Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-04-10

CHAPTER vu.-CoNTINuEp.


news-what news?'
81 have won her." ne answered hoarsely;
I'VE are to be married here tomorrow
night"
$50, my bonnie boy-ah, she Is beautiful"
murmured the old woman"
'She Is rare gem Of n woman" ne said;
I'D rather live with Der week, than pass
. lifetime with any other woman know"
you have made your choice" said He
cate, holding up trembling finger, 80 did
your mother before you"
"Whst do you mean? What has my moth
er to do with it?" he asked.
Evil came of her union with tho house
dwellcr." answered the old hag.
That's all nonsense; evil comes any
way" he said. ''Pll take her and risk it."
''She will otdwell with U.S."
mo matter"
"Did you ask hers
's did," he replied with the lie ready to
his lips. II begged of her to think Of the
love you bore me-"
That was right, my bonnie boy"
But she would not. For year we shall
live away, and then in some other spot far
away we will come to you"
"A year is a long time, Bardolph. i am
getting old"
and you must spare ME for a year TO make
my life happy one. My wife will bring
beauty and money among our people"
No good ever came of mixing the BLOOD"
said Hecate, rocking herself to and fro.
why could you not fall in love with one
OF our own girls? they are bright and bonnie,
they are brave at telling fortunes, they have
ready fingers, and you need not work and
would never want"
Mother" he said. Il have chosen; let
things be as they are"
We'll, it shall be 80, she said. 'To-mor-
row night, you say?"
AYE, that is the time; and as soon as the
wedding is over you must strike your tents
aud move on"
1T shall be done, murmured the old wo-
man, 'but do not like it. Evil came of
your mothers love for the house-dweller-
evil, evily'
Bardolph glanced at her impatiently, and
the old woman mumbled on:
For years we prospered at nothing, dis
ease ravaged us, the law scourged us, the
house-dwellers were bitter against u.s. and /
know who set them on. 1t was your father
"a curse on the day that we first saw himi7
When she got upon this theme, Bardolph
knew that she would go on musing for hours,
quietly and joined the band around the fire.
When he gave his own version of the vie
tory he had obtained, and bid his friends
prepare for the coming wedding, laughter
and coarse jests abounded, and the men
drank and smoked far into the night
At length all but Bardolph were asleep,
and he lay in his own tent dreaming OF the
joyous life in store for him.
He cared nothing for his people and had
long grown tired Of old Hecate's maunder-
ing over him, although he had ever been
careful 10 conceal his WEAKNESS. 4 new
existence was open TO him.
II shall have money, fine clothes and live
the life of a gentleman" he thought exult-
ingly, land l shall have woman at .ny
side that all men will long for. 1t will be
brave living"
1t was within measurable distance only
one day more Of his present life, and then
he would be free CT all the dirty miserable
surroundings of his nomadic existence. For
very JOY he could have leapt up and shouted
his loudest
He rose early, and stole quietly TO the
shrubbery in the park, and crouching there
watched for signs of Vida at her window,
and was rewarded, after hours Of waiting,
by seeing her open the lattice.
Then he went back to the gipsies' camp,
but was soon out again, and so went TO and
fro throughout the day.
Night at last, clear and bright. it was
dark until eight o'clock, when the moon rose
and shone upon field, wood, and moor. In
the camp all was hustle and excitement.
One Of the Enen had an old fiddle, and
could use it well enough in his way. lie
could play some score jigs and lively tunes,
and at an early hour began.
The women danced with their children,
and the men lay on the turf smoking. He
cate, looking Gil with her bleared eyes, en-
couraged them now and then with croak.
Bardolph went early TO meet his bride,
and walked up and down impatiently out
side Gordonfelh for two hours. Close upon
midnight, Vida, wrapped from head 10 loot
IN cloak, came forth.
'You are late" ,he said. II have been
here for hours. The night has crept along"
Il could not get away before" she an
swered, land it WAS foolish Of you TO come.
Let us hasten away"
He would have taken her hand to lead
her through the wood. but she kept them
wrapped up, and silently they hurried on.
The camp was reached, and q shout greeted
them, ringing far away over the fields.
Vida threw back her cloak, and glanced
at the band of gipses in cold disdain.
What has TO be DONE" she said, "let 1t
be done quickly"
ut will soon be over" whispered Bar
dolph but she neither looked at nor answer
co him.
Two sticks, in the form OF cross, had to
beG,epped over, a blessing from Hecate to
be received, and then the main ceremony
was done with. Vida would have gone
then, but the gipsies cried out for a dance.
ut Is n custom that can't be put aside"
eaid Bardolph.
Come thenr' said Vida, "let us dance"
The owner OF the fiddle struck UP n merry
Jig, and Bardoph led Vida forward.
'1tias easy" he said dance how You
please, only keep time"
With strange light ir her ey,s she be-
gan, and with infinite grace tired measure
with her gypsy husband It was a won
drous picture TO the rude men and women
who looked on. and they stared al her as
she glided to and fro. with her eyes fixed.