Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-10-14
TRICKS OF TRAMPS.
They stain Their Faces and Claim to bs
Genuine Gypsles.


They stain Their Faces and Claim TO bs
Genuine Gypsiss-
Gypsies are not so romantic to tho
ladies who live in the fashionable end
of the city. where there are several
camps of the nomads. They are hud-
died in dirty groups on each side of tho
road leading to Newark, the first camp
being about six hundred feet north OF
Newark avenue.
Ladies have to pass the camps OF
these wandering thieves on the way to
Evergreen Cemetery. and on rcccn;
Sunday from six to twelve mon wcro
swearing in each camp. Such profan'
ity was seldom heard near the Chris.
tian city. and yet the police make no
effort to drive these pests OF the woods
outside the city limits.
Unexpected sunrise and sunset visits
from swarthy woman are frequent.
These women steal up 10 house IN =
careless way and try door They do
this in such q busincsslikc uanncr
that any chance observer would sup
pose they were servants in the house.
II the door is unlocked. thing which
has several times happened, they walk
In with their baskets on the left arm.
Should no one bc about, these women
slip any article OF value they find into
their baskets and quickly leave tho
house.
eve are afraid TO drive in the dircc-
ton of the cemetery alone" n lady
said, "for the gypsy men are so bold
that they walk up to tho carriage and
speak to ladies Even II ones hus.
band is in the carriage il is not pleas
ant 10 hear such bad language as these
men in the camps use while trading
horses. | have studied these people
closely since they have been here. and
my opinion is tina, they are all thieves,
who 30 about the country under the
guisc Of gypsics."
This lady Is a brave and sclf-rclianl
woman who has Travelled all through
Europe with her husband. wealthy
New York business man. She can
shoot like n veteran scout with her re-
yolycr. All who know her say she
would not hesitate TO shoot gypsy or
common tramp if either attempted to
molcst her. But she does no. like the
presence Of these gypsy trains in her
ncighborhood. A gentleman who oc-
cupicd u handsome residence near her
said that il WAS shame that the police
authorities did not rid the city OF the
nomadS.
"Thcm are thieves up on the road"
h. said, in reply to Il question. "Not
mothers son OF them is n gypsy.
They stain their faces AMI dye their
hair, to give them n gypsy look; but
any one of cutcncsS can tell they are
tramps. Where are their high-colorcd
gypsy wagons. all painted with red and
gOllg w lo bIu'i w hh'''N' s''h''
and il had. what could one man do
among whole regiment OF them
scoundrclS?'
There a:c seven large tents and two
small ones in the gypsy camp. Swarihy
men swaggcr about, half tipsy. In 4
large tent three women, two of them
quite comcly, as those very dark brn-
nettcs go. were seen. One, evidently
the mother, was nursing child. The
taller Of the young women. who APP
pcarcd 10 be- about eighteen years old.
had 4 splendid face and fine black eyes.
She was dressing her hair, which she
lc, fall in black and shining cloud
that reached below her hips.
Your white ladies'" she said, "can
not arrange their hair without n glass.
Women who live our life never Use n
glass. We know by touch"
Deity she arranged her trcsses until
she had them coilcd 50 nicely on her
head that the visitors expressed wonder
at her skill.
Not above half dozen in this large
camp have trace Of gypsy blood in
their veins. And in the five other
camps there are only viltainous tramps.
-Cor. ~ y journal.