The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-10-10
a Grpsx wedaIne.

Few things are more simple than mar
riage ceremony among the gypsies. and a
description of wedding as recently wit
messed by the writer will not, we believe,
prove uninteresting. There were more
than score of tents at the encampment.
where we were temporary guests, and at
the opening OF each fire was burning,
cracking and blazing away as early as six
O'Clock in the morning of the day which
was to witness the marriage of one of the
favorite young girls of the camp. An
hour afterward an old gypsy man, with
slvery hair and bronzed. wrinkled face.
with but one eye, stepped on little
mound and began playing the violin,
which had but two strings on it. The
players opening piece was the well-known
tune, Haste to the Wedding" to which
the younger gypsies were som dancing
with great hilarity. While some of the
older women were watching the dancers,
others were engaged in culinary prepara-
lions. AT the opening of one of the tents
stood the swarthy looking masculine
gypsy chief, with his hands in his pockets.
steadfastly gazing upon the dancers. AT
given signal from the chief the music
and dancing ceased. Two rows of gyp-
sizes, with about twelve or fifteen in each
being between four and six feet apart
Half way down between these rows two
gypsies held up broomstck about eight
cen inches above the ground. All being
thus far in readiness, The chief called out
the name of the bridegroom, who was a
very handsome Gypsy man about % years
of age. His hair and eyes were very dark,
and the conformation of his face strongly
indicated the race to which he belonged.
He wore an olive-colored velveteen coat,
red waistcoat, a1d glaring-colored hand
kerchief round his neck. In person he
was tall. muscular and well made In
obedience to the chiefs command he came
from tent at one side of the encamp-
ment, walked between the two rows Of
gypses, stepped over the broomstick,
turned round, aud 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 encamp-
ment. She was about 10 years of age,
rather short of stature, apparently of
healthy and hardy constitution, while the
peaaly luctre 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 gyp-
sizes. tripped very lightly over the broom
stick, which she had no sooner done than
the young gypsy man, in the most gentle
and gallant manner imaginable, took her
in his arms. and completed the ceremony
by giving his new-made wife some of the
loudest kisses we ever heard in our life
Then the music and dancing were re-
sumed; the whole OF the members of the
encampment had suspended business;
preparations for good feast were going
on; every 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, the don
keys nibbled their coarse food with o 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 or of
better and larger quantity of raiions
than usual, even without the trouble of
having to hunt before any dinner could
be allowed m.-[Brooklyn Magazine
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