The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-19

it betrayed the fact that was RICH and that
money was no object to me- The gypsies over
whelmed me with thanks, and offered to.play
me anything liked. sent them to the Countess
to be rid of them. Without much pressing, the
Countess, with the voice Of a siren set up one of
her favorite volkslieder Forgetting, in the
perfection of the melody, all the surrounding
circumstances, applauded as madly as if were
in my opera box at Pesth. The bandit captain
applauded just as heartily and volunteered to
sing himself. He favored US with one of those
indigenous melodies which may be heard in
every village at the corner of every street. The
song ended, he turned to me:
Now old gentleman, it is your turn, we must
have your song.n
was in a sad quandary. sing-under such
circumstances, tool who, except the song
Fare the well, thou silent housed" had never
been able to learn tune in my whole life.
II can not sing-I can't sing at al!'
The fend of woman who had got us into this
NIX always laughs immediately when absently
begin to hum an operate air. | have high
squeaking voice A peacock is more melodious
The Countess begged me in French to sing
something, MS my refusal might be hurtful to
all. That was all that was wanting-what was
l to do! Convulsed with terror, my heart trans
fixed as it were by fear, commenced: aFare
the we'll thou silent houseP
sang in a oulstrring yet ear-splitting fash
ion. Painfully enough got half way through
my song, when in my third strophe, by an un-
lucky mischance, / made an agonizing Shrek
The Countess could no longer contain herself,
but burst into hearty laugh; the bandits also
began to laugh; and, lastly, myself joined the
chorus, though had little cause for merriment.
The dance was then renewed The Countess
was unwearying They danced till dawn Not
till the suns first rays began to peep through
the windows did she interrupt the Festivities,
and beg her partner, as it was high time, to have
the horses put to.
1--WE shall now see their true aspect thought
l; may God have mercy on our soulsl'
The robber went out, reused the coachman
and the servants, had the horses harnessed, and
then announced that the carriage was ready for
"Of course they mean to murder us on our
way, thought L
got inside the carriage with more alarm
than alighted 1t seemed so suspicious to me
that they did not demand my purse.
The chief of the band at the same time
mounted his horse and accompanied us to the
high road. After directing US on our way and
expressing hopes that we should enjoy the ball,
he took his leave of us and rode off to rejoin his
did not breathe freely till we reached Zeried
then began to reproach the Countess with her
very thoughtless conduct and to remind her how
great had been the danger to which she was ex-
posed, from which my authority alone had res
cued her Who knows what might have hap
pened to the Countess had not been with herr
The humiliation, too, of dancing the csarda
with Betyars till daybreak!
She listened quietly to my reproaehes; when
'Apropos of daybreak, dear Baron. are you
not sleepyW
''Notin the least" answered Grossly
'Then be so good as to sing me the song which
you left unfinished" You may imagine how
quickly became sleepy. We reached Arad at
about6 o'clock-haf an hour later all the fashion
able world were in possession of the details of the
story. She even robbed me of this slight salts
faction. She was the belle of the evening She
did not dance, however and thus failed to follow
up her latest triumph; yet she was queen of the
ball. She pleaded WEAKNESS as her excuse. |
can well believe she was weary after dancing
eighteen csardas in one night. had not danced
at ALL yet was confoundedly tired
fastened to the card ROOM II am in luck
today thought. They were playing lans-
quenet at one table. "Now / shall pluck you,
my pigeons" Nicely did pluck them-I lost
all my ready money and incurred debt of a
thousand gulden.
Six months after these events read in one of
our political organs the announcement that Fe-
kete Jofzi, the celebrated robber chief was lying
in prison at Szegedin, condemned to death, and
that he would be executed according to law, in
that town / at once FASTENED to tell the news
to our little Countess.
''What PITY she remarked. laying down the
paper; she was such a charming dancer"