THE GIPSY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 189, 11 August 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GIPSY.

(By ALVA GRAHAM.) May was feeling very indignant, and indeed she had need to be. For had not Leah Fray taken her place in the school concert? She was to have played the part of a gipsy, but Leah had spoilt it all by Baying that May was a bad actress. "Oh," sighed our heroine, "how can I convince them that I can act?" That night, as she lay in bed, surrounded by the comforting darkness, her thoughts wandered constantly to the school concert, and, oh, how she longed to be the gipsy. Then, unseen by anyone except the man in the moon, a smile spread over her face, for she had thought of a plan. It was a daring one, but with tact it could be done. She slept well after that. Next day, had anyone cared to take a peep at the bulky parcel she brought back from the vUlage, they would probably have seen j >ome 6trange things. But no one cared o look, however. Patiently she waited till the afternoon, and then she disap- . peared. About four o'clock that afternoon a igure could be seen coming up the school drive. So funny did she look 1 that one of the girls remarked: "What 13 this coming here? It looks almost liuman." ■ When the "almost human" thing came ' they saw that it was an old | pipsv woman. "Alio, young leddies, would yer like yer fortunes told?" she said in a low ' Voice, that gave one the feeling of being

i disguised. The girls gasped in quick succession, J for fortune-tellers were very rare in the district. Then they fell to examining her. Her feet, very small for her apparent age, were encased in a pair of ancient shoes. So ancient were they that they could hardly be ealled shoes. No legs were visible, for they were hidden by a long crimson skirt, which was wide enough for three people. Her jacket was the worst of all, judging by appearances. It had once been green, perhaps in the time of Alfred the Great. I Now, however, it was all the colours of the rainbow; indeed, it seemed to be made of patches. A shawl, begrimed with mnd and dirt, hung loosely over her slim shoulders. On her small head a wide-brimmed black hat sat jauntily, and from that hung a yellow veil, completely hiding her features. All that could be seen of her face was a pair of glistening eves. To finish her toilet she had donned a pair of black gloves, i Ten minutes later the old gipsy was 1 seated in the midst of a group of fas- [ cinated but mystified girls. AD were I eager to have their fortunes told. The i gip«y BOOn had them thrilled, her low voice suggested romance, and her un- * gainly figure mystery. She was in the " act of telling Leah Fray's fortune when suddenly she did a funny thing. Up she jumped, and with a low laugh tore off her veil, to disclose the laughing e features of May Martin. For the second 0 time that day" the girls gasped. Then they laughed, even Leah. r "Now." said May laughingly, "do you h still believe that f can't act?" '» "No!" chorussed her companions. " That was how May managed to play e the part of the gipsy in the school concert.