The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-22
Eoening Story
Romany Rose.
~ CLARIssA MACKIE.

green tunnel which he had trans
ferred to canvas. The perspective
stretched away TO the vanishing point
marked by a bit of blue sky. He
frowned at the tameness of his own
work.
1T needs life after ALL" he grum-
bIed.
AS IL evolved from nothingness for
his necessity, a girl stood before him
"a fantastic figure in gay, clean rags,
with a dark vivid face. soft black
eyes and a cloud of misty hair under
a sequined scarf.
"A gypsy!" he muttered aloud.
She nodded and smiled. "A peecter
of me, sir? Cross my palm." She
laughed gieefuily as he tossed hand
full of silver coins. She caught them
and dropped them into her pocket.
SOP She leaned against the nearest
tree trunk, so entering deliberately
into his picture, and her syelte young
form fell into lines that seemed to
melt into the rough bark.
"A dryad-no, La Zingara herself"
he decided as he hastily scratched in
the outline against his painted tree.
Where is your camp" he asked.
She nodded carelessly down the
green road. They are coming" she
said.
"Here:" he frowned a little. It
"Always-my people camp here"
she said CURLY.
He looked around at the worn
patches of coarse grass, at the stray
Cling little paths that had seemed I'M
accountable to him; over there was
worn down by the feet of vagrant
horses.
This is my property" he said after
while. Il do not want your people
to camp here. They can go into my
vaguely beyond the stream where his
farm lay
She shook here head impatiently.
This place is the camp of my people
my father, my grandfather and
away back. The wagons are coming
now"
Far down the road hung a cloud of
gray dust that sifted up to the tree
tops. When the caravan had entered
the wood and the wheels creaked along
on the dead leaves of many seasons.
the dust settled and the gayly painted
wagons became gorgeous chariots, and
tired horses were proud charges COM
ing home, and the fat woman ielling
in the upper compartments of the
wagon wore eastern odaHsques. Der
ringers artist eye absorbed the riot of
color and he sat spellbound until a
vagabondish fellow dropped indolent-
ly from the saddle and approached
him. The gypsy was beautiful in a
smart way, with laughing bold eyes
and black hair. He tossed off q ragged
hat and when he spoke his voice
dropped into a professional whine.
The gentleman. buy a horse"
he was beginning when Derringer
jumped up and waved a dispensing
arm.
Private property. You can camp
in my south field" he said grudgingly.
.'Ah, meesteF!" the girls pleading
voice was heard. ut is so hot in the
fields and my people poori"
Very we'll" he said good humored-
ly, and picking up his traps he started
down the path toward his home. The
, girls voice detained him.
THE peectur-you did not finish
him?"
Never mind will remember how
you looked" Their eyes met and
veivety blush swept her cheek His
row-perhaps you will pose again?"
1T may be- she said DREAMY, and
as he strobe down the path he was
haunted by a certain Tilt in her voice.
The last words she had spoken were
as If spoken in another tongue from
the broken patois of his first speech
with her
He thought of her the rest of the
evening and he dreamed of her at
night. He had determined to cast
any maid. What a wondrously beauti-
full wife she would make! He could
tame his wild bird of the woods to his
civilized ways. He Visualized her
her hair dressed in the mode, clothed
in amber satin with a scarlet flower
she was all that his nature craved
for beauty. and the soft goodness of
her face told the resti He determined
to cast family traditions to the four
winds after pride-and so he really
f-lg
early dawn to the soft patteF of rain
on the roof and the thought of the
gypsy camp.
He dressed and breakfasted in haste;
then in rough tramping clothes he
went out into the rain, pulling his
cloth hat well over his eyes-thcy were
too betraying-and he did not want
to startle The girl.
The rain was drumming lightly on
the canvas tent and the gay wagons.
The horses were under a canvas shell
ter and the children-miraculou
clean-played quiet games Under the
largest tent they were eating-about
twenty peopIe-seme in fantastic garb.
others in outing garments.
''Hello" cried a friendly voice.
which he was startled to find came
from the smart young gypsy of the
and and quite immaculate. Come in
and have a bitei l guess we bought
some of these eggs from your farmer"
"Yes?" stammered Derringer. feel
ing foolish under the gaze of so many
strange eyes. Il wish you would ex-
plain things Last night 1 left a
gypsy camp here-this morning
A chorus of laughter greeted his
words. Then an older man stepped
forward and held out his hand. My
names Judson," he said. Have some
of the children been fooling you?''
l.
his head helplessly, and then from
among the miFthful women a slender
figure detached itself and came TO
him with outstretehed hand. II was
Romany Rose-deWy and wonderful
in the morning light. She wore a
title serge fKock and her hair was
twisted into a knot.
Il must explain" she exclaimed