The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-03-30

lated bv the seasons, fairs, markets ana
30 on, the gatherings naturally become
periodical and greatly exercise the Cen
tile mind. OF the curiosit.es Inus ex.
cited the gypsies themselves are. nos
slow to take advantage, and the ancient
one is dubbed gypsy king or queen
for no other purpose than to attract
visits and offerIngs from the GORGEOUS.
Gypsies are not by any means the ont
casts of society; they-iead a rowing life
because their instincts and traditions
all induce them to do 80. The sternest
laws have been promulgated against
them without bringing about the least
sign OF reform in their habits, and they
are now slowly yielding to the in thence
of the inclosure acts, whirh crowd them
out and force them. not to become alb.
sorbed in the rest of the population,
but to seek for free space and fresh air
in the far west. Since Mr.. Borrow first
told how interesting race they were,
with language, traditions and customs
of their own. differing so entirely from
many have made them their study, and
some very amusing and learned works
have been written upon their habits and
speech. Among the most recent of such
books those of Hans Breitmann and
DIR. Bath Stuart are the best. The gyps
language is very quaint and expressly =
and although, in this country, at least,
they have but a limited ocabulary left,
they manage. by ingenious compounds,
to say all they want in it. The origin
of the gypsies is a problem which has
never been entirely solved.
The appearance of the gypsies in
Western Europe was in tie year 1417,
when band OF three hundred, under
the guidance of three shrewd and in
telligent leaders, asked and obtained
from the Emperor Sigismund, the Pope,
and other sovereigns leave to travel in
their domains. They gave out that they
were emigrants from " Little Egypt"
that they had relapsed from Christianity
into heathenism, and had been con.
quered by the King of Hungary. who
imposed upon them penance of fifty
years wandering as pilgrims before re.
turning to their native land. 1t il
needless to say that the story had not a
word OF truth in it, but the name
Egyptian has clung to them ever
since in this country. though they are
elsewhere known to, Gentiles as Ten
ingiaue, Zingari, or some modification
of the name. They first made an ap.
pearance in England about the year
1880 in bands consisting of from thirty
to hundred families. travelling in light
carts and camping by night wherever a
convenient spot presented itself. The
women told fortunes. ,pilfered coins
from tradesmen's counters and
.tdrabbed baulors" (that is, poisoned
pigs), just as they do at the present
day, while the men worked at tinkering,
basket-making and the like, and occa-
sionally varied the monotony of their
existence by stealing horse and taking
to the highway. Their lawless, non1ad
life soon brought them under the sus-
picion OF the authorities. and they were
accused of and punished for these
| crimes, and for many others which they
never thought of committing. During
the reign of Elizabeth they were pros.
ecuted with exceptional rigor, and
nothing but their persistent nationality
and healthy vagrant habits could have
saved them from extermination.-L
don Standard. -. r.- - --......; .-