The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-30
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
[For Addttionol Ctlu Intel,aence See 4htrd Paae.

tFor Additional city Intelligence see Third Page
THE GIPsIEs--A BAND OF WANDERING
ZINGARI IN OUR MIDsT-During the early part
of June the inhabitants of the rural section OF
our city we're startled by the advent of large
caravan of gipsles. They came from the direc-
ton of Baltimore, and their march was like
that of small army. The first part, consisting
Of some eighty men, women, and children, with
twenty wagons came on the 7th of June, and
pitched their enCampment on the large level
lot OF ground situated on the south side of
Havertord street, between Fiity-ftth and Fifty
sixth streets. The second party, numbering
the same number of people, but with sixteen
wagons, arrived two or three days later.
Both parties appeared to agree among them
selves very almontousy. AS the weather
was so very warm and pleasant during the
nights they only pitched about five or SIX tents,
the rest sleeping in their wagons or around on the
grass. They had with them quite an assortment
OF fine horses, some OF which they offered for
sale to the farmers around, and others they took
down to West Philadelphia to dispose Of Their
wagons were fitted up in good and comfortable
style anG in some cases quite elegant. One OF
them, indeed, was lifted up in manner that
would do Creoit to any upholsterer, being
extended over the sides, and provided with
berths. This, we believe, was the one occupied
by the Queen and her family. They all appeared
to be in good circumstances as far as money
was concerned and acted in perfect good faith
with all with whom they had dealings, except
in regard to fortune-telling, in which the tradi'
The Queen of the Gipsies Lydia Palmer, was
a tell and fDe-looking woman. She appeared
to be regarded with great respect, although her
authority among her subjects was not very great.
She was considered one of the shrewdest OF the
whole of them 10 that line. On ceremonious
occasions she dressed very splendidly, as did
many oil her subjects. she wore rich white
satin dress, heavily embroidered in the most
elegant manner; beautiful loose circular or
sack, also covered by embroidery, aud straw
hat, trimmed around with sllken rope. Among
the men there were no distinctive dresses, and
there was nothing to distinguish them from the
citizens of the neighborheod but their dark
complexion and glpsyish black hair. On ordl-
nary occasions the women wore plain calico
dresses, with sacks of the same.
In their business transactions they were open
banded and liberal. Everything was paid for,
as it was bought without question. The only
drawback in this respect was with the women.
They would go around telling fortunes, and If
the people would not submit to be duped, they
would threaten them. There was one case in
question that was told us, One OF the Gipsy
women went into house in West philadelphia
and asked to tel the fortune of the mistress.
She consented, at the same time she did not in-
tend to pay the Gipsy TOR her trouble. After
finishing, the latter demanded dollar as her
tee when the woman refused to pay. Nothing
daunted, the Gipsy snatched up soup tureen
ly ing near by, and walked of with 1t. The next
morning she reappeared at the house with lot
of dirty clothes, and told the same woman that
the tureen she took was not worth the service
she had rendered lPr, ana LndJ ii Sue ulu HOT
wash the clothes and have them dried when
she called tor them, at o'clock the afternoon
of the same day, she would put spell on her.
The woman was so frightened that she mme-
diatety sent out and got a washerwoman and
had them done in the time specified
Among themselves they appeared to be con-
stantly pickering and quarrelling, although they
did not offer any violence to outsiders. Before
the Fourth of July they agreed among them
selves that there should be no firing of OF guns,
pistols or crackers. During the night of the
3D. however, ore of the young men fired off a
pistol over the heads of the horses, who were
corralled in the encampment, causing a great
disturbance among them. This was the occasion
for q fight on the 4th, which alarmed tue neigh
bors and they sent word to the police, who
came and ordered them off. They got their traps
together on the 9th, and left peaceably and went
as far as Sixty-hlth and Vine streets, on the
county line. Here they pitched their camp again.
For awhile things went on smoothly enough,
but they could not Keep from quarrellng among
themselves, and they we're finally compelled to
clear out of the city limits altogether. They
travelled westward, and are now In Chester
county Some of them say they are going to
California. They are true gipsies, and have all
the manners aud customs Of that singular people,
They arr generally well-to-do, and some of them
are said to possess fine farms; but there seems
to be q perfectly irresistible charm in their
wild nOmadic lite. The men, as general thing
are fine looking, but the women are decidedly
homely in their appearance. One, indeed
named Jessamine Palmer was rather pretty
with that DARK type of beauty so peculiar to hel
tribe.