Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-10-07
AN ANCIENT RACE.
How the Gypsy in Times Past Has
Raised Himself Above the Vagabond
Standard

How the Gypsy in Times Past Has
Raised Himself Above the Vagabond
Standard.
But the Gypsy became a tinker for all
time, not only from the very force of
circumstances, but also from choice, as
it was the only vocation, save horse
jockeying, suited to his shlftless habits,
and certainly the only one through
which he could secure an honest iveli
hood when unfavorable regulations
forced him from the tent and bright
fields to the alleys and attics OF the
town. There, as the tinker, the grinder
or the brazier. he defied adversely until
the storm of persecution had passed.
But outside of mere tinkering the Gypsy
seems to have put his knowledge of
iron-working conspicuously to good ac-
count. In 1896 the King of Hungary
issued an order to the effect .'that every
osicer and subj of whatever rank or
condition do allow Thomas Polger,
leader of twenty-five tents of wandering
Girsies, full residence everywhere. and
on no account to modest either him or
his people," because they prepared
mu ket-balls and other military stores
for the Bishop Sigismund, at Funfkirch-
en-; while in loo, when the Turk
1sh regent of Bosnia bes;eged Crupa,
the Turks having expended their can
non-balls, the Gipsies came TO the res
cue and made the latter out Of stone,
ca>ed with, iron, and the whole sheathed
with lead. Simson, who cites many in
stances of their manufacture OF, and
work ngin ron, gives the following as
their method of smelling: The tribe
erect on the open field Il small circle
built of stone, turf and clay, for fur
mace, of about three feet in height and
e ghteen inches in diameter, plastered
closely around on the outside, up to the
top, with mortar made of clay. The
materials in the furnace are powerfully
heated by the blasts of large hand
bellows generally wrought by women).
admitted at small hole near the ground.
When the metal comes to a state OF
fusion it finds it way down to the
cinders and is poured into the different
sandmolds ready to receive it" so that
| it is evident they were not only efficient
| iron-workers, but were able. in rude
way. to manufacture the metal.
Nor is this the only manner in which
| the Gypsy in times past has raised him.
| self above the VaSaDOnu staHuoiu u.
| They served the Turks against the Rus
slams on many occasions, both as SOL
ders and spies, proving themselves
| possessed of a far share of bravery and
q wonderful amount of shrewdness and
cunning They were formerly exclu-
sively employed in the capacity OF hang
men in Hungary and Pennsylvania, and
! history accredits them with having
possessed considerable talent in this
direction. In Spain many Gipsies at
tanned respect and notoriety from their
| wealth and business standing. Borrow
tells of one he met at a Spanish fair who
had upward of $4,000 credit at an es-
| tablishment where he had some deal
| ings. Nor is this an isolated case.
| There have been instances in other parts
of Europe where Gipsies, forsaking
their vagabond ways. though never re-
| nounc!ng their blood and lineage, have
devoted themselves to business pursuits
with very great success. This was par.
ticularly true in England and Scotland
at a later day, where many Gypsies be.
came wealthy, and in some instances are
known to have gained political intfn
ence resulting in their securing certain
of the less important political positions