The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-28
GYPSY VENGEANCE.

beautiful woman. Passersby outside the
park rail thought so as they saw her re-
clining the rustic bench in the grounds
that surround Castle Feherhaza. At her
feet little Lili was playing with the dow-
ers she had gathered in her pinafore.
In the path beyond which leads from
the meadows into tho park stood another
grandmother leading her grnndchild by
the hand-a tall, brown skinned gypsy
woman. Pail, the people called her. The
child 1.-THE limbed girl of 10, was decked
in shabby tinseled garments, with beads OF
glass in her raven locks and tambourine
in her little hand. lima was the girls
name
When the old gypsy woman beheld the
princess, an evil fire leaped into her eyes
She caught little lima by the hand and
dragged her to the spot where the great
Lady was sitting.
Dance and beg!" she Missed.
The princess was startled by the sudden
appearance of the old gypsy and drew her
little granddaughter within her embrace
Its only Pail, the old gypsy" moaned
the brown skinned, gray haired creature
1--WE are poor and homeless. This child is
an orphan, already compelled to earn her
crust of bread. Dance, Ilmetta! Her high
ness will not drive you away. She will let
you dance for the little Lilli.''
The gypsy child danced as only gypsies
can dance But in the clear olive tinted
lace lu0FS WAS Il COAtcIlpIuOQS
expression Princess Lilli laughed and
laid her grandmOther's generous gift into
Imetta' 3 outstretched hand.
Laughing and shaking her head the old
gypsy took her child by the hand and dis
appeared in the thicket
The old princess pressed Lilh to he1
breast. Her heart was filed with strange
foreboding. Dark clouds had arisen on
the horizon, hiding the face of the young
spring sun.
Soon the rain begins to fall, cold,
dreary, merciless rain, such as only the
Hungarian prairies know Under tree
outside the castle grounds crouches old
Pail, with little Ilmetta wrapped in heI
coarse, ragged shawl. She rocks the shiv-
/ ering little creature on her knees and
croons and whines in an endless monotone.
1--WE seen the handsome white lady
again, the cause of all my distress, she
who has ruined my life! But her stupid
eyes did not recognize me. Hi, hill Why
should they? It's long time ago. The
eye of hatred alone is seen, and III be re-
venged at last. Will live to see it? There
is neither love nor happiness in the lines OF
the white child's hand. Hi, hi There are
evil, suffering and broken heart. You
shall avenge your grandmother, Ilmetta ~
| she continued, rocking the slumbering
| child fiercely to and fro. 90 You shall carry
| misfortune into yon hated house, for in
! your sweet, brown hands can foresee de-
struction to all whose heart you stir to
| love. Precious child!'
And she fondled the sleeping girl with
wild, passionate tenderness and crooned to
her the story of her life:
''There was pretty young gypsy wom-
| an many years ago Now she is old and
! ugly. Her name was Pail, and she won
the hearts of all those who fell under heI
| spell. One day fair haired young officer
in arx His PrifPe
Serinyi, and he fell in love with the brown
skinned Pail, and Pail loved him. They
were married, not in the cathedral, after
the fashion of the rich but in the gypsy
camp, after the manner of the Zingari.
| The red wine flowed in torrents, and the
| gypsies sang and danced for three nights.
| The young officer took his gypsy wife
away hiding her in the little white Prussia
house, where they were happy. For yea1
or two their happiness lasted. Then his
people came and said, It's time that you
should marryl' They knew nothing OF
the gypsy wife and made him acquainted
with a delicate girl of noble birth She
had gentle blue eyes, a waist like wasp's,
and princely revenue was attached to hel
, name. Prince Serinyi was weak. He
tired of the dark skinned Pail. The fairy
princess pleased his eye, and he married
her in the cathedral amid pomp and glory.
Poor Pail returned to the camp of her peo-
pie The sun parched her beauty, and
hatred scared her heart. 1t was the old,
old story, and today they have met face to
face, the gypsy wife and the white lady,
and each had little grandchild with her.
My little brown darling shall ayenge hel
old grandmother upon the noble lady
through the fair haired little child. Sleep
on, Ilmetta, for the rain is cold and drear,
and if ever in life thou shouldst meet a doll
faced beauty whose name is Lilli Serinyi
crush her!'
Years have passed since that day, and
the two grandmothers died without seeing
the day of revenge. Princess Lillt grew
into a gentle, beautiful woman. She mar
ried her handsome cousin, Count Primo
| Aprilone, whose castle lies on the rocky
coast of Dalmatia. The young couple re-
moved to Vienna, where they inhabited
the old palace of the Serinyi.
One day there came to the city strange
SINGER, Signora Amalia Wilma, whose
fame was great in Italy. The signora was
a dazzlingly beautiful woman, with large
dark eyes and smiling, crimson lips. She
took the heart of the young husband by
storm, intoxicating his sensuous nature.
Cold and unapproachable herself, she lured
him into her net. He was maddened with
infatuation for the beautiful creature and
fingered at her feet. He poured his riches
into her lap and forgot the world for heI
sake LilH, his gentle wife, grieved over
his perfidy and died of broken heart.
When he had buried her, he hastened tC
his enchantress. Now that l am free, u
he cried, 'come and be my wife Make
me happy at last"
your wifer' sneered the singer with
cruel GOODNESS. 81 never loved you, COUNT
Were you playing with me then when
you told me that if I were free you would
be miner
eyes. 1t was a game 1 was playing,
count answered the heartless Wilma.
"What prompted your
"Let me tell yOu, count. 4 song my