The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1871-06-14
A ssiIpsy Camp in virginia---Interestin
PartfcularS.


Il
From the Richmond Whig,l
Young Walters of the Wing who Is on a
tour through the State thus Describes a
gypsy camp he and some ladies visited near
Charlotte Courthouse, Itseems our young
| friend made the trip under moonlight he
kand Miss Lucy and Others. But they went
So ~ their fortunes told and lets Lfar how
ffhey come out. He says:
AS we entered the grove we weresalutetl
by lush of dogs, who surrounded and
closed In upon us with unfriendly demon
STATIONS. The ladies fled frightened to
the protecting arms OF their escorts, who
prepared for vigorous defence. But the
! threatened conflict was averted. A her
culean Gypsy jumped among the dogs
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES canine howlsas though
lie blasted them i'm their own tongue,
while with long riding whip he thrashed
right and left, every grade Of cur, from the
miserable little flee to the fierce hound
whose yell wakes the echoes for miles
around.
Brusquely he then turned on rs and
said "The women tell no fortunes after
night, ffthat's what you'vecome for"
Why nOt?n l enquired.
81 don't know anything about it,n the
fellow replied, "the women say that luck
will turn bad that Is forctold by night.
That's all know"
We moved on towhere party Of the
Gipsies were sitting. or reclining together
about the base ola large tree. The men
were smoking short pipes, and lying at
I full length ON the ground, while EACH oil
the women held in her arms an infant. !
had thrown myself down on the ground,
In the midst OF the Gipsies, and was talk.
ing with two Of the men-who conversed
inteligenfly, but with many an "exple-
/ tive when one Of four ladies gave start
led scream. Starting up TO see what the
| matter was, saw d sr0wsy-iooking elm
ofaboUt ten years, executing strange ma
nmuvres with her bare legs, meantime
swapping her fingers and ducking hei
| head at Miss Lucy In grotesque way thai
frightened that lady well nigh outof heI
| wits. Suddenly
THE ELFIN CEASED HER ANTICS,
and exclaimed, out Of breath. "Oh, good.
ness. ma'am, give us aquarter--won't you!
| Can't Idance? say, man, won't you give
US a uuarter?m "A quarter was handed
her, which she took, and then, without
fanny premonition whatever, she began tc
scream, "a Smith = Smith = Smith, oh
Smithey." In voice pitched so high that
one Of the women threatened TO eliastist
her If she didn't shut up.
We saw dark object roll itself outofa
pile Of straw, on which balfa dozen ofthe
Gipsies' dogs were lying, and "Smithey
fat Gypsy boy Of fourteen or fifteen, can't
| slouehing up evidently In nogood humor
The elfin creature made him one Of hei
fierce gestures, at which the boy began to
beat sort Of tune on his fingers and teeth
and the girl went through another Of LEI
weird dances.
My companions strolled aboutthe camp
while remained with the group about the
tree. Having chucked one Of the dirty
/ little babies under the chin, was pretty
soon on friendly and confidential term,
with the women, as well as the men, 10 the
latter Of whom 1 talked horse. I Learned
a gieat many interesting things, which
have neither the time nor space at my dis
posal 10 write Ofnow.
IL Is fact that these Gipsy women re
fuse to "tell f0rtunesn after night, from
a superstition that bad luck will he ths
/ consequence. Does not this argue that they
have faith in their own predictions. Fol-
II mcrcenaFy motives only governed them
why should IL matter whether they prac'
tiscd their art day or night?
The charge for a fortune" L. one dol
lar; sometimes they will accept less from
the negroes, who are their best customers
I enqnlred whether they did not make 1
| considerable deal ~ inoney from the prtc
! tice OF fortune-telling. One Of the womer
answered {" non as was fatty contradicted
\ by an evil looking Gipsyman, who sat OPP
I pOsite. / observe an entire lack OF sym
\ pathy and mutual trust between the mer
and women Of the band. The men have
no confidence In the sooth-saying preten
sions of the women, and strange 10 say they
sneer openly when they refer 70 that prac
tice.
THE AvOcATIoNs OF THE WOMEN
kare fortunc-tclling aud peddling small
| wares Of their handiwurk. The men nrs
| inveterate horse traders. They think no
| thing, talk nothing, do nothing but ha,
reference to horse flesh. They IRE born
/ Jockeys, and their long experience ena,
bles them 20 detect the minulcF. flaw In
the ensemble Of horse, and 10 estimate pro
perry his every good point. Some Of tho
Hallsaxians, am told, who are overload
OF swapping horses, have lately been bad
w worsted by the Gipsies. IL Is not SAT.
70 trade with them. Their rule Ia sucl
transactions Is bad for gcod-or good FOL
better, an even swap we scorn."
was shown the stock they now hays
on hand. 1t averaged very good. They
feed their horses well, work them little ant
pay them close attention, consequently
poor stock viii improve rapidly undertheii
care and bring considerably enhanced
price.
The amount ofrcady money these PEG
lplc have world astonlsh some. Not on,
Of them but viii put up bis $500 on hors,
race if he u confident OF winning.
These Gipeies are universally REGARDED
rs vagnbonds, implying that they live b,
stealing. This, think, u q prejudice
IL istrte the men will cheat you Ia horsl
trade with great gusi0, and swear you ~
Infinite number Of lies, but 1 question
whether they 80 about deliberately steal
Ing. This band has been near the court
house village fof several days, and the,
have honestly paid for everything the,
got. There Is but ono Of the women .
4 this band who realizes the
POLITICAL IDEA oR THE ROWING aTFsY
AZ saw her sitting there Ia the briIIian
J moonlight, her appearance was truly re
markable. A mass Of black hair flowini