Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-01-14

SUM- HAIHENS.
Another'ten years had come and gone.
The sweet sunshine was flooding into
Map.e Valley bacl, there among the
now verlurc-softcned New England
hills. 1t was an early morning in May.
and but few sounds broke the stiffness
Of the great gypsy camp in the grove
Alongside the highway on Maplo Iul
farm. The birds above, and a rollickng
Old tinker, Ieb Boswell. among the hnhd-
some wagons and hooded tents below.
Of the opening day.
SOON tinker Zeh beloved ont in hearty
song the refrain of an old Yorkshire
gypsy ballad, when as II hy magic every
member Of the drOwsy camp seemed astir
Smothered voices In tho close-hooded
tcnts took up the moody. Grinning
heads, musical as the morning pro-
ttuded from snug wagou-cOvcrs. Half
dressed gypsies came into sight every
whore As If Possessed by some swift
and unnccountable spirit of mirhful mis-
chief, al seemed ready for frolic. The
tinker repeated the refrain. More and
more voices came. Icb looked MP from
his. mending knowingly, conscious of the
ballads power upon his fellows, and.
after brsk.y patting some dogs which
bounded 70 his side, As If they too knew
the merriment in store, began the roar
ing song Of
ITS "CHEE! CHEEw WHEN THE BOB
BlES COME.
on the drom road there's much that Is
Make dicierlng do Tor thy buying;
De a5 wise as Iu uwl,
uf n the huhhles should prlwl.
Just give them lesson IN lyiugl
L43gsS them SQUARE pa TIE YAK ie5et
hit thcm plump Ia the max nu.el.
For its "Chee! checr" when tho hobbies
Then ~ "chool oncer-when the boobies
Far better be lying than cryingi
on the drom therc's much that IS trying;
Listen soft. when the grye horse Is A.
When ihe dugal dog lies low;
Get behind the hedge row;
For then the sly boobies are prylngl
Look them square In the yak,
For thy munlc twifei;
Hit them plump IN The max
Save Thy caufie lhcn, fowD!
For Ms "Chcc! chee!' when the bohbies
Then iTs "Checi chcel'--when the bodies
come
Far better be lying than ciyngl
Gradually moving to the ccntcr Of the
camp from all directions, still singing,
came the gypSies; every face, from spne-
| irresponsible hunor of the song. Some of
the men sang IN wonderful baritone,
and powerful base voices were heard
The women aud children carried the
soprano, rich, hearty, eloquent; and many
nn old and toothless woman lifting her
tones 20 thrilling falsetto sang clear
and true above the rest
How they sang, though! u was MS II
one voice and spirit were bent on re-
| vealing the whole strange, weird drama
| Of the tent and the road. The melody,
too, was almost lyric In It's fitness to the
| brave situations disclosed; the whole con.
Guiding with the maryelously rolliclling
and vocifcrous refrain;
Far better be lying than crying"
Immediately upon which the entire band
/ indulged in glorious frolc wherein
many an old dame found herself being
| carried above stout gypy heads to the
| covered wagons TO complete her toilet.
and tinker Zeb himself was many lime
/ sent merriy to grass, finally being tossed
/ over the fence into q young hazel copse
| for raising the acceptable disturbance
Tinker Zeh, recovering his breath
| while still laughing upf0ariOusly, hal
inst parted the hazel branches with
| his hand preparatory TO returning 20
/ camp By way of the open farm lot and
road. when his eyes met piiful sight.
| An old woman lay postratc among the
/ tlttMHMfN kAhfh" a 80 Af''A' RA'NNAhf A'A
white face pressed close 70 a narrow
mound Of earth, and her thin arms
ciasped tightly around the little weed
stained stone at its head.
A few bounds like those Of some pom
derous animal brought Heb beside her,
| He peercd sharply In her face, placed
I her ear upon her breast aud then heb
lowed Out, "Ererlastin' hammers and
tongs! wat hoyer hes tn matter WI
\ Grandma 'ull.'
He lifted her in his armB and car
RED her into camp as lightly as though
She had been m infant; with O few quick
words In Romnny 10 his companions he
! I'm her tenderly nurscd by the women
| IN Chief Stanley's tent; and Surryins
away Ia q few minutes had returned with
| Marx Hull. who, ehostly white but With
something of die cain Of her mothers
early DAYS IN her quiet eyes, set straight
\ about rcyiving the broken old life; while
Jape and Josh, trembling In feeble help
| iessncss and terror, soon crouched aid
moaned beside the hopeless pair,
Then these strange gypsy folk mar
veinus In their cunning as In their bound
80 eompassion, drew from Mary and
| 'ioeh the whole sad tale. OF the soldier
| III who had suddenly stopped writing
10 his moiher, and had never returned.
! ,I,onrb no ever and never desnairng
rather heart refused 10 believe him
| dead; Of debt growing 70 obligation, and
Il IN turn 10 encnmbrance, which had