The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-25

He was excited. He urged his wild
pony TO Its utmost speed. When the
dark-eyed youngster with the curly
Egyptian locks won the reason was
explained. He was Peter Stanley, son
OF John Stanley, gypsy, whose tribe
has camped on the fields off the Bos-
ton post road, just beyond Pelham
avenue. for two weeks. waiting for a
prince to arrive.
There was great deal OF mystery
about this bait of the tribe on it's way
from Cincinnati to the White noun
tains. Policeman Ryan of the Bronx
Park station, who dropped in to talk
with old John Stanley, patriarch of
the tribe. could not understand who
the expected prince was till one day
pretty young Queen DoneyN Stanley
whispered to him that the prince was
to arrive on the wings of the stork,
and that he was to be left at the tent
door of Prince William SANKEY'S wife.
Mary The policeman blushed, but
Z promptly demanded to know how they
knew that the arrival would be a
prince. Why not a princess?
"Oh. go and ask Grandma Stanley"
said the pretty girl. "She will tell
you that it all depends on my pony
jimmie. 1t is an old tradition of the
Romany folk that if the best horse in
the camp wins race just before the
arrival of the stork. and that race
Is not sought but is challenged by an
outsider. then the stork will leave
son. But If the tribe has no horse
fast enough to win. then a girl will be
left"
The policeman was little skepti-
cal till three days ago he saw the fast
pony jimmie being carefully groomed
and every day ridden out on the
avenue by Prince Pete Stanley Hour
after hour and day after day the fast
pony with her eyes hidden by her
name and long tail flying in the wind,
was seen on the avenue, but no one
appeared to challenge her. Automo-
piles went past, but never a rider of
horses appeared to seek race. Sat
urday night the old woman pretended
to know that the stork was on the
wing. But no race had yet been won.
Prince Pete was out early each
morning with the mare, looking for
race. About II o'clock he heard the
clatter of hoofs behind him, and
young fellow on handsome pony we'll
fitted to match jimmie called out:
- AoSS you uo"A IuC lodu W llt
mile post for the cigars, stranger"
The alacrity with which the chal-
lenge was taken surprised the youth
And the sudden eagerness and excite
ment in the face of the gypsy was
puzzling as he leaned over and tight
ened his saddle girth and whispered.
Nov, jimmie. now for the glory of
Egypt and the Romanys."
Jimmie ran as she had never ran
before. The minute she had won the
young gypsy, forgetting the cigars, set
on straight for the camp to tell the
news. There the stranger followed
and learned the reason for the excite
ment and rejoicing when the people
piled out of the tents and were told
that jimmie had won. The stranger
said he was Harry Jones, son of
physician, living in One Hundred and
Eighty-second street.
The rejoicing was hushed to Mono
tone and was carried on as far as
possible from one silent tent, where
the old women wearing all their
beads and quaint jewelry, came and
went with no sign of rejoicing, but
with rather anxious faces. At last
Grandma Stanley sent Prince William
off posthaste for physician from
williamsburg, saying that the case
was beyond the skill of the mothers
of the tribe. The physician came and
went away after several hours, look
ing very grave himself He was to
return again with second doctor.
1t is expected the stork willie finally
descend today and that he will leave
a prince to the House of Stanley-for
the gypsy faith is strong in old tradi-
tions-and if it really is prince the
rejoicing will be great, indeed.