Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-20
Hungarian Gipsies.

dark complexion. give them an exotic
appearance, but we cannot call it attrac-
tive. The growing up sons and daugh.
tiers of their race have certainly garments
of spotted rags; but the children dis.
pense with even this luxury, quite salts
fed to cover themselves with the mud
in which they delight. Some OF these
little urchins are beautiful; their eyes
SO purple blue, as if the glance Of an
Eastern heaven had transfused its pellu-
cid color into Them. This peculiarly
shines the brighter, as it presented a
marked exception to the mystical bril-
fancy Of the blackeyed majority.
We can trace back the tribe in Hunga-
ry to the end of the fourteenth century.
They are apparently of Indian extrac-
ton, probably outcasts, driven by Tam
erlane from their homes, whence they
wandered farther and farther westward.
In Hungary, as perhaps even in India,
| they are ouicasts, not on account of their
race but owing to their unclean habits,
their laziness and bodily Weakness
They do not yet seem reconciled to the
idea of fixed property, and sill keep
their rowing propensities. As formerly
did the Jews in Egypt, they often make
unburnt bricks; their women not unfre-
quently assisting in their scanty labors,
in which they differ from the Jewish fe-
males; who are decidedly averse to any
kind of exertion.
Nothing, however, more clearly marks
these gipsies as outcasts, than their tast G
for garbage. 1t is great treat for them
when fowls. pigs, cattle or even horses
die. Be il by distemper or by accident,
such danties are always welcome TO their
appetite. This obnoxious taste they
justify by the argument: 'If the ami
mails are good to eat when the butcher
has slaughtered then must they not be
much better when killed by God him.
self?'
Unmartial in their appearance, and
notorious towards they differ from their
brothers of the Middle Ages, who are
said TO have defed the rack. The best
of them are like the children of Tubal:
the father of all such as handle the
harp and organ of Tubal Cain, ian in.
structor of every artifcer in brass and
lron.'
They often excel in music; being ar
lists un,aught in art, they form whole
bands, complete orchestries, and execute
complicated performances, mos. of them
without the knowledge of single note.
Like the chorus of the birds of the field,
they blend discordant tones into strange,
but magical harmonies. With sudden
transitions their strains of wild enthusi-
asm modulate into plaintive songs OF
the deepest melancholy.
1t is rs if brilliant remembrances of
grand past flashed up from amidst the
ashes of Joy and hope! The blaze ex-
tinguished, nothing remains but the fee
BILE glimmer of regret.
This is the impression left on the
mind by the Gipsey's music--a music
perfectly adapted to the genius Of Hun
garian nationality. No Hungarian festi-
val pleases the fancy without the Clip
Sizes bands. They are as much in re-
quest at the peasants wedding as at an
elegant entertainment in the County
Hall. This is public building in the
chief part of the country, where the
the county meetings, called congrega-
tons, are held, TO which old and young
come from great distances. The gipsies
are well aware OF their own popularity,
and make the most Of it on every occa-
sion. Such of them as are not in favor
of the mass; and therefore nncourted, a.
vail themselves of every pretext; such
as birthday, baptism, convalescence,
or retuin home, to torture the ear with
out mercy.