Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-05-30
AN ITALIAN GIPSEY GIRL,

10 the OOSeQu1CuS lauUlOFu, Will WHOM
guests of the Milford class were "like
angels visits, few and far between" he
announced his intention of remaining
for couple of days, desired to be
shown to bis room, and ordered coffee
to be served in the parlor. In few
minutes he descended to the public
room Of the inn, ard with much relish
slipped the cup of refreshing coffee
which the landlord had brought in; and
declining the cigars protfered by the lat
ter, proceeded to fill and light favorite
meerschaum, and blowing clouds of
fragrant smoke toward the low ceiling,
was soon immersed in brown study.
The traveller, whose name was Frank
Melville, was about % years Of age, and
good specimen Of manly beauty. Elk.
actly six feet "in lis stockings" his
figure was so we'll proportional that you
did not give him credit for more than
the average height. His short, curly,
light-brown hair fitly framed a counten-
ance ruddy with health and sparkling
with good humor: while the deep blue
eyes shone with Intelligence. He was
an artist, and had &c zed the first oppor-
tunity to put into execution long cher
ished intention of making a tour in
Italy; aud the desire of beholding fresh
scenes had induce him to turn aside
considerably from the we'll beaten route
pursued by the ordinary tourist.
He had hitherto experienced great
pleasure in his tour. But nevertheless,
when the shades of evening began to
fall, he generally felt somewhat solitary
and longed for some companion with
whom to compare notes and exchange
ideas. On the particular evening on
which our story opens, he felt more than
usually restless and low.spirited. A
craving for some excitement took pos
session Of him. But in the quiet, Sc
Guided village of Monterosa, what ex-
element, mental or physical, could be
found?
There being no other way open to
him of passing the time, he decided to
try a stroll. The narrow. irregular
street of the village was almost desert
ed, nothing was to be seen except some
children playing in the sand, ana geese
walking in procession, cackling cs they
went. Stridipg rapidly onward, Mel
vile soon came to the outskirts OF the
village, and plunged into the adjoining
forest. The luxuriant LEAKAGE OF the
stately trees, which were in the full
vigor of their growth, naturally obtained
his chief admiration. TIE air was
scented with the odor of fresh resin ard
MOSES; while perfect stiffness, as of a
sanctuary, prevailed, more fitted, how
ever, to increase his depression, than to
afford him the mental stimulus for
which he craved. BE had walked at q
smart pace for some Thirty minutes,
when the sudden sinking of the sun and
the deepening twilight warned him that
1t was time to retrace his steps. Turn
! ing back, he was soon conscious that he
had lost his way, and began to lament
his imprudence in ven,uring SO far into
an unknown and apparently trackless
forest without having taken some bear
ings by which to shape his course.
l. just as he was beginning to resign
himself to night under the trees, he
discerned the smoke of fire at no great
distance, and heard in the still evening
air the notes of q violin. A walk of 9
few minutes brought him to the scene.
In the shelter of the walls of an ole
ruined castle were seated some twenty
or thirty gypsies, grouped in every
variety of picturesque attitude rounl
the customary triangle, from which
hung large pot over wood fire. Tht
men wore red waistcoats, ornamentei
with large silver buttons, which glitte1ei
in the freight, the women-at least thu
younger ones-scarlet bodices an chem
isettes trimmed with gold embroidery
and around their necks rows of glass
beads. A few withered old crones, vel
low and toothless, who served as fouls K
their younger companions, completed
the band. As the fire cleaned ant
flashed on the picturesque group, s,
bright with color, Melville longel TO
the pencil of a Salvador Rosa, that h
might preserve the scene forever OF
canvas. i
The gypsy who had been performing
on the violin ceased playing at the ap
proach of Melville, and speaking in ex
cellent Tuscan, invited HIM to be seated
and join their primitive repast. Mel
vile accepted the invitation as frankl,
as it was given. From boyhood tn
Zinga1i, their origin, strange customs
and wanderings bad been favo1ite sub
ject of study with him. He had reat
many OF the books describing thes,
wonderful people, Burrows "Zincali'
among the rest; and was familiar with {
considerable portion of the vocabular,
of the Italian gypsies; indeed, the man
ners and habits of this rowing race hat
always poss essed for him peculiar ant
fascinating interest. :.
In a few minutes Frank was discussin,
a portion of hedgehog, which, rubbed
with garlic and stuffed with walnuts, ha.
been roasted on spit sover quick fire
"Where is Melita ?" exclaimed tn
violin player, whose name was Orlando
"What has become of her?
! Our tourist was in; the act of raising
cup Of. some very good Sicilian wire t,
his lips, when bis look fell upon a vision
of feminine beauty such as he had neve
before seen in all his travels. Through
the opening OF the tent came yount
girl, apparently not more than eighteel
years of age. Slightly above the middle
height, her slender, supple figure movet
across the grassy carpet with bewitch
ing grace. Large oriental eyes, full O
liquid lnstre. softly. cleaned from be
meath eyebrows black as night. TIL
features we're perfect in their contour
4 The finely chiseled nose, the lips ...lik'
4 Cnpas bow, -" the softly rounde d CHI
might have served as models to I
modern Phidias. The, abundant hal
was Of lighter tint than the eyebrows
and Of q rich warm brown. The com
Eplexion wassalso somewhat lighter il