The count was In the thirty-second
year of his age, had been educated
abroad, and only returned to his country
at the death of his father, who bequeath
ed to him vast estates in the southern
part of Spain, which made him one of
the wealthiest nobles in the kingdom.
He was tall, well-formed, with a pleas
ing countenance, with which was blend
ed great resolution. It was said of him
that he was never known to evince the
least trepidation under any circumstan
ces that ever occurred. Just as he was
-quitting Germany for his home, he
chanced to meet Senor Ruiz, who was
abroad with his family, and he almost
instantly became enamored with his
beautiful daughter Julia. For months
the count had impatiently awaited the
return of Senor Ruiz to Spain, and at
length he heard of the arrival of the
lovely girl whose image was so Indelibly
impressed on his heart.
The sun was shining cheerily, and the
birds were singing blithely along the
roadside, as the count rode forward to
Madrid on his. trusty mule, richly adorn
ed with silver trappings. As he came
to a turn in the road there stalked out
of a clump of bushes the figure of a
woman in Btrange attire. Her dress
was so fantastic that he reined up his
mule suddenly, and gazed at her in
surprise. Her face was swarthy, and
upon her head she wore a yellow and
red turban, while her skirt, which was
green and short, was rent in many
places. She displayed a pair of bright
bluestockings, and her feet were encas
ed in red morocco slippers.
"Upon my word!" ejaculated the
count, " this Is certainly a very strange
being."
Before, however, he could reflect fur
ther, the woman approached him, and
craved permission to tell his fortune.
"A gipsy?" he cried.
" Let me see your hand," said the
woman, without appearing to notice his
remark.
The count regarded her attentively
and then laughed.
" Nay, nay, my woman, I am no be
liever in these matters ; but you, like
your race, are poor, I suppose ; there
fore, take this," and he tossed her a
peso, which she quickly picked out of
the dust. Turning to him she said :
" But I would see the palm of your
hand,'noble sir, even though you may
ridicule my calling." ' ,
"There it i then," replied the count,
as he ungloved his hand and extended
it toward the gipsy. The dark-eyed hag
gazed intently at the count's band for
some minutes, then looked up in his
face, and laughing, said: "'TIs ever
the same wlih handsome and gay men.
Love, love, always love. I will tell you
that you cannot believe, but I warn you,
beware of the Raven," arid before; the
count could question she darted among
the trees, aud he saw her tattered finery
disappear in the forest.
"Beware of the raven," quoth the
count. " What raven ? What can the
creature mean ? Ah 1 it is one of their
tricks; It has no significance at all,"
aud he pricked his mule with one spur
aud rode forward humming a ballad,
oil the while thinking of the beautiful
Julia.
The sun was sinking behind the li oil
son as he gained the suburbs of the city.
Suddenly his mule made a plunge, and
losing her fooling came to the ground
with her rider.
"A bad omen," muttered the count as
he rose unhurt and gazed at the mule,
which was almost instantly on her feet
again. She hud always been a remarka
bly sure-footed beast, and the count,
who was not without a certain tinge of
superstition, appeared uncertain whether
to proceed or retrace his way. As he
stood dangling his bridle iu his hand,
his eyes caught sight of an old public
house by the wayside.
" We'll tarry here for the night," he
said, and leading the animal, he walked
towards the building.
The house iu question was of large
dimensions, the windows few and small,
and were set deep within the thickness
of the wall. Immediately over the por
tal hung a weather-beaten sign, an
nouncing the house as the Raven Inn.
For an instant the count hesitated, as
the gipsy's warning came to his mind ;
but the feeling passed off instantly, and
pulling the bell, he awaited the opening
of the heavy court-yard doors. The
count was tired and required rest, and
as he was determined not to enter the
city that night, one place was as good as
another to tarry in. Had he known the
reputation of the Raven he doubtless
would have sought other lodgings. So
long had he been absent from his coun
try, that many local events had trans
pired pf which he knew nothing, and
one of the most noted occurrences had
been the trial of Antonio Hernandez
(the proprietor of the Raven) for mur
der, and his acquittal of the same. But,
notwithstanding Hernandez saved his
life through the exertions of his advo
cate, his character was entirely lost, and
the business of his house almost destroy
ed, for few people believed in his inno
cence, and mothers pointed him out to
their children as a murderer. Years
before it appeared that a rich guest was
murdered in his bed, and the landlord
was suspected and arrested. The cir
cumstances made a great stir, for the
murdered man was well connected and
widely known. Every one who valued
his reputation shunned the society of
Hernandez, and his house at last became
the resort, of contrabandists from the
frontier and the low characters who
infested the city.
