Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-17
THE TENT AND KETTLE STICK.
The Gypsy's Race Feeling of Attach
r,ant En- MA Tapta.f IIa.na

| Tho Gypsy's Race Feeling of Attach
ment to His Tented Home.
But around the tent and the kettle stick
cluster by far the most that is priced in
gypsy lore, sentiment and superstition.
| The tent is the gypsy's home, as much as
| your own habitat;on is yours. The race
feeling of attachment to it is wonderful 10
us who see in it only a ragged temporary
| covering. But it has ever been his home
from an earlier time than you have record
of your own progenitors' habitations. 1t
is undiscoverabie why it Is SO, but these
tents here in this lovely camp on the Pre-
stinpscot nearly all face south. You will
find that true Of any gypsy camp in any
part of the world Possibly there is trace
able in it an unconscious relic of ancient
sun worshiping Possibly your reason
that its lazy occupants love the sun like
any other animals would hold good
Firm as a rounded hill are the tents Of
my people, breathed some gypsy poet a
thousand years ago, and the roadside wan
derer of today will pridefully give you the
same sentence in Romany. my loves
breasts are as hillocks of amber, or as
bright tents FURNISHED by the sum-"
sang some Romany Solomon in the jungles
of India, and the gypsy lover of today
sighs in the same poetic similc. "True to
my people ms are our tents against the
sand wind;" II will cling to my Rom Uhe
first, the head, the husband like the pan
Their skin TO the crooked woodN-i. e., Gs
closely rs the panther's hide to the tent
bows; 'Our teuts shall guard from the
storm darts as shields Of brass make
powerless great spears;'' las the crouch
ing hare is vailtcd by the raging lion,
shall our earth colored tents remain hid
den from the pursuer;" "As still as the
red stars ayleep, shall nestle our tents in
the Valleys las the heart holdeth the
warm blood and giveth strength, so my
tent holdeth all my life"--are few of
the inuumerable poetic imageries attach
ing To the tent. while the rough and unc
tnous fancics crystallizng motive and
character are countless.
The skcwer Is the sharp hickory peg
with which the wooden coverings NJ,
pinned to the tents. Consequently
vrago has ian evil eye and skewei
tongue wnstoful gypsy is as coy
erless tent; n snritless one rs rottel
tent how. 4 lewd woman Is as a fallei
tent, aud good one las sung as q proper
tent There are also many quaint ant
tender love and gypsy home songs, L
which the tent stands for all that shut
harm ont and good lin; while there mr.,
certain unwrtten and inviolable laws ant
customs about the tent which are very il
teresting to observe and study. The rul
is universal preventing gypsios occupyiu
the tents inner compartments save q
night, or when driven inside by storms
In case OF quarrcls, involving serious trou
BILE aud possibly endangering Of life, u,
gypsy who is defending himself may b,
pursued within the tent Gypsies cling Il
an old tent until the last moment it can "
spliced and patched together out OF pur
affection for it, "An old tents an oil,
friend, is one Of their proud sayings
Any gypsy born under tent preserves
piece of its bows or wooden covering unit
MIS- dying day and IL is then buried wit.
his effects. To he born In the tent carrie
1ride as does good strain of blood Thos
,orn "uudcr n root" are regarded as w
ortunate. These are often derisivell
termed in Romany kair rajahs, or "hous
lords. Edgar l.. Wakcman's Letter