, 1886-11-18
AT A GYPSY WEDDING. "a
AK

The Marriage Ceremony and the Attend
ant Festivities-Fun and Froiio.
Few things are more simple han a
marriage ceremony among the gypsies,
and a description OF n wedding As re-
Gently witnessed by the writer will not,
we believe, prove uninteresting. There
were more than a score OF tents at the
-encampment, where we were temporary
guests, and at the opening of each n fire
was burning, cracking and blazing away
as early as 6 O'Clock in the morning of
the day which was to witness the mar
riage of one of the favorite young girls
of the camp. An hour afterward and
an old gypsy man with silvery hair, and
bronzed, wrinkled face, with but one
eye, stepped on a little mound and be-
gan 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 young
gypsies were Don dancing with great
hilarity. While some of the older
women were watching the dancers,
others were engaged in culinary prep
arations.
AT the opening of one of the tents
stood the swarthy-looking masculine
gypsy chief, with his hands in his
dancers. At a given signal from he
chief, the music and dancing ceased.
Two rows of gypsies, with about twelve
or fifteen q each row., were formed,
standing face to face, being between
four and six feet apart. Half way
down between these rows two gypsies
held up a broomstick about eighteen
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 o~live-colored
velveteen cont, red w%aistcoat, and n
glaring-colored handkerchief round his
neck. In person, he was tall, muscular,
and well made. In obedience to tho
chiefs command he came from n tent at
one side of the encampment, walked be-
tween the rows of gypsies, stepped over
the broomstick, 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 n tent at the
opposite side of the encampment. She
was about 10 years of age, rather short
cf stature, apparently of n helthy and
hardy constitution, 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 hat yyaan tho tuo rn,vo of
gypsies, tripped very lightly over the
broomstick, which she had no sooner
done than the young gypsy man. in the
most gentle and gallant manner imagin-
able, took her in his arms, and com
pleted the ceremony by giving his new
made wife some of the loudest kisses wo
ever heard in our life.
Then the music and dancing were re-
sumed, the whole Of the members of tho
encampment had suspended business;
preparations for n good feast were go
ing 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 donkeys nibbled their coarse food
will a self satisfied air, and looked MS if
conscious they We're to have that days
respite from their weary tolls, even the
two or three dogs that were wagging
their tails as if in anticipation of an ex-
ira feed or of better and n larger guam
tity of rations than usual, even without
the trouble of having TO hunt before n
dinner could be allowed them.-Brook-
lyn MAGAZINE.