The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-06-05

pitality by urging the stranger-lady
to come up to the fire. to take some
coffee and dry herself, an invitation
which Drs. Diedriect could never have
resisted, even without another appeal
to which her mothcr-heart had already
capitulated-tl sight, namely, of two
flushed children playing about an the
wet leaves and sodden snowbanks, with
nothing between their curly heads and
the March wind whistling over them,
and very little to cover the active
rounded bodies from the raw touch of
the earth.
Taking it all in all, drearier gypsy
encampment- more unidyllic, unpict-
uresque, bare of anything like romance
it would he hard to imagine; as little
illusion there, you would say, as there
was sentiment about Diedriect & Ma
gle. One of the members had been to
Brick Flats to hog, and her forlorn
assortment of old clothes and baskets
of old scraps stood dismally patent;
sordid, disreputable poverty was STAN
ped on everything; and yet to Sally
Diedriect there was a fine eXhilarating
tiaAor in this little episode. The vague
of the wild race and wild way of life
and blind, SPLENDID pretensions was
not lost upon her. The younger wo-
men were by no means without beau
ty,-a beauty adorned by silver ear
drops and brooches, and by the bright
colored kerchiefs which they wore
twisted in with their locks and spread
over their bosoms. Their furtive
movements, their tawny complications
and piercing eyes, increased the i'm
preston of something dimly magnif-
cent, at the same time their sorry con-
dition gave her an excuse for exer-
cising all her goodness on their behalf
Nothing human was alien to her in
the way of bedding, or cookery, or
table-service, or feminine garments, or
childish complaints; and, as soon as
George returned with the wagon (not
yet fully repaired) certain extra wraps
and other belongings, together with
sundry provisions, the property of the
firm, were bestowed on her entertainers,
Nagle himself looking kindly on the
handsome, willy gypsy-mother, and
eftecting little transfer between his
pockets and hers. When, all being
at length done, and coffee made this
dark-skinned Hager slipped nolseless-
ly mp to her and took her left palm in
her own, the widows face expressed
the liveliest qualification. She had,
as say, an adventurous spirit, and
because the years had taken tooth
here and there, and left few wrinkles
in her fresh-colored face,-had taken,
too, that flute-playing German hus-
band of hers, and brought her two
round-eyed little daughters, Sally
Diedriect did not on that account find
it ridiculous that she should he sitting
on an overturned soap-boX, with her
stout, muddy shoes stretched out to a
bonfire, while a sooth-saying gypsy
unfoldcd her fortune. The curiosity
and relish for life that had sustained
her through many losses,-that had
given her courage to take up and
carry on her husbands business with
Nagle's help), and in good time to en-
JOY it,-had not deserted her now.
She still felt taste for experience,
stock of uninvested vitality in her,
that made the present thing to be
priced, and the future worth looking
into.
Our Romany mystery dealer was, it
must be owned, very cautious at first,
and glanced often and shrewdly at her
companion, as she cajolingly ventured
one yelled assertion after another; but,
gradually, as her success was made
evident by artlcss exclamation and as
tonishment, she advanced with more
holiness onI uttaraI in :. SORT f,f RON
i'll sing-song, predictions and warnings
colorod by strain of imaginative fer
vency. Finally she said something
which caused the widow to start, and
draw back with look of vexation and
incredulity,-to redden in spite of her.
self and pull on her glove, and call out
hastily to know if George was ready.
and the wagon in trim; nor did she
fairly recover herself, or look easy, or
speak naturally, until the thanks and
leave-taking were exchanged and they
We're once more safely on their way to
Brick Flats.
"Well, what did the witch-woman
tell you?" asked Nagle some two hours
later, when the errands were done and
they were jogging TRANQUILITY home
ward together; II wish this seat had
more Of back; it must be firing for
you"
"No, I don't mind. Why, she told
me a number Of things, such as you
never heard-all about my old home,
and how | grew up, and that I'd lost
some one as WAS dear to NO." answered
the widow
Nagle forbore even to glance at the
rusty three-year old bonnet; he merely
calculated in wonder-struck voice,
Every curious!'
''She told me how | had two little