The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-07

draw from a violin the most wonderful
melodies.
His fancy was aroused as easily as
the tunes from his fiddle. He loved for a
day, week or month, marrying often,
and then going joyously on his way to
another place.
He has wife in Hungary, two In
Turkey, two in Algiers, six in New York,
and others In Spain, France and in diff
ferent parts of the United States, twenty
one in all. each won by his music.
1t was only when he ran away with a
girl of fourteen, whom he says he loves
best of all, that Peshta knew what
trouble was, He and his violin will charm
no more hearts, for he must pass six
years in the Eastern penitentiary in Phil
adelphia-why is more than Peshta can
understand.
There is no guile in Peshta. The gypsy
fiddler, on the witness stand, said smil-
ingly, even proudly:
"Oh, me have twenty-one wives. Me
have wife everywhere. Me played my
way into their hearts. Me charmed them
with my music and they could not escape.
None could resist me. 1t was not wrong"
To begin at the beginning. Romany
blood flows hot through Peshta's veins
Twenty-eight years ago he was born of
gypsy parents at Eperjes, In Hungary.
Once gypsy, always a gypsy.
Through his youth music was beaten
into the boy. A violin was given to him
and he was hidden to play. Note by note
he learned while his taskmasters literal
ly beat out the time upon his back. At
is he was great among his fellows-smart,
braggart, fierce, handsome and the Great
ure of whim.
With the tribe was a girl Of his own
people. Peshta looked upon her with
favor, and she-weI, she looked back.
But a match had been made-she was
promised to another.
Peshta laughed. One dark night there
came sudden uproar, shouts and scuff1e
of hoofs. He was gone, and with him
the Romany girl. Call it experience
No. 1.
Experience teaches. In this boyhood
affair Peshta learned much. One early
lesson was that the fiercest passion burns
out first. But when love had died Peshta
removed the difficulty, or, rather, he re-
moved himself. One month after that
dash into the dark his gypsy bride was
lesson in life for company.
Then Peshta set out on his travels.
Many lands have known this man and
his, MUSIC. In the tribe he had heard tell
of the charms of Turkey. There Is the
ideality of vagabondage. Southwark he
wandered through Europe, playing a way
before him, till at length he stood before
the gates of Constantinople.
Life came easy here to the stroller.
His music won him renown, for IN truth,
this idle ruffian can play. The Oriental
type of beauty to him seemed akin to
the Bohemian. Also 1t seemed vulnera-
BILE. His seductive way, his black and
flashing eye, the gentle art Of cajolery-
could any resist him? Apparently not,
for within the year experiences Nos. 3,
and followed fast upon the heels of
one another.
THREE WIVES IN ONE PLACE.
Three wives In one place are some wives
too many. Peshta moved on. Morocco
saw him next. There the Riffian maiden
hardened to the insinuating rhythm of his
violin. Two of them fell prisoners to his
charm, and in due time Peshta moved on
again, leaving experiences Nos 5 and g
mourning somewhere among the tents OF
the tribesmen.
The Ultima Thule of Persia lay beyond.
On went the wanderer. Through the
wilderness he went, then among the vii
lagos Of the hill country, wooing bed and
board with his dexter bow. Once he tar
ried month. merely to marry again
then onward, leaving experience No. Z
wailing in the valley
This OF course seems fanciful and fieu-
ratlve, but 1t is truth. It has come out
piecemeal. Also 1t is known that on the
approach to the Khiber Pass Peshta mar
ried again, his arithmetical progression OF
matrimony reaching experience No. s.
Roundabout he came to Spain. In Ma.
drid 1t was girl of the shops, somewhat
ABOVE the peasant bellies and the Gypsy
Bride No. /. After Madrid. Paris ana ~.
perience No. 10. 1t was false stem A
week later he crossed the channel. and
London's streets echoed the wailing, pen