The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-08-13
In a Gypsy Camp.

A band of gypsies have a camp be-
tween Stewards junction and Mineola
on Long Island. They live in their
wagons, which resemble circus vans,
and are in reality comfortable little
houses upon wheels. They have WIN
dows which work in sashes, and are
shaded at night by curtains. There is
an attractive appearance to the camp.
The horses are sleek and well kept, and
they were all feeding yesterday. There
were dogs sleeping in the sun. and as
q stranger entered the camp they lasily
opened one eye and then went on with
their day dreams. The wagons were in
circle about a fire, where there was
a pot boiling and sending out q most
delicious aroma of cooking meets and
vegetables. Under the shade of an elm
tree sat pretty gypsy maiden of pure
Egyptian features. She was dressed in
bright colors, and was playing with
two milk-white kittens which were hav-
ing sport upon her lap.
There are twenty-five adults in the
camp, eight females and fourteen males,
besides the usual complement of dark
skinned children. The chief is called
Reuben. He is as brown as d miner, is
six feet tall, and has broad shoulders
and most active tongue. In point Of
profanity he could discount any man
the writer ever encountered The oaths
were big and polysyllable. and broke
into his conversation like the crack Of a
ranchero's whip. His wife sat within
the wagon, at table. The floor was
neatly carpeted, and there was ample
furniture for comfortable housekeeping.
The walls were hung with pictures, and
there We're some prints from the illus
trated papers pasted up. The woman
was fortune teller. She has large,
dark eyes, jet-black hair and saffron
hued skin. There were big hoops of
Roman gold in her ears. and her head
was bound up in q bright yellow silk
bandanna handkerchief She was afix-
ious to have her palm tickled with silver
and to read the lines in the palm of
visitor. She studied the VISITORS hand,
muttered to herself, and then told a
foolish mass of stuff about the prospect
of newspaper mans dying rich in
foreign country after having two wives,
the second of which was to be the one
he loved before he married his first
wife. Upon finishing her story she was
asked about Mother Symptoms prophecy.
and whether the world was surely going
to be destroyed this year. =
Aye" she said, "your fortune has
been told. and it viii require three
pieces Of silver as a present to my baby
to get an answer to the question:
The pudgy hand of the baby was put
out for silver. about which its tiny fin
gers eagerly clasped. Its mother intent
ly regarded the child's grasp upon the
money, and beamed with smile of APP
proval. Then remembering the ques-
tion. she said: s.No, the world is net
coming to an end this year. We are
taught better The red book teaches
me that shall be notified before the
time is fixed, and as | have not been
told. know that the time is not come"
Reuben passed around the camp
punctuating all that he said with curses
''dark and Deep" at the same time
seeming to be in the best of humor, and
ready to make a bargain of any sort.
The gypsy maiden with the milk-white
kittens sent most coquettish glance at
the visitor, and he stepped over to the
shade tree where she was half reclining
on the turf. She said that her name
was Mary, and that she was born in a
gypsy camp in Vermont twenty-one
years ago. Her mother was dead, and
her father-Reuben, the chef-had
married again. ~ love gypsy's life.
OF course" she said, as she stroked a
kittens back. II know no other. We
break up in winter, but we como to-
gether in the spring. The farmers are
not kind to US, because they think we
steal, but we do not. We buy and sell
and trade. as anyone does. but deal
mostly in horses. l tell fortunes, too.
My customers are young girls and their
lovers. DO we marry outside our tribep
Oh. yes; we marry anyone we love who
will have US. My sister married doc
tor, but don't know where she lives.
l expect to see her some day in our
travels. But here comes father, and
must go. If you will come out again
will tell you more-and all about your
fortune.' Springing to her feet, she
walked away with graceful step. and
the little white kittens. tumbling over
each other, gsmbolled after her.-Neao
York Sun.