Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-27

An Interesting Chat With Charles God
frey Leland.
PAi1GdelDhiG Times.

frey Leland.
PkiIddelphia Times
The only living American who has any
intimate knowledge of the language, his
tory and customs of the mysterious gyp-
sy is Charles Godfrey Leland, the distin-
guished author, of this city. He was seen
yesterday afternoon in his private apart
ments, at No. 300 South Broad street. At
O'Clock he came into his library, having
just completed two hour lesson to the
Industrial Art School, 70 which he now
gives his closest attention.
Although "Hans Breitmann" has spent
many years of his life in Philadelphia,
his personal appearance is not generally
known. Apparently, he is about fifty
years of age. He wears full, long, flow
ing IrOngray beard. His gray hair is
closely cut. The forehead is broad and
full. His dark, restless and sharp eyes
glisten from under high-arched eyebrows.
Mr.. Leland's manner is free and kind. He
is nervous and his hands are forever In
motion.
''Oh, yes, do know considerable about
the gypsies," he said in the course of con-
versatiOn. 81 was with them constantly
fer several years in England, and even
now, in America, l see some of that queer
folk nearly every week. The way came
to know them was through my studying
philOlOgy. For months | spent entire
days in their tents, using only the Rom
is the best index Of their origin.
The gypsy is unquestionably
Hindoo. The European gypsies of
to-day have retained much of their
race characteristics. But they are
amalgamating more or less with other
races. They thrive better in America
than elsewhere. In England the passage
of the enclosure act virtually abolished
all commons, and so the gypsy has now
no place to pitch his tent unless he be-
comes a trespasser. The fact is that the
great increase of population there of &c.
100000 of people in that small country
necessarily put stop to gypsy enoamp-
ments. Now very many live in cities
during winter season. In summer they
resume their nOmadic career.
GYPsIEs NOT THIEVES.
''Their avocation for the most part is
horse dealing and fortune telling. They
have the reputation of stealing horses.
They don't deserve it. Iregard the gypsy
as a very much more honest character
than many Christian folks of a superior
standing and higher culture. Many peo-
pie think they steal household articles.
l am sure they don't. Why, if an article
is missed within five miles of gypsy
tent the entire nelghborhood for
miles around makes a raid on the
tent. If they ever did steal this would
prevent it. Besides, there is no need. All
gypsies are rich. The men are very
shrewd horse traders, and they earn con-
siderable money at the business. The
women always find superstitiOus people
from whom to extract money for telling
their fortunes. Their habits are ecOnOmi-
cal, and their mode of life very inexpen-
sive. The gypsy never cares about per-
sonal surroundings. Even the old taste
for fancy costumes is disappearing, if it
has not entirely disappeared.
Chow many gypsles there are cannot
say. / was only able to trace about 100
family names in England. Most of those
have representatives in America. There
are a few Spanish gypsies here also, but
the great bulk are of English stock. Most
of the older folks in America now were
born in England. Only the younger gene
rations are natives. The Scotch gypsies
are of a higher class, but they are not
numerous now. Irish gypsies? Yes, there
are some few.
THE TINKER'S DIALECT.
''They are for the most part thinkers or
thinkers. They have a dialect of their
own, which l am the first pathological
dIscoYerer of. The only mention of it in
literature is by Shakespeare, who makes
tinker in his own dialect The dialect is
called the Shelta. Some time ago l saw
an Irishman tinkering in the back yard
of my house. | went up and addressed
him in ROmany. He replied in that
tongue without showing the least sur
prise. | then addressed him in the Shelta.
He at once exhibited unfeigned sur
prise. The fellow told me that
he knew very few who spoke the
dialect, and that he was surprised to find
me use it. From him l learned much
more of the dialect than l had known. l
made his instructions to me the basis Of a
chapter in a work on the gypsies. A
London journalist said that the Irishman
had poked off an ancient Irish dialect on
me- 1 jokingly reprOved my instructor
IN the Shelta. BE dad,' said he, with a
strong Irish accent, IF there was but one
language, as you think, would l have
been after learning tWor The Irish
gypsy is a half-breed. They are all
thinkers.
''The religion of the gypsy was pure
atheism. They are the only absolute
atheists ever met. But now, however,
in England, they are beginning to prac-
tice formal religion. Some of them have
the babies baptised, and others affect le-
gal marriage. With this change may
come love Of civilized and cultured pur-
suits. AS far as l can trace, no gypsy
has risen in literature, art, or
science. However, If he should, it
would be difficult to prove, for
pride would hide the origin. 1t is
said that Daniel Webster and Hannibal
Hamlin werei of gypsy descent. do not
believe the assertion had good foundation.
President Lincoln certainly did look like
a gypsy, and yet know no reason to as
sert that he sprung from those strange
people. With these amalgamatiOnS with
Gentiies comes also a desire to settle
down. There are the Coopers in Boston
and HarrisOns in Washington; they are
rich, and, as far as l know they never go
on the road. 1 know few other families
that have given up tent life, and who now
permanently reside in houses"