Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-01-30

remembered the flash, the sharp re-
port. the cry, and how the audacious
youth fell upon the grass writhing in
pain. His companions rushed to him
and bore him away. There was an in
Simultaneous stampede 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
half-dozen fragments, each going swiftly
as the horses feet feet could carry it
in 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 yigilant officer failed to
overtalle the gypsy bands OF because
the victim did not care to expose his
folly. But three years later saw him
wheeled in an invalid-chair down the
graveled walk leading from his fathers
elegant home, helpless paralytic from
Sallie's bullet.
Then speedily remembrance brought
up before me the gypsy, Richard,
brother to Philip, whom this fiery. I'M
tanned young creature had taken as
lord and master, for the gypsy is indeed
the ruler of the woman lie chooses as
wife. Rom, the name that tells his
rarce, means simply "the husband and
master OF one woman" significant that
lie came t!.us to be distinguished in a
time when "i other peoples about him
were poy@anous. Absolute is his
sway owes ais one woman. He may
not beat la. nor be permitted an in
fidelity toward her. But she must
know no will but his. His pleasure
must be her good pleasure. Let her
betray his confidence and her life can
pay the forfeit if lie so decides. Ii, i'm
PEELED by some strange waywardness
foreign to the woman OF her race, she is
untrue to him, an awful, Romany fate
awaits her at his command from which
no orthodox gypsy hand would be raised
to save her even i'll America.
This fate is burial alive.
Iknew that at least in two instances
it had been accomplished within the
borders of the United States. GYPSY
women with awe-struck lips had whis
pered the tale in my lhearing. / knew
that in the gypsy code no punishment
, was sufficient for the man who BETRAYED
l woman. For OF oil peoples the Ro
7 many are the most chaste and among
3 their women none live with blemishel
, virtue.
was recalled by the voice Of my
gypsy friend.
| Richard, he have changed wonder
3 derlul. Heltakes it hard, losin' Sallie
! He never talks O. 'er, but often in thu
night he iuss Screams out 'er name il
1 is dreams, and calls 'er to come to i'm
3 He don't read no more"
Richard was the only gypsy Of many
l hundreds with whom have been &C
! quainted who possessed the accomplish
ment of being able to read and write
. A curious collection of books was his
t Old English editions of Spencer's
l poems, Buffers works, Shakespeare
: rare Ben Jonson, and kindred litera
: ture, which he read and reread, otter
3 repeating long passages to me as 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 {
dukkerin' by the wavering CLEAN of
tallow candle.
9 "Poor fellowl" I said, sympatheti
| cally. "Did Sallie die 4ndden]y?"