The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-07-20
ESCAPING FROM GYPSIES.

LOCAI1 NU ENVM u - DAA't
The Remarkable Adventures Of Penn.
aylvnnia Girl-How She became n
Foort3ne-TeliinE, and stealing-The
Daughters OF the Forest.
from the New York SUM-
ALLENTOWN, Pa, May 2.-ssI was
under their rule four years, and would
have been in bondage to-day if I had
not made up my mind to escape from
the band, be my solemn, sacred oath
violated or not.''
Such was the language of "Barreta
Martel," young woman of fine figure
and appearance, who was a passenger
on an eastward bound express train from
central Pennsylvania a few days ago.
The conductor stated that she had es-
capped from gypsy band in Western
Virginia, and was going toward her
home in Bcrks County, which she said
she had been induced to leave in the
summer of 1872. She had been given
the above name by the leader of the
band shortly after she joined them.
ssYes, am willing to tell all l know
about these so-called gypsies," she said.
81 have risked my life in leaving them,
and, further, l am going to keep moth
ing hid under ground. They are a bad
set, the most Of 'em, and I only wonder
that the American people allow the
wandering thieves and miscreants to
swoop down among the farmers to
plumber and cheat them.
"To begin, was fifteen years old
when I was coaxed to leave home.
We lived beyond Fleetwood first,
and then moved down near the coun-
ty line of Montgomery, in Pennsyl-
vania. A band of sgypsies, as we call
ed 'em, came along in wagons, and one
of the women wanted to tell my fortune.
/ had jet black eyes and dark skin,
and very dark hair, and the woman took
a fancy to me. They camped in the
woods near our house, and the woman
came over to our place often. Then a
man came and made me present of a
pair of cheap bracelets. I was silly
enough to consent to visit them in the
woods. When 1 went to them, they
talked to me of the nice kind. of life
they were leading, and, after getting my
head full of gypsy life, I at last consent
ed to 90 with them for a month toward
New York State. / was to get $5 a
week and my board. l was to help
cook and attend to the children. The
man gave his name as Luke Murell.
He had with him four other families,
but he was the leader. The camp was
a large one, there being thirty-seven
people in all, and about fifty horses and
nine tents. In Murell's family there
were three children and his wife, a
middle-aged, raw-boned Irish woman.
The woman told me to say nothing to
my friends about going. 1 told her
did not know how to get away. They
arranged it as follows: The band left
the woods three days before I did. ]
was to tell my parents was going on a
visit to my aunt's by railroad, and in
stead of that was to meet the band at
small station beyond Allentown. We
then cut up through the country, and il
was four days before we stopped.
never heard of the folks at home after
ward, although secretly wrote three
letters.
ovERTUREs.
eve had not been gone month be.
fore one of the women in camp asked
me how would like to become a gypsy.
l said first-rate, not thinking that any
thing would come out of it. l was
getting paid right along, and I thought
l could make money and save enough
to buy me many things. Then Mrs.
Murell came to me and said she was
right glad to hear that was willing to
become one of their number, and to be
bound to them by still more closer ties.
"Right after that got to thinking.
never suspected much of any thing out
of the way, but strange fancies crept
through my mind. / thought nothing
more about it until Luke Murell said to
me one evening that the camp was
pleased with my appearance, and thai
the folks would give me welcome that
night. thought they were going to
have little evening party of some kind,
and said all right. The little children
were put to bed, and we were camped
in ravine that run well up in back
y mountain not far from Elmira. won'
be certain about the date, but it was il
August. l was alone in our tent won
dering where the folks had gone to, ano
= what they were doing. Igot afraid.
Every thing was quiet. None of the
dogs barked, and the horses
you couldn't hear. About II
O'clock some one called me by my right
name Lizzie and knew it was the
voice of Bods, one of the young sons Of
the tinker of the band. I came out and
asked what was wanted. He said, Luke
Murell wants you down at the spring
They're all down there, sois the horses.
could see which way to 60 by the light
OF the fire. When got near to them
saw nothing but big trees and row Of