The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-20
Eoening Story
RomanY Rule.
BY a. MARIA CRAWFORD

Everybody. in the household was
sound asleep when Melicent quietly
unbolted the heavy oaken door, and
with her ragged skirt fluttering in the
early morning breeze set out for the
little wooded copse where old Michael
was waiting for her.
you do look for all the world just
like a real gypsy girl. Miss Melicent.
skirt" he cried. Whatever will your
mother say. child, with me aiding and
abetting you in such foolishness?"
She sprang into the wagon and
flicked the lines gently over the broad
back of the fat old horse. Mother
will never know, Michael. It's a secret
between you and me. You've helped
make a lifelong dream come true for
me, Michael. Thank you. Good byei"
you be back before dark, Miss Mel
icent. I'll be waiting here for you."
warned the old servant as Dobbin
started to jog down the leafy lane
Out of sight of the house, Melicent
lifted up a glad voice and sang out of
the sheer happiness of her heart. A
sudden lurch of the wagon in the road
caused a great rafting of tin. The
girl glanced over her shoulder. There
were the tin cups, pots and pans that
she had ordered Michael to buy for
Il. L
try to sell them her wares and always,
always she would keep the money as
a talisman of her one carefree, gypsy
day.
She looked along the little trail and
saw the shadow of the mountains
first one she would stop for breakfa st
at a little spring that dubbed up clear
as any crystal.
With a great creaking and groan-
ing and the rattle of tin the wagon
stopped. She gave old Dobbin his
head and. like a woodland sprite, she
ran here and there gathering twigs.
then reached into the back of her
wagon for the big bundle of dry sticks
that Michael had thoughtfully pro-
vided 1t was when the appetizing
flavor of bacon rose on the pine
scented air and Melicent felt rising
hunger that she never experienced in
the gray and blue breakfast room at
home that she heord voice singing a
rollicking air of the music halls. She
turned her head TO listen, and there,
along the very same trail which she
herself had travelled came a real
gypsy wagon. and on the high seat
real gypsy man.
Morning" said the stranger. halt
ing beside her and smiling down at
her, his teeth white as milk under his
black mustache.
Morning" she replied, hoping that
he would drive on and not try any
Romany language on her
He shifted the air with quiverinG
nostrils. Smells good" he said, lazily
regarding her.
She was forced to generosity. Want
some?" she demanded briefly.
He sprang lightly from the high
seat and bowed before her. He looked
like the king of all the gypsies in the
world.
And so the adventure. the great adj
venture, begani Together. all day
long, they roamed by devious, untried
paths
You're only playing gypsy. aren't
your" he asked at last when they had
stopped for lunch on top of a high
mountain, where the winds from the
four corners of the earth seemed to
blow A sudden summer storm broke
upon them and sent them scdrrying to
his big wagon for shelter. He pulled
off his own velvet Jacket and wrapped
it tenderly around her. Il wish that
you were a gypsy" he said sadly.
Il wish L were a gypsy. too" she
said breathlessly. and drew back from
the look in his flashing eyes. But he
did not offer to touch her. She wished,
wantonly. that he would take her into
his arms and kiss her. hard, upon the
mouth. She would have the thrill of
it to dream over, as long as she lived
to have been kissed by this strange
nomad who spoke many tongues and
had travelled over all the world.
Finally she mentioned home and the
necessity of reaching there by sun
down. He laughed and lifted her into
the high seat of his own wagon, tying
patient old Dobbin to the back of it.
I'm take you" he said. Wen fin
ish this day together" and then, be-
side her, driving along the rocky road,
he began to sing in a clear. sweet
tenor For mem'ry has painted