The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-10-15
"YOu have not yet decided which you

OF nlmSeI, ana ready TO commit any alb
surdity,
"You have enemies who wish you
i'll, but they will not be able to work
you much harm if you mind what / say.
You were born to be lucky, and will
never die in debt or in poverty. To keep
out of the clutches of enemies you must
be careful what you say. Within three
years you will be married to the young
lady you love"
Harrison smiled down at his supple
palm. Under her low monotone he was
carrying on separate train of thought
without losing a word. He broke through
the fortune-telling to say at this point.
'It's pleasant to live in wagons in the
open air, isn't it2"
Queen Emeretta threw her glance up
at his face, and replied, as matter Of
course, Eyes"
"White-I mean outsiders have some
times married among your people, haven't
they"
ooh, yes. There was an Irishman, ;"
she said, married one of the Jeffreys.
But he turned out bad traveller"
81 heard of another such marriage in
New Jersey" said Harrison, hardly
knowing what impelled him to talk
so, land it was very happy. Seems to
me it ought to be the ideal life, living
close to nature and so on, with beau
tiful face always before one. Don't you
feel the changes in the weather very
much2"
"We go south in winter, replied the
queen, dropping his hand.
"And return north with the birds"
If he was about to utter lengthy po-
etic sentiment, the sight of a dog alb
sorbed to the shoulders in a dinner pot
sealed his mouth. He wondered if the
the gypsies did eat pigs found dead, and
in the same thought-sheath he wondered
if there was lovelier creature on earth
than this queen.
'But was that all2" exclaimed Harri-
son, offering his hand to be held again.
''Have you told me my whole fortune?"
mo, the gypsy queen replied, with
out taking mis- hand. "Now, fold your
arms across your breast, and wish
Whatever you wish will he granted
Have you wishedg"
eyes" d" said the young man.
'Then your wish shall be granted.
And that is ALL"
"What l wish for more than anything
else in the world is kiss from you
Remember, you said it would be grant
ed"
While he was speaking the last words
Harrison knew the tawny young man
had risen up from the fence corner, and
Queen Emeretta had receded from him
in backward slope of her body from
feet to head. Still, he knew he would
have said it if it involved him with the
whole camp, and if she flashed lightning
at him. He knew he was going at a
tremendous pace upon a foolish track,
but he was already under way, and could
not RESTRAIN himself. And she bewitched
him even more by her recoil than by her
touch against his hands. This young
man, quite a favorite among his social
equals, and considered not bad, was for
the instant ready to wade among gypsy
clubs and dogs and all the artillery of
the camp to realize his sincerely express
ed wish
1t surprised him when the tawny young
man came near without distinct indi-
cations of intending to try to thrash
him.
The queen did not disappear with
dramatic bound or utter any exclama-
ton to spur ON the tawny young man.
As he approached she walked away from
Harrison, and stopped at the first camp
fire to talk with the old women who had
watched her fortune-telling.
Two or three sticks only were burning
under their kettle hook, making scarcely
a CLEAN of flame, but considerable smoke,
which kept the mosquitoes at bay.
Within this film of blue dimness which
nothing but smoldering wood produces
Harrison saw his last glimpse of Queen
Emeretta. For afterward, if she did not
ascend to some leat -curtained couch at
the top of the trees, where the night air
cauld fan her and the dew impearl her
perfect cheeks, she must have crept into
one of the squatty, dirt-staned tents;
and the bare thought made him shudder.
The young gypsy man again began to
urge horse-trading, and so relieved was
Harrison to escape quarreling with these
tawny Capulets that he plunged head
long into the subject. He went after his
horse and his gun, the young man still
beside him, and brought them into the
hiANob VI LnS CdluDs n uOLSn Qafk-ey6Q
fellows with shining teeth gathered
around him, and Others just returned
from town OF country foraging, with two
or three horses led by one halter, or bags
in which suspicious chicken squawks
seemed sOffocated, added themselves to
the examining committee, which seized
upon his horse. They felt its limbs,
looked in its mouth, pulled out bits of
its hair, made it prance, and sprung
upon it, one after another, to try its
mettle by dash into the woods
Dusk had given place to evening. In
the gypsy camp, as in the best regulated
dwelling, children will utter vesper
walls. And odors not rank by day were
dampened and rendered almost palpable
by the humid night air.
Harrison wanted to get away. Through
all the wrangle and jargon of horse talk
he had kept watchful eye upon every
quarter of the camp, and Queen Emer-
pfta annoorad No a ha,a TIa bo1 d. N;t+;r,.