Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-01-16
LIFE OF THE GYPSIES.
PHYSICAL TRAITS OF A PECULIAR
AND MYSTERIOUS RACE.
Splendid Outlines and Delicious Tlnts OF
Circassian Beauty - Tho Eye tho
Marked Feature-WOmen and
Children-Social Customs
brooklyn Eagle.1

| can never be forgotten; the males are
slightly above the med ium size. well devei
| oped and nervous. Their bronzs com
plexions, teeth white as ivory, long crispet
| locks of jstty blackness, impart a singularly
wild and fsrocious appearance to forms rs-
sembling in many respects those OF Hotten-
tots. They have an aspect Of melancholy
mixed with pride and cunning, and the ex.
.pressixe gestures which characterize their
conversation impart a lively interest to
these picturesque vagabonds. The females
are not wanting in the Drowned. rud y
cheeks and swelling bosoms SO associat,i
with gypsy charms A rich, olive COM
plexion. with red lips an1 just proportion
of the limbs, impartS to them even some
thing more exquisite than the splendid out
lines AMI delicious tints Of Circassian
beauty.
THE MARKED FEATURE.
The eye is, however, the marked feature
Of the race. and wonll distinguish She gypsy
in whatever color, costume, or character
she might appear. 1t is not tho small, lux
urious eye indispensable to tho Chinese
beauty. nor the soft, almond eye Of the
Egyptian. but something uniqus and peoul-
lar. 1T is vivid, lustrous Of liquid, &C.
cordiny to the thought which seeks for ut
terance. Now it has a wild and staring ex
preston and then. in moments Of repose, q
filmy, phosphorescent haze will gather all
over it, through which one looks into the
depths below, as he does upon the stars OF
heaven. half obscured by the last ethereal
rays Of flushing sunset"
l have often seen boys among the gyp-
sizes as beautiful as Astyanax and young fe-
males whose forms Phidias would have
chosen for moiels Now and then in the
forests OF Asia Minor or in the
wilds Of Bulgaria used suddenly
to come upon groups Of these mys-
FERROUS wanderers, which stood before me
like living tableau from the pastoral age
and country Of Agamsmnon. Their man.
ner of life is however, highly unfavorabls
for the retention Of beauty; manhood is apt
to assume q sinister and ferocious aspect,
and females, made wives at II. generally
become ugly and forbidding at %.
The dress Of the gypsies is in keeping with
their nomadic tendencisS They occasion
ally dress somewhat like those with whom
they live; but they are generally too proud
as well as too incident to deck themselves
with a foreign garb and adhere to the ma
tional costume descended from their fore.
fathers. The latter consists of q ragged
brooches and torn shirt which, although
their antiquity is obvious when put on. ara
never removed. for want Of a change. until
they fall from the body Of their own &C.
cord, in a state of complete dilapidation-
THE FAMILY AT HOME.
The children are brought up in the true
Calmuc style, being allowed to run naked
until the age Of 6 years, when they as
sumo the garb Of their elders. The wind
can not blow off his hat who has none, and
shoes are troublesome appliances among
people whose manner Of life and general
economy are those of Migrants and beggars.
In the warm weather they uniformly 60
barefoot In winter they envelop their feet
In bundles Of ragA The women are more
picturesque in the matter Of dress than the
men. They arc excessively fond Of orna-
ments and often wear strings OF jinglins
piasters or other small coins around the
head and neck In Roumania the houses
of the tsigans or gypsies are subterranean.
A few mole hills scattered over the plain
indicate the proximity Of q village Of the
gypsiss.
The gypsy's horse, or rather his donkey, as
they generally prefer that animal, resumes
his migratory career at the first croaking Of
the frogs Of spring. for then the gypy b.
takes himself again to the more romantic
life of the tent Although his lot Is not
enviable he is an animal that sees much Of
the world in the lower walks Of life. There
is a certain music in the braying Of that
animal most agreeable to the traveller.
have often been startled and delighted
by it in the solituies of eastern Europe,
having learned from experience that where
there are donkeys men are sure to b
found. as we'll as the converse Of the propo.
sition namely, that where there arc men
there will be donkeys in spite of themselves
SOCIAL INTERCOURSE
It is in the tents Of the gypsies that man
and nature as most familiar friends. There
human beings and animals live and eat to-
gether, enjoying each others health and
social intercourse. Chairs and tables ara
articles Of luxury not often found in their
humble dwellings The use Of knives and
forks does not belong to their politeness, and
these simple children Of nature sleep sweetly
upon the naked bosom Of their mother
earth. To their articles Of furniture must
be added the few implements with which
tbs gypsy pursues his particular craft, the
apparatus Of tho gold-washer, the
miniature anvil and bellows Of tho smith,
and the rude musical instruments Of the
minstrel
Bread is not often baked among them,
since that which Is stolen or begged Is con.
sidered superior to tho home manufacture
Water is their usual beverage. They have,
however. an inordinate love OF brandy,
from tine fact that it induces intoxication
more speedily. The gypsies are the most
perfect specimens Of omnivorous animals to
TO be founl in the entire natural kingdom
Griselini gives long catalogue Of things
they do not eat, among which arc beans,
onions, psrca and pheasants have 70
peatedly ssen them consuming the most |
Of the above articles, and suppose |
hat their abstinence from the others arises |
merely from the difficulty Of obtaining |
hem.
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