Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-12-03
Romany Rose
-
By DOROTHY SMITH


20. 1890 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate)
Derringer had been painting in the
deep woods. Now that the picture
was completed, he stared at the green
tunnel which he had transferred to
canvas The perspective stretched
away to the vanishing point marked
by bit of blue sky. He frowned at
the tameness of his own work.
at needs life after all" he grumbled.
AS If evolved from nothingness for
his necessity, girl stood before him
a fantastic figure in gay, clean rags,
with dark vivid face, soft black eyes
and cloud Of misty hair under Sc
quined scarf.
"a gypsy" he muttered aloud.
She nodded and smiled. "a peecter
of me, slr2 Cross my palm" She
laughed gleefully as he tossed hand
full of silver coins. She caught them
and dropped them into her pocket.
"So" She leaned against the nearest
tree trunk, so entering deliberately
into his picture, and her svelte young
form fell into lines that seemed to
melt into the rough bark.
"a dryad-no, La Zingara herselfP"
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.
'HereT he frowned little, 1t was
his own land.
"Always-my people camp here"
she said CURLY.
He looked around at the worn
patches Of coarse grass, at the strag-
Cling little paths that had seemed I'M
accountable to him; over there was
a busy stream whose bank had been
worn down by the feet Of vagrant
horses.
"This is my property" he said after
a while 81 do not want your people
to camp here. They can go into my
south field yonder." And he pointed
vaguely beyond the stream where his
farm lay.
She shook her 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 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 we're proud chargers
coming home, and the fat women loll-
ing in the upper compartments Of the
wagons wore eastern odalisques, Der
ringers artist eye absorbed the riot
of color and he sat spellbound until
vagabondsh fellow dropped indolently
from the saddle and approached him.
The gypsy was beautiful in smart
way with laughing bold eyes and
black hair. He tossed off n ragged hat
and when ne spoke his voice dropped
into n professional whine.
1.-THE gentleman buy a horse" he
was beginning when Derringer jumped
up and waved dispensing arm.
"Private property. You can camp
in my south field" he said grudgingly.
"Ah, meesterr the girls pleading
voice was heard. TITS so hot In the
fields and my peepul poorp
every WELL" 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
himT
"Never mind-I will remember how
you looked" Their eyes met and
velvety blush swept her cheek. His
heart quickened. II will come tomor-
row-perhaps you will pose againT
at may be-" she said dreamily, and
as he strobe down tho 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
pride to the winds and WOO this Ro-
many maid. What wOndrously beau
tiful 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 rest He determined
to cast family tradition to the four
winds after pride-and so he really
fell asleep at last to waken In the
early dawn to the soft patter Of rain
on the roof and the thought Of the
gypsy camp.
He dressed and breakfasted In
haste; then in rough tramplng clothes
he went out into the rain, pulling his
cloth hat well over his eyes--they |
we're 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 chlldren-miraculousl |
clean-played quiet games. Under the |
largest tent they we're eatlng-about |
twenty people-some IN fantastic garb.
others in outing gor1 ITS.
"HelloW cried friendly voice,
which he was startled to find came
from the swart young gypsy Of the
day before, now clad I'm gray fannels
and quite immaculate. "Come in and
have n bit guess we bought some
Of these eggs from your farmer"
"YesT stammered Derringer, feel