, 1888-02-26
A STRANGE MEETING.
The Ereemasonry Which Prevails
Among the Gypsy Kind.

vana, enjoying the strange and interesting
scenes beneath and beyond, when a chance
meeting of lowly folk down there among
the carreterOs gave me : more intense
thrill of excitement, and a better reason
for this chapter on a peculiar feature of
themselves, thar had | awakened that
very morning to the cognizancc of civil
war throughout the fair island.
y dark, 1.-the fellow in rawhide shoes
fashioned like moccasins, leather breeches,
a yellow sash and a fierce machete, coarse
linen shirt and a tremendous sOmbrero, in
appearance the precise type of the inland
guailro or Cuban cOuntryman, had for n
long time been lying lazily against the
massive wall which separated the plaza
and the harbor wharves. Near him were
two little iacas or Cuban ponies and a
donkey. nibbling at scarce fodder of cane
leaves. The animals had been loaded out
OF sight over serons or rush blankets with
gigantic pouches filed with fodder, fruit
and what-not from the country. This had
already been disposed of by hawking;
and, as far as | could see, man and
beasts were resting a little before the
return home. Directly | heard the tinkle
of a latonero's, or tinker's bell, and immo-
diately a swarthy tinker came in sight.
The association of scene and sound i'm
pressed me. But when the tinker moved
straight along the plaza through the carts
and crowds to the recumbent cOuntryman.
and saw, too, that the latter was as at.
tentivc to the nearing tinkling as | was to
the man whose shoulders bore the grind
ers wheel, all Cuba held not a 1.-THE of
the interest for me that | then felt lay in
the meeting of those two men.
There was no special demonstration in
1t. The tinker, by all the saints, simply
babe the countrvman good morning, and
the countryman in the name of the VIZ
gin responded right cheerily. Then a
little chatting came which | could not
hear; but before the tinker turned away
for his final "Adiosl'' he said in a tonguc
as ancient as that in which the sacred pre-
cepts of Ioroaster were traced upon the
1900 COW skins Of old. Give TO my
pilgrim brethren pledge OF another pill
grim : adding Affection And then he
tinkled himself away through the throng
/ had hardly lost sight oil him
as he disappeared under the shadows
of the old ruined old San Fran
clscan church opposite, when | awokc
from the rush Of swift flooding memo
RE of my idyllic days in many lands with
my loyal friends, the Gipsies; and with a
rush that startled the sleepy servitors of
the old posada. / gained the plaza and
the side Of the tired g%uaiiro. who had
meanwhile resumed his seat upon a don.
key pouch with his back against the mas
sive wharf wall
had found a live Giteno, u genuine
Spanish Gypsy. 10 the guise of a Cuban
peasant. Bu5 that wa not all which |
must accomplish. He must be made to
talk lie must be made my friend. A
world Of weird and to me priceless infor-
nation lay behind that bronze human
door Had the power to unlock it2 |
fear my cOntOrtions with the Spanish Ian
guage were pitiable. | am sure.Iny cfor S
at friendship in speech and gestures we're
alarming What were his two jlcas and
the donkey worth? He seemed about to
call the police Was his labor upon his
sItio and his hawking profitable? He in
siinctJvely searched the rolls of his yellow
sash for the safety of his greasy, deprc-
ciatcd Havana bank bills. Had he a
sonora and uinas at his cabin or tent be-
hind the hills With a scowl his hand
came threateninEly near his fierce ma
ehete- On and or | stumbled and strug-
gled to gain the fellows human %recogni-
ton. IL was useless. Then | resorted TO
heroic tactics, and told him with much
scorn that | considered him a RomdHy
chor IA Gypsy thief. A the sound of his
secret language a remarkable change oc-
Cured. lie sprang to his feet excited
and alarmed; rushed to his cattle. Jerking
the donkey INTO conscious submission,
kicking the ponies with resounding
whacks away from the fodder and as he
wa about 10 spring upon the back Of
one, turned 10 me with u bewilderei look
Of fear, depreciation, doubling desire and
half determined tolerance, as pitiably
SILLY a had been ny owl startling atten-
lions.
Instantly advancing with extended hand,
] sand most earnestly IL ROmany. Save
Allah r slave, Tins magic talismau
brought hun from his pony in u twink
mag, = heap OF ecstauc, hysteric adula-
uuu For the first time IN my lie ! was
violently and persIsuentY embraced by a
man ! had put 10 test 10 q foreign land
upuu D Of tins wandering race the three
words ny olden Gypsy friends had sworn
10 Inc would unlock 10 the innermust mys-
teres Of tins ancient race In any cline or
land beneath the sun. They had not
played me false. Prom that moment this
swarthy fellow was more than nv friend.
He was my loving slave. Could ! 90 with
him to his brethren in the mountains?
1es, I thousand times. yes; and all he
had. did ! desire. should be mine. All
the world may deem the Gypsy a thieving
dog / know better. Do him a kind
ness prove 10 him your Identification with
INN IN the least Of human ways that stand
for true regard let there come into
hls n heart the consciousness that YOU
are tolerant of his race. fOrgivinE Of his
history, generous towards that which he
holds a. treasure in sentiment and trust:
and the whole world else cannot show his
equal in the highest and best in unend
ing, uuyarying trust and loyal friendship.
set this down IN this foreign land as A
truth which some time shall BE- known in
all lands.
1t would be difficult to tell which was
most pleased and exuberant. 1t was
agreed at once that we should 60 to his
habitatlon. 4 few leagues inland. While
lgnaciO-iOr that was my gypsy friend
name-agaIn woke up the animals with
sundy whacks and thumpings, | FASTENED
70 the money changers for a pocket full
of small coin for the gypsy ninas and mu.
chachos of the band, and 10 the dulcero's
for stores Of guoat,,oat. h. II