Impatient at the long delay in an
swering the summons, the count jerked
the bell-rope vigorously, and at length
the host, followed by a pale girl (the
only doniestlo in the house), showed
themselves.
With many profound bows and apolo
gies for the delay, Hernandez took the
mule to ths stable, while the count fol
lowed the glrl,whose name was Isabella,
to the interior of the place. There was
something so gentle and interesting
about the girl that the count found
himself gazing after her wherever she
went. He fancied there was a sadness
iu her face, and her large eyes sought
his as if she would have spoken to him.
But the appearance of Antonio Hernan
dez put a stop to the effort that Isabella
was meditating In the nobleman's be
half, for the landlord never for an
instant left the girl alone in the count's
presence. Once or twice, when the
count yawned as if he were tired, Isabela
turned her eyes mournfully upon him
as if to beseech him not to retire to bed.
The count noticed the look, but could
not interpret its significance, and during
the evening he saw her no more. A
feeling of weariness at length overcom
ing him, the count arose from his seat
in the quaint old parlor and signified
his Intention of seeing his room.
Hernandez at once secured a lamp and
escorted the count up stairs, ushered
him into a large ghostly chamber, in
which every article in the cumbrous
furniture was deepened by age to funeral
blackness. Two large mirrors adorned
the walls, and by their reflection seemed
to stretch out the dimensions of the
dreary apartment to a boundles extent.
This was the room in which the ter
rible murder had been committed, and
it was never occupied, save when aome
dark deed was to be done. The land
lord placed the lamp upon the table, and
wishing his guest good-night, went out
and shut the door. The count turned
the key, and then by the dim light of
the lamp surveyed the apartment. It
was so gloomy that he turned and
walked to the window, supposing that
It looked on the street. He was dlsap
pointed to find that It opened on a small
neglected yard, filled with coarse vege
tation and some mouldering timber.
The moon was partially obscured by
clouds, but ever and anon threw a flick
ering light upon the desolate scene. A
vague presentiment of evil stole ovtr
the count, and his mind became gloomy.
" Beware of the Raven." The words of
the sibyl kept recurring to his memory.
Could the warning of the witch have
been prophetic? The count would have
left the room but for a certain sense of
shame the act would engender.
" Pshaw 1" he cried, and leaned out
the window to snuff the air.
As he did so his ears caught the sound
of a suppressed hiss. He listened at
tentively, and It came again. Casting
his eyes through the darkness, he en
deavored to discover from whence the
sound proceeded, but he could see noth
ing, and it was only when he raised his
eyes upward toward a small window
directly over his head that he discovered
the figure of Isabella by the struggling
light of the moon.
She was gesticulating towards him,
but the moon was so frequently hidden
behind dark clouds that he could not for
some time guess her import. Suddenly
the great orb came out into the clear
sky, and the count could see the girl
plainly. She was two stories above
him, and he could not hear her words
distinctly, for she spoke in such a low
voice, and, after she had warned him,
she quickly disappeared.
" For the love of the Virgin, do not
go to bed, senor," she said. "Antonio
Hernandez is my uncle, but he is a bad
man, and if you go to sleep, senor, you
may never see the light of the world
again. Don't betray me, for my uncle
would kill me if he knew I had spoken
these words. Adieu 1"
The count felt beneath his girdle and
instinctively laid his hand upon the hilt
of his dagger. Then he walked to his
chamber door, turned the key and un
locked it, intending to look out into the
corrider, but to his surprise, he found it
was fastened upon the outside and he
wag a prisoner. He tried to force it
open, but it resisted all his efforts. He
sat down, and, leaning his head upon
his band, began to meditate. As he did
so the oil in the lamp became exhausted
and the light went out. He felt a strong
conviction that some unseen danger
hovered near, and that which was sub
plcion became a certainty. Nothing
remained now but to await the attack,
and sell his life as dearly as possible,
The thoughts of the beautiful Julia often
occurred to his mind. It was to see her
again that he became involved in his
present condition. He thought, too, of
the gipsy, and wondered what order of
being she was to forecast the peril that
should befall blm.
