Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-12
The Idea of Ba1;nt, the Gypsy.
BY PoIdi Schmidt.

But all the afternoon he was right
fully excited. After dark he went down
to the canteen.
! There he sat in . corner, chewed ON
a piece of pork and looked over each
one of the many soldiers present. Men
were there from all the regiments, even
from the German regiments, talking,
singing, writing, gay in spirits and full
of h-opefulness.
The canteen proprietor's son pushed
between the wooden benches and asked
some Honveds if the gypsy Balint Bella
was there. In his hand he held a fiddle.
They pointed to the corner where Ba-
lint sat. The young man handed the
Iiadle to the gypsy and said: "From
Captain Fodor."
Play for us, Balint," cried his COM
rades. And the more the report spread
about the canteen that there was a
gypsy on hand with a fiddle, the
stronger We're the calls for him In
ficers came out of the neighboring
room and seated themselves among
the soldiers. For. although there were
many gipsies in the Hungarian regi-
ments, few Of them had brought their
fiddles to the war.
And BaIint Played.
Balint let them call for him until
NASy AAP NloSSCo III NY 1OTCO OuI
of his corner. Then he played many
songs, most of them German, since
some Of the allied German officers
also sat there. And they sang with
him, together with the majority Of the
soidlers, who understood no German.
NOW a gypsy song. Balint?" asked
a honved officer.
Bella W n then tuned his fid-
die deliberately. 1t was certainly a poor
instrument, for Bella shrugged his
shoulders as if he meant to excuse
himself in advance in case he fell be-
low the proper standard. Then he drew
the bow. A few short preliminaries.
then a rum. very soft and sweet. like
the twittering of birds.
"Ah. this is the song, Fly, Sparrow
the Hungarians explained in a whisper
to the Germans.
The room was absolutely still; all
gazed attentively through the smoke
clouds gathered under the low root. At
first they listened, absorbed and eager;
then with a continually growing res
not go right. Having begun splendid
~, Balint now played falsely and hesi-
tatingly. He had not gotten half
through h piece when his memory
failed him entirely.
With an oath Of embarrassment and
irritation he let the fiddle sink. They
saw that he was ashamed OF himself.
Fol that a gypsy should forget q gipsy
song-that was altogether unheard of.
Some OF them pressed forward, sang
Balint Bella was beyond aid. 1t was
no use.
Trapped by a Song. 4
e suddenly the honor Of the Hon
we'd was saved. A file leader stepped
forward, took the fiddle out of the
hand OF the gypsy and began h song
was lifted. Poor Balint stepped behind
his rival. Pale and trembling he stood
there, bit his lips until the blood came
and listened. He had to be a witness
while he was being put to shame by
garian regiment--by an alien. And the
man could play, too!
Very good!" exclaimed the officers:
but they looked more suspiciously than
attentively at h violinist. who kept
his eyes closed as he played.
h division commander now ap-
peared in the door Captain Fodor
stepped softly forward, exchanged a
look with Balint Bella. then lifted his
arm.
The fiddling file leader opened his
eyes n looked down the barrel OF a
revolver.
Hands up" cried Captain Fodor.
The fiddle slipped to the ground. At
the same time Balint seized the file
leader by the coat collar and dragged
him out.
After taps Balint told his comrades
the story of the Petersburg aquarium
to it's finish. Yesterday it had sud-
denly came to him. That strange file
leader at the camp kitchen was the
Russian guard officer. a spy here
among the Austrians! In Petersburg
he had often played Ely, Swallow"
On Balint's fiddle for his countess and
paid Balint 20 rubles each time. But
with his favorite song Balint had
trapped lin.
For his bad playing the gypsy Balint
Bella received 800 kroner and was pro-