The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-11
Our Oliu.


European Gypsies,
a bright and wretched race is rowing
European highways, cnliyening the roads
with variegated costumes and stirring
great cities with song. 1t lives on love
and freedom Its representatives are call.
ed Tziganes, Zingari, Gigani, Cygans, vi.
geuner, GitanOs, Gypsies, Egyptians and
Bohemians. These names illustrate its
development and close relationship with
Southern races Where the sun is warm,
where flowers bloom, where groves are
luxuriant, where savory fruits drop from
the trees, there the gypsy thriyes and
tlourishes. His tent Is rckety cart; his
code the navajo in Spain, the kinjal in
Russia dagger, short aud sharp; his
garments, rags his law, nature. He kills
an uniaithful wil, and if woman of the
tribe yields to outside enticements she is
put to death. The piercing black eyes,
luscious lips, aquiline profile, clear,cut
chin, rich black hair, and swarthy com
plexion must not be dctied by foreign
admixturc. The Chiuamnn is silent con
ccrning the manners and laws of his nation.
His silence is easily maintained, for he
has home far away. The gypsy, howev.
or, vicious and oileminate, born 10 the
slums Of great cities, speaking their Ian
guages, and trading with their inhabitants,
elings to his Arabian Incidence without
utteriug word concerning the laws which
he Obeys, the gods whom be worships, or
the peculiar code Of honor which he OBJ.
serves. Stealing brings no dishonor The
most respectable members of the tribe visit
the thief in prison, If daggers leap from
their shcaths in forest or dark street,
aud are buried in the hearts of irate com.
batants, the thud of falling body is fol.
lowed by its silent burial, aud the caravan
goes its way. What is life that they should
mind it2
This curious race must not be treated
lightly. 1t is nature, beautiful aud wild,
living face to face with that other nature,
conventional aud deformed. The gypsy
knows nothing Of the abstract idea Of lib.
erty In him liberty is instructive and
natural. The earth belongs to man man
has a right to the earth this is the essence
Of his religion, The trees have fruit--let
US eat them women have kisses-let us
snatch them the sun is warm-let us bask
in il; this is his creed The true gypsy
Is the primitive man, imprisoned in the
city--a living protest Of nature against the
men of the day, whom he considers degen.
crate. He is not the primitive man Of the
North-hghtiug bears, digging holes under
the snow for shelter, killing wild beasts for
food and telling trees for fuel He is the
nervous mhn of the South--as shapely as
Apollo, as elegant as woman aud as sup.
pie us a deer. He kills his wife with a
dagger or strong embrace He is always
aeh.d he never grows old lie breathes
the freedom OF nature. lie is the same
everywhere. \ common type gives him
common Characteristic The Russian
Tzigauc loves sunlight, wanders over the
highways dressed in rags and plays his
guitar with the same uonchalance and ease
as the Spanish Gitano. The Gypsy's
'''SF'uVuS anu lIuutic, MS music
sparkling aud languid, his ruscs, his com.
bati, his carelessness, his flashing eye, are
the same in the suburbs of Kief ia the
black lands, as ut Seville in the golden
land. The earth is his mother, pleasure
his love, and freedom his religion. Give
him palace aud be will return to the cot
tage. lie pretends to obey the laws of the
land that gave him birth, and if he viola.
ties them, submits to the prescribed pun.
ishmcnt but in his own sphere his only
rule Of conduct is the simple code of the
tribe, and his only authority that of its
eaici. When driven to the city by want
or cold, he settles in squalid quarter
dangerous to strangers. He lives in the
street In the street the women of the
tribe arrange their hair, dress their child.
ren, and make love to the young men. If
pressed by hunger, he rises slowly. mutters
q few oaths, casts a jealous glance on his
black eyed wife, secs that the spring which
launches tie blade Of his navsia Is in or.
der, siezcs few red and blue kercbiels
aud starts through the streets accomnanied
by an old toothlcss mule. his head wranhod
10 handkerchief tied at the back Of tbe
neck, with the ends aptteripa over his ro
bust back. Selling handk dksrchieG and
mules Is nm oasy ocenn,,;nn ~ ,r;n
meyer trace fnyrow on Tho ,ranad ~ w..
touch tho workmao's hammer IT, oao '
siders labor disbouorabIe ao dons no,h ON
ina but What : ;s.;nd;snonsati. 80 ~ .as, nY'"'
living. If he steols Il 4 No. ,hron,,h ~ nj -.
of money bnt ~ cscsro - ~. ,So V",ousa asps, .Ose