Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-09-03
INTERESTING SKETCH.
The Gipsies---Ch Of the Race---sad
Result OF q Marrlage.

Result OF a Marriage.
In England there at most 1900 gipsies
in France, they are hardly to be found at all
in Spain, the last census put them at 10000,
nearly all dwellers in cities and followers of
eedentary trades. Before the end of the pres
ont century, they will probably be extinct over
Western Europe.
The number of the Hungarian gipsies, ac-
csrding to the census of Maria Theresa, is
53 900; in Pennsylvania, they are reckoned
about II 900; in Wallachia and Modavia, ten
years ago, there were $1,000 families, which,
at five to family, would give 1S5 900 souls
so that in the PrincipaIities every eighteenth
person is gypsy. In Southern Russia, theii
number is probably nearly as great; but no ac-
curate computation can be made. as they lead
an entirely wandering life, in summer grazing
their cattle on the plains, and in winter en-
camping in the depths of the forest. OF the
gipsies of Hungary and the Principalities, a
bout one fourth have partially settled dowr in
the towns and villages, and live, like their
Western brethren, by telling fortunes, cheat
ing and pilferng, and ostensibly as buyers and
sellers of horses and mules, members of ket-
ties, and street musicians. In the last capa-
city alone, they touch on any of the higher
attributes of humanity. Music is their gift,
as with the other wandering race, the Jews;
and among the songless Hungarians, every
musician is gypsy.
The first Eastern gipsies met were at Brunn
in Moravia. 1t was fair-time, and the court
yard of the hotel was crowded with carts,
goods, horses and cattle, while their owners
were doing in the shade under range of
shedding that ran round thrce-fourths of the
yard. On heap of straw in the middle, in
the full heat of the blazing sun, lay four gip-
sizes asleep. They were all four tall, powerful
men, with coal-black hair as coarse as rope,
streaming over their dark faces and as they
lay relaxed in sheep, their figures seemed g-
gantic. Their dress, so to call it, was col
lection of the vilest rags, strapped round the
waist with rough Turkish shawl, and each
had large double edged knife at his BELT
Instruments lay beside them, for they were
musicians; and when the cool of the evening
came on, they began to play. Two had yio-
Inns, one a trumpet, the fourth Hungarian
cymbal which is something like guitar,
played, not by hand, but with two small sticks
coveted with skin. Their music and mode OF
PLAYING were as wild themselves. They
played only the old Hungarian tunes, those
singular melancholy airs, in which the genius
of the race and country is reflected, but with
passion and pathos that passes into the
souls of the listeners. Afterwards at Pesth
those bands we found at every dance and con
cert of the middle and lower classes. Thei
music is always the same, and to stranger
grows somewhat monotonous; but the natives
seemed never tired of listening to it. Witt
them it is point of honor to uphold the olC
national tunes and while the gipsies are gen
erally looked upon as hardly possessing souls
the gipsy musician, if possessed of talent
soon rises into consideration, andis often t.
be met with in respectable society, and eve
possessed of considerable property.
Rascals as the Zigeuners Hungarian Gir
sies) are, and living in the greatest misery an
flth-in fact the dirtier their huts the bette
they like them-they arc still very handsom
race, the women especially. The bprning su
scorches their faces more, and they are there
fore darker in Hungary than in England ot
the free life they lead gives them an uncoi
strained and independent bearing, which I'll
constabes, the stocks and the prison nav
long taken from their island brethren. ines
bold, brown, beautiful women, only make Oh
astonished to think how such eyes, teeth an
figures can exist in tho sitting atmosphere