The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-17
A WILD BERRY.
A GYPSY SKETCH.
Opie Read, i'm the Times-Herald.

T their fleetest horse and sent him to the
pOstoffice. / suggested that it might be
well for me to go with him, that 1t
would set me quite distance on my
way, but hereupon spoke UP the man
who mad Striven to write. mo. you
stay with us till tomorrow. We will
wont you to write another letter then
exactly like the other one"
-
The man with whom I had transacted
my literary business was Ham Tish,
the ruler of the tribe. He was power
full old fellow and 1t occurred to me
that he might be a pretty tough GUS
toner In rough and tumble fight
Sitting just across the fire from me
was q girl. Out of the darkness she
had come like an illuminated shadow.
Her black hair was tangled and her
face, warm and rich, was like a wild
berry. She laughed. and ] sat there
with an ear of corn growing cold In
my hand. She was stronger than con-
science-she had taken my appetite.
She looked at me shyly and wondered
If she had heard the reading Of the
letter. Ham Tish spoke to her. called
her Lees, and she called him father.
! don't think that ! slept very much
that night. I lay on blanket under a
bush, looking at the stars, her eyes.
Once during the night I thought that
heard her laugh. but it must have been
the rippling Of the creek.
Early at morning l saw her go down
to the stream to bathe her face. In
stinct suggested caution. and I peered
out to see If Ham Tish were within
sight. He was not. and I went down to
the stream. She was wiping her face
with a. handful OF oak leaves
won't you take my handkerchief"
I asked. And then remembered that
I had none. that had tied 1t about the
wounded finger of a railway section
hand. She wasn't frightened-she
laughed. "I would rather have leaves"
she said. And then she added: Where
did you come from?"
From nearly all directions"
"But don't you live in a house."
mot now. Once ] did. but now
live as you do, under the trees"
"But isn't it nice to live In a house
and not have to go away? ] have seen
the time and have chickens and ducks.
and not have to steal them. Did you
ever live that way"
eyes, untM was sick Of It,"
''But you didn't get sick of not having
to steal chickens and ducks, did your
81 lived that way until to have stolen
anything would have been a relief"
"And do you like to steal?" she asked.
shooting q glance at me that almost
made me dance jig."
IT shouldn't care to steal chicken"
I answered. "but know of wild berry
that I should like to steal.'
''But you don't have to steal any
thing that's Wild she replied. She
was silent for moment, and then she
asked: "Are you going with us?"
A thrill shot through me and made
my fingers tingle. why do you ask r
was all could trust myself to say.
because father said ne wanted you
to write more letters. Will your"
'I will write 10000 letters for your
father. would even take of my shirt
and cover It with messages for his
friends
I wrote another letter and Lees
clapped her hands with delight.
The same boy was sent to the post
Office and this time 7 did not ask n It
might not be well for me to 20 with
him. Along toward noon, while was
poieinE about to catch a sight Of the
girl, Ham T1sh came Up and asked me