The clouds began to break away from
the face of the heavens and the count
was enabled to see more clearly about
the chamber. He heard the clocks in
the city toll the hour of midnight, but
all desire for sleep bad left him, and he
was very vigilant.
Approaching the bed, be pulled down
one of the pillows and disarranged the
covering, throwing it in a sort of a heap,
as if a person was reposing there. Then
he walked over the room and stood with
bis back to the wall, ' watching the
chamber door, screened from the imme
diate sight of those who might seek an
entrance there by a tall chair which be
placed before nim.
While thus upon the alert, a large
mirror close upon bis right gave a click
like the lock of a pistol, and then flew
open at the touch of some person behind
it. The heavy frame work of this
antique ornament rested against the
chair and concealed the count from
view. Notwithstanding cold drops of
perspiration stood upon his brow, he
was perfectly calm. In the mirror upon
the opposite wall the count could see the
muffled figure of the landlord, with a
knife In one hand and a lamp in the
other, step from the wall. Cautiously
be approached the bed and raised the
weapon In the act to strike, satisfied
that he only bad to contend with a
single adversary, when the count rushed
from his concealment and sprang upow
his enemy, dagger in hand.
A brief but desperate struggle ensued,
In which the count twice struck the
landlord with his dagger ; but by a dex
terous movement Hernandez eluded the
grasp of the infuriated nobleman, and
jumping Into the wall pulled the mirror
after him.
For a moment the count could scarcely
believe he had lost his foe, and it was
only by looking at the mirror as it fitted
close to the wall that he could realize
that the landlord bad escaped. He went
to the window aud called for assistance,
but there were few persons abroad at
that hour of the night, and the window
of the room was far from the street. . He
went to the door and used all his efforts
to force It open without success. Ex
hausted in the unavailing attempt, be
Bat down to await the break of day.
Hour after hour passed away, and at
length the welcome gray dawn began to
appear. Presently his ear caught the
sound of a light step, and be herad a
bolt fall from the outside, then the door
opened and Isabella stood before him.
She certainly looked beautiful as she
walked into the room, clad In a simple
white robe without any ornament.
" Thank you, thank you," cried the
count, "I shall not forget the service
you have done me, and if I crave a kiss,
it is in token of the love which I bear
for one who has been the means of pre
paring me to defend my life."
Isabella bowed her bead, and the
count kissed her on the forehead.
" You know all that has happened ?"
questioned the count.
" Yes senor," she replied. " My un
cle is seriously wounded, but the contra
bandists carried him off to the frontier
before daybreak. Senor, now that you
are safe and free to depart, will you not
do me the favor to conceal this matter ?
You have dangerously wounded my un
cle, and I heard Jose, the chief of the
contrabandist gang, say, that if Antonio
reached Segovia alive he would be much
surprised.
The count was thoughtful for a few
minutes and then asked, " Why, my
dear girl, do you desire to shield this
wretch? Certainly not because be is
your relation. You do not love him, for
last night he said he would surely kill
you if he knew you had betrayed him."
" Listen, senor, and I will explain,"
Bald the girl. Antonio Hernandez Is
the only brother of my mother. When
she died he took me to his borne, and
brought me up after his rough fashion.
He used to belong to Jose's gang. If he
didn't treat me with affection, neither
did he beat me. Once he saved my life
periling bis life to save mine. I was at
the bottom of the sea when he dived
aud brought me to the surface again,
and the water was full of sharks, too.
Great sea monsters, senor. Certainly
he must have cared something for me,or
he would have allowed me to be eaten
up. She looked up in his eyes with a
pleading expression as she spoke, and
the count drew her near him and again
kissed her brow.
" For your sake, I make the promise,"
he replied " but with this condition,
that your uncle never returns to Mad
rid." '
At that moment there was a jingle of
spurs in the court, and a call for Isa
bella. The count descended the stair
way with her, and at the landing met a
swarthy fellow, with a face half con
cealed In a slouch bat, who called Isa
bella aside and spoke to ber in a low
and rapid tone. This done be jumped
upon his mule and galloped quickly
away.
