Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-08

furtively to gossip Of tho road with
nevcr-sated hunger; piled all arts Of
spae-wife craft and cunning on those
who idly came; until her lost child's
name was ever on her trembling tongue.
"Tell her, if We come up wi her." the
desolate soul would say with husky
voice and averted head, "as hus doan't
claim her in law nor in force; but as hus
do yearn arter her by night and by day.
by near an by far, an how hus jess
wants her homewiso an kindly wi hus
as is her own, jess--jess w'ensoheyer
she likes
For nearly 20iyears this piteous plant
had quavered from the old gypsy's
withered lips. But now that the band
were again at the Wissahickon camp,
sudden and great strength of purpose
had come to Bahia Syria. Boil, the grinder,
had bellowingly argued against it.
leph, the chief, had kindly and firmly
dissauded. All the raunies and racklies
had crowded about her tent, and,
womanlikc, had urged in garrulous and
fearful tenderness the dangers Of her
quest. Even shock headed Ephe,
Griselda's gypsy lover of old, and true
to his younger day dream through all
these years, had said it must not be.
But nothing could dissuade or dis
hearten her. Her lettering limbs seemed
to have rcgained the strength of youth,
and strange light had come into her
pinched old face that filled the gypsies
about her with something akin to awe.
Long into the previous night the men
sat smoking their pipes by the camp
fire, consulting hopelessly.
'She has ma long to live. Hus might
tell her what hus knows" suggested
Ephe despairlngly.
"She'd jaw the drom (talSe the road)
then, sartln," said the chief slowly
shaking his head.
"Or meier speak to hus agin. 'Twould
be tn kiln" o her belikes;" responded
Ephe.
eli tells ye," insisted Bob vehe-
mently, 9Th bahia morris bit range i
her cad 1.-THE grandmother is bit wild
in her head.) 'Owsumdever all believes,
Hi says 81 tn poor body her own fool
ishment,"
"She be rawnikie decking gueri Ia
ladylike looking woman), en- she'd
COON to no harm peerdiein' (roaming)
round OF Philadelphy fur Grisclda a
bit" suggested the chief thoughtfully.
"An' hus'll bide about ere ill wen
(winter.) Hus might git TIL little mukto-
tan literally box tent; cottage;) by tn
bridge fur she?"
"paracrow tute! paracrow tutc! Il
thank you gratefully" exclaimed Ephe,
grasping the chiefs hand warmly. "Hi'll
go now IAN dicker for 1t against tn
morn"
With this Ephe hurried away over
the hillroad to Manayunk, the pretty
village hard by the Wissahickon Bridge,
where the highway from the great
Dutch farms of Central Pennsylvania
winds broad and white to Philadelphia IS
olden market houses and squares; and
after q little whispering and holdings
OF approval and delight between the
chief, Bob and few of the older women
OF the band, the fires were banked, and
the gypsies, taking one by one parting
peep at Bahia Sy'ra's face, as peaceful
now as child's in slumber, crept softly
10 the hooded tents for the night.
So when the morning came old Bahia
syria rose sprightly as a girl, placed
some coin and Griselda's picture in her
bosom, parted tenderly with all her
gypsy kin, and stepped lightly down the
pnth leading from the camp to the sun
splatched river road below.
She had hardly disappeared within
the glen, when half score of gypsy
men and women, carrying all manner Of
camp belongings, and with loyal Ephe
at their head, set out in the same direc-
ton along the road above. Only few
old spae-wives, the romping chauvies
and horde Of those strange sentinels of
the gypsy camp, tue grizzled, gaunt and
voiceless gypsy dogs, remained.
One of the latter, "Old Boze," battle
SCARED and grim, seemed sorely worried
and perplexed. He ran little way
toward the departing gypsies, halted
and looked long and wistfully after
them, and trottcd back to camp. Sniff
| fling about the vacant tent of Bahia syria,
| Boze whirled his head around and
around with open mouth and whining
| gurglings of grief and dolor. Then
circling the camp with furtive looks, as
| if about TO commit unwarranted treach-
cry or savage foray, he suddenly shot
along the river.path, halted, raised his
head and peered tremblingly toward the
registering gypsy children sporting at
the camp-edge above, and then with
dropping tail and lowered nose glided
| swiftly with weaving, searching motion
to Bahia Sy'ra's side.
Boze looked into the older pilgrims
upturned, lighted face, licked her with
cred hand ,tugged at her huttering gown,
stopped her, retired few PAGES, sat upon
his launches beating a tattoo with his
tail upon the ground and plainly said
with lolllng tongue, half-closed eyes
and wagging head.
Snow Bahia Syria, we'll 60 back to
camp together" ~"
The old woman understood the brute's
affectionate pantomime instantly, but
seemed as II hesitating u moment in
thought. Then she sternly ordered the
dog to camp. Boze would notgo. He
sidled about her, sprang away rs she
shook her stick ut him, always return
ing in an instant as Bahia SYRIA resumed
her way. Finally the old woman
turned and looked at him with a smile.
Boze wagged his tail furiously. Then
she said kindly:
"Coom long; COON long, Boze. Well
find Griselda t'getherl"
With bound the faithful animal was
at her side, crowding his head against
her feeble limbs, as if loyalty offering
her that promise of support, and thus,
old Boba Sy'ra's hand resting upon the
dogs stoutly poised head, the two bat.
tered old lives, each firm in determi-
nation that held them close to the end,
passed down the enchanting valley path
beside the Wissahickon stream upon
their quest together.
To the most ignorant and darkened
| hanrt tn-ihn snrnat a nd mat dnnr n