The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-02-19

4 remen DefeQ tne Hush, II sharp re
port, the cry, and how the audacious
youth fell upon the grass writing in
pain. His companions rushed to hin
and bore him away. There was an in:
Simultaneous stampedei in the camp. The
staples and poles Of the tents were
hastily removed: The wagons were
loaded, the horses battered, and the
membership OF the camp broke into q
half-dozen fragments, each going swiftly
as the horses fleet feet could carry Il
in q different direction.
We all knew that Sallie had drawn
the pistol from the bosom that the law
less hand sought to deile and herself
shot the intruder down.
No arrests were ever made, whether
because the vigilant officer failed to
overtake the gypsy bands or because
the victim did not care to expose his
folly. But three years later l saw him
wheeled in ah invalid-chair down the
graVeled walk leading from his fathers
elegant home, a helpless paralytic from
Sallie's bullet.
Then speedily remembrance brought
up rot is'Gt to p nj ,'i who syP Eh{. t alTha na.
tanned young creature had taken as
lord and master, for the gypsy is indeed
the ruler Of the woman he chooses as
vile. Rom, the name that tells his
rarce, means simply "the husband and
master of n woman" significant that
lie came thus to be distinguished in q
time when all other peoples about him
were polygamous. Absolute is his
sway over this one woman. He may
not beat her o be permitted an in.
fidelity toward her. But she must
know nc will but his. His pleasure
must be her good pleasure. Let her
betray his confidence and her life can
pay the forfeit if he so decides. If, i'm
PEELED by some strange waywardness
foreign to the woman of her race, she Is
untrue to him, en- awful, Romany fate
awaits her at his command from which
no orthodox gypsy hand would be raised
to save her even in America.
This fate is burial alive.
Iknew that at least in two instance:
it had been accomplished within the
borders of the United States. Gyps,
women with awe-struck lips had whis
pered the tale In my lheariug. Ihney
that in the gypsy code no punishment
was sufficient for the man who BETRAYED
a woman. For of all peoples the Ro
many are the most chaste and amons
their women none live with blemisheC
virtue.
I was recalled by the voice of m,
gypsy friend.
Richard, he have changed wonder
derful. Heltakes it hard, losin' Sallie
He never talks O. 'er, but often in the
night he iussf screams out 'er name il
is dreams, and calls 'er to come to i'm,
He don't read no more"
Richard was the only gypsy Of many
hundreds with whom T. have been &C
quainted who possessed the accomplish.
ment of being able to read and write
A curious collection of books was his.
Old English editions of Spencer's
poems, Buffers works, Shakespeare,
rare Ben Jonson, and kindred litera.
ture, which he read and reread, often
repeating long passages to me es we sal
by the fire in the twilight while the
women withdrew from the light of the
blazing green wood into the dusk with
some credulous visitor to tell Q
dukkerin'" by the wavering CLEAN of .
tallow candle.
"Poor fellow!" I said, sympatheti
cally. did Sallie die SUDDENLY"
Pretty suddint," answered the
gypsy. [ wondered why his mouth
seemed to grow stern instead of sorrow
full.
You know how Sallie used to be ar
awful straight girl-wouIdn't low M
one, Gorgois nur Rom neither, to foo.
around her disrespectful?" He paused
looking at me closely. nodded com
~prehensively.
well Dick, he allus waz a talkin
about his blamed books, an'he want NJ
great Mt the horse.tradin'. He kind O
tired her with his book talk, an he kint
o tired hernot gettin' forehandedfaster
But oh, Lordy! he would "a died fu,
her. Last summer some o. them Stan
legs they wuz campin' 'longside O. u
out beyant Engiewood u spell. Most 0
en- drinks too 1nuch. you knows. Salli,
got to runnin' with them altogether to,
Tree an drinkin' a bit. I talked to her
an Dick he begun to fin fault, too
Wouldu't low her to go from camp ful
a long spell even to tell dukkerin'
There wnz a Teller, bout q quarter
blood gypsy, come long, He knowet
the Stanleys an they run on i'm in towr
an fetched I'M to the camp. Had
livry.stable out in Frisco an wuz Jus
traveiin'. he was. He had plenty O
money an' you knows cow Sallie she
wuz good-lookin'-too good.lookin'-an
her pretty ways o singin' an playin,
Well, she met i'm over there. h
coomed round our camp, too. till J
ordered i'm off. Sallie started out one
night an' Dick he spoke up short an
told her to bide by the fire. They wen
at words an finally she struck i'm arc
on the cheek. He stood up straight an
white with his anger.
mo Romany wife may answer bacl
her husband, much less strike him. h,
said.
No true Rom sits in the tent an
reads when he should be hakkaworrin,
with horses she answered, haunting
like.
aIlle boy, he JUS bent his head an
answered her:
lyon are right; I have made a mis-
take. Then he went one way in th,
dark among the brush and she another
Long late they both coomed back, diff
ferent ways. But in the mornin' there
want no trace of Sallie.
.Dick, he lost his 'ead. Well, v,
follered. They didn't leave no hatteran
you can iuss know, but we caught III
with 'em at Omaha. When the felle
saw us he was scared. We met then
on the street. She was logged ont i,
clothes he bought 'er. She made
move to her pocket, but I caught e
wrist.
Youth coome back with us, iuss q
you be. my Lass I said. Dick b,
sprang for that cursed white ,slf.an.alr,
! threat en- shoos i'm helpless ,an ihxs1