The Somerset reporter., 1886-11-10
A ClpeY Wedding.

rev things are more simple than Il mar
| rage ceremony among the gipsies. and n
| description OF wedding a. recently wit
| Messed by the writer will not, we believe.
] prove undressing. There were more
tllah score of tents AT the eneampmcnt.
| where we were temporary guests, and at
| the opening of each II fire was burning
cracking and blazing away as early rs
SIX O'Clock in the morning of the day
which was to witness the marriage of one
OF the iavorite young girls of the camp.
An hour afterward an old gypsy man with
silYery hair and bronzed, wrinklcd face
with but one eye stepped ON little
mound and began playing the violin.
which had but two strings on 1t. The
players opening piece was the we'll
known tune, Haste to the Wedding 10
which the younger gypsies were soon
dancing with great hilarity. While some
OF the older women were watcl ing the
dancers, others were engaged in culinary
preparations. At the opening of one of
the tents stood the notwithstanding mas
culine gypsy chief, with his hands in his
pockets, steadfastly gazing upon the
dancers. At a given signal from the
chief, the music and dancing ceased
NJ iphS VI SlbSltN. Will d1Dul Twelve
or fifteen in each row, were formed.
standing face to face, being between four
and six feet apart Half way down be-
tween these rows two gypsies held up u
broomstick about eighteen inches above
the ground. All being thus far in rcadi-
ness, the chief called out the name Of the
bridegroom, who was a very handsome
gypsy man about twenty-five years of
age. His hair and eyes were very dark
and the conformation of his face strong
ly Indicated the race to which he be-
longed. He wore an oliye-colorcd velve
teen coat, red waistcoat, and a glaring-
colorcd handkerchief round his neck. In
person, he was tail, muscular, and well
made In obedience to the thief COM
mand he came from tent at one side OF
the encampnent, walked between the
rows of gipsieS, stepped over the broom
stick, turned round, and then stood with
his arms akimbo waiting the arrival Of
his intended wife. The chief then called
out the name of the bride, who came
from tent at the opposite side of the
encampment. She was about nineteen
years of age, rather short of stature, APP
parently OF healthy and hardy constitu-
ton, while the pearly lustre of her eyes
and long, dark, glossy hair seemed to
identify her with the purest remnant of
the gypsy race. She also walked between
the two rows of gypsieS, tripped very
lightly over the broomstck, which she
had no sooner done than the young gypsy
man, in the most gentle and gallant man.
ner imaginable, took her in his arms, and
completed the ceremony by giving his
new ade wife some of the loudest kisses
we ever heard in our life. Then the
music and dancing were resumed; The
whole of the members of the encamp-
ment had suspended business; prcpara-
tions for good feast were going on; ev-
cry face looked bright, and every heart
seemed joyous. The men smoked, the
women talked volumes, the children
shouted and frolicked, the old horses
grazed by the side of the banks, and
donkeys nibbled their food with II self
satisfied air, and looked as If conscious
they were To have that days respite from
their weary tolls; even the two or three
dogs that were there wagged their tails
as if in anticipation of an extra feed OF
of better and larger quantity of rations
than usual, even without the trouble OF
having to hunt before any dinner could
be allowed BrOokyh Mdga@ine.