The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-16
Ghe
GYPSY'S
CHARM
A Halloween Story
By CLARISSA MACKIE
By CLARISSA MACKIE

|
bering along the road loaded with
camp equipage and human beings
/ u do believe they're gypsies." said
Molly.
She watched them till they turned
off the road and encamped on the edge
of the old field woods.
A mans figure was walking in the
road. Molly watched him, too, and
saw him stop and look at the gypsies
unloading their camp furniture. He
spoke few words to them and pass
ed on.
| "IeG Morton" remarked Molly to
herself II wonder what he said to
| them"
Molly descended the hill and, enter
| ing the wood, saw a gypsy woman az
preaching her.
The slender, dark eyed nomad carried
to contain a sickly infant. The young
mothers sad face frightened when she
saw Mollys friendly smile.
| Lady" she pleaded. my little baby
so sick. | can get no good milk. He
will die!'
mo, no." protested Molly. NO baby
shall starve for milk in Otdtield woods.
Sit down here on the leaves. and will
so home and get some milk for you"
"You are very kind, beautiful lady"
murmured the weary mother rs she
sank to the ground and laid the whim-
pering infant on the soft leaves
Peoples say: Not give to gypsies,
they steal enough But. lady, my PEG
pies no steal!
Molly smiled as the woman's head
nodded once or twice and then settled
into repose beside that Of the little
child
II mustn't tell Hannah that the milk
is for a gypsy" she thought as she
turned into a steep path that led di
rectly up to her fathers orchard
Hannah does detcst the whole tribe
but that baby is starving for milk, and
he shall have it. The very idea of re
fusng milk when Hannah feeds 1t tc
the pigs every night!'
In spite of her defiance of Hannah
Mix. the elderly housekeeper Molly
was wary enough to approach the
milk house by the back way She
opened the door and stepped within It's
cool shelter A little stream trickleC
under the stone floor, and Hannah hat
her Jars of milk and crooks of butter
set in the water
Molly lifted down shining pail
filed it half full of rich mornings mill
and escaped with her booty to the
wood AS she approached the gypsy
she noted that the woman was sitting
up. wide awake, staring after the dis
appearing form of broad shouldered
man.
"Who was that?" asked Molly
sharply
"a prince" said the woman, display
ing two silver half dollars In her
brown palm,
"a princer' Knocked Molly, THAT
was only Joe Morton"
Fifteen minutes later Molly was bid
| ding the gypsy woman and the smiling
baby farewell The woman carried the
pail of milk. and her dark eyes were
very grateful
"Wait, lady" she called suddenly.
And. setting the pail on the ground,
she fumbled in her say calico pocket
and finally brought out little box.
From the box she extracted a gold
| ring. whose sole ornament was an ex
tended hand.
Wear this ring, lady," said the gyp.
| sy solemnly. "Some day will come a
handsome stranger who wears another
ring like ii, and the hands on the two
rings will fit together in clasp. 1t is
a charm that never fails to work. The
handsome stranger will be your hus-
| band"
| Molly slipped the ring on her en-
! gagement finger. kissed the baby and
then lifted mirthful eyes to the earnest
| face of the woman.
81 thank you for the beautiful ring"
said Molly sweetly, But | am never
going to marry What them"
"You cannot help It. wearing the
| charm" the woman nodded wisely
Molly tucked silver coin in the
brown fist Of the baby. and. promising
the woman that she would leave anoth.
er pail of milk at the top of the path
on the following morning. they parted
AT supper time the telephone rang
and merry voice informed Molly Dit
son that as this was All Halloween il
was proposed that the young people of
the neighborhood should descend on
the Ditson house for the evening
Good cried Molly as she hung up
the receiver Hannah Mix. have you
got anything in the house to feed fifty
hungry fOlks?'
Lord. helpr' streeched Hannah. Sc
cure in the knowledge that she had a
well filed larder IF they can put ND
with crullers and cider and nuts and
apples don't care how many there ber'
By 8 O'Clock the old house was ring
ing with laughter and music. Mr.. Dit
son was playing the violin. while a
dozen couples danced in the long din
ing room. Molly was everywhere at
once improvising games for the even
ing
Mrs. Oliver Bunce nudged her near