The girl stood leaning against the
doorway with her cheeks blanched and
bands tightly clasped, while great tears
rolled down ber cheeks.
Divining at once the cause, the count
approached and Bald, "You have bad
news, I fear ?"
"He died before they reached the
mountains," she replied. "Jose sent
me word. Alas, alas I" and she wept
bitterly.
The count endeavored to soothe ber
grief, and made inquiries as to her
future life.
"Iam alone In the world now," she
Bobbed.
" I will see that you are cared for,", he
said, and will send a kind person to you
before night. Come, cheer up ; all will
be wen."
That day Isabella was removed to the
convent of Saint Ursula, and placed at
the school under the care of the kind
sisters.
Count de Blvas sought the beautiful
Julia and learned that, by a dreadful
accident, she had been horribly burned
and disfigured, and was then lying upon
a bed of sickness from which she might
never rise again. The shock was so
great to him that he started upon his
travels once more.
Six months later he was at Andorra,
ou the Spanish frontier, when he came
across a band of contrabandists, who
were coming down from the Pyrenees.
One fellow, who had a peculiar limp in
bis gait, caught his eye, and he thought
there was something familiar in his
face. The man pulled his cap over bis
eyes and was hastening by, when the
count sprang to bis side and put bis
hand on bis shoulder.
"You are Antonio Hernandez, for.
merly keeper of the Raven Inn," orled
Count de Blvas.
"And you are Count de Blvas," was
the reply.
"We won't mention the past," said
the count; "but tell me why you sent
word to that poor girl that you were
dead?"
" Well, senor," replied the ruffian, " I
was tired of playing landlord where I
could gather no pesos. I longed again
for my old life, and I didn't want to be
bothered with womeu. I know all you
have done for the girl, senor. Little
passes in the cities that Jose's gang do
not get correctly. Now let us say adieu,
with the hope we may never meet
again," and the ruffian doffed his cap in
derision, and hurried on after bis com
panions. A sudden change came over the count.
He hurried back to Madrid, and Bought
the convent of Saint Ursula, where he
had a long interview with Isabella, and
before the orange buds bloomed again in
the garden of the de Bivas mansion at
San Pablo, Isabella became a countess,
and the happy wife of a man whose life
she had been instrumental in pre
serving. AIMLESS PEOPLE.
A MAN who would start off on a
journey without any Idea where he
was going, or when he would return,
would be regarded as very foolish.
Yet in the journey of human life
many persons seem to have no definite
purpose to accomplish. They have
nothing in particular that they seek to
accomplish. They do not know what
they would like to do. Their lives are
aimless; is It any wonder that their
lives are unsuccessful ?
People of this description miss a great
deal of the zest of enjoyment of which
human life ia capable. Action to which
there is no main spring is not only lan
guid and Insipid, but it affords little
pleasure or satisfaction.
Every young man should lay out some
plan to the execution of which he
should diligently devote himself. It is
pleasant to succeed; but he who at
tempts something and falls is more
respected than he who has not blood
enough in bis veins to even try to do
anything.
Girls are keen In their perception and
penetration of character, and they Boon
set down as inconsiderate nobodies the
young men of their acquaintance who
are destitute of ambition.
An aimless young man never de
velops his own strength. Through con
tinual Inaction his faculties become
listless and benumbed. The tendency
with blm is always to become a dwarf
instead of a giant.
Of course in selecting an object of am
bition discretion is to be used. It must
be something in the keeping with the
natural tastes of the individual, or it
will rarely if ever be achieved. Being
in harmony with bis tastes, the loftier
the object the greater wiU be the grati
fication which its accomplishment wiU
afford. -
When Andrew Johnson was President
of the United States be was twitted with
once having been a tailor ; but he point
ed to the sign on which his name bad
been painted in his bumble youth, and
triumphantly replied, ".Well, didn't I
make good clothes T"
He who makes the highest excellence
in his calling the first object of his
ambition, whether his occupation be
that of a tailor or a President, geta a
thousand times more enjoyment out of
life than he who is content to aimlessly
drift along with the tide of mediocrity.