Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-28
GIPSY-TENT LIFE.
The Small Romany BAND Encamped
Near Washington.
NOISY REcEPrIoN-A NICKEL ooNcERI-roR-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. HoRsKrEN-IN cAxR
AND ON THE ROAD.

AND ON THE ROAD.
From the day when the angel Of the Lord,
speaking to Hsgar, OF Ishmael, said "And he
will be wild man; and his hand win be against
every man. and every mans hand against him."
down to the present time, there have been Ish-
mselites in whom the prophecy has been to .
greater or less degree fulfilled True sons Of
lshmael marked with many OF their forefsth-
ers' traits, are the gipsies, and fair samples Of
this peculiar race are the gipsies now living
near the northern limits OF this city. Few hu-
man habitations are more picturesque than n
gypsy camp, and the average citizen who passes
the temporary abode of the wanderers now on
the east side of Lincoln avenue, Just opposite
the northern slopes of Glenwood cemetery,
stops 10 gaze at the camp. A tolerably white
tent, a highly-ornamented sleeping wagon.
two common, light wagons a blackboard, and q
shelter OF saplings and branches for the
horses were the main features visible from the
road the other morning when a STAR reporter
coasted down the hill on his bicycle and dis
mounted In front of the camp. No animate
object was in sight. Perched on a wagon top,
and therefore safe from the meddling fingers
OF children or the proving half-starved ours,
were several heads Of cabbage and a huge
piece of beef. For a moment or two the camp
looked as though il was deserted, but the
whistllng wind tore apart the tent doors All
revealed TO the inmates the presence Of the
stranger.
THEN THERE WAS RUSH.
What seemed at first glance to be an innu-
merable host of black-haired. dark-eyed child
rem precipitated themselves into the outer at
mosphere. Most of them were bareheaded
and everyone of them was noisy. They tum-
bled over each other in their eagerness TO reach
him whom they regarded as their lawful prey
chorus Of requests for money came from the
host now definitely resolved into five brown
a l. nh
not beg. Oh, no! All they wanted was a small
cash contribution, in return for which they pro-
posed TO treat the visitor TO a song Fivecent
was invested by the reporter, and the five little
brownies sang. with an lshmaelitish disregard
Tor time or tune, an unintellgible conglomera-
ton OF Romany words and Chinese music.
There was nothing sweet in their tones and
from the dynamic force exerted by each little
vocalist and the hurry they were in to
get through it was evident that they were in
the profession for revenue only" The song
being ended, the youngsters turned their at
tention TO the strangers bicycle. Grimy little
paws twirled the pedals, tested the brake and
rang the bell. A couple Of the more venture
some at one time and from opposite sides of
the wheel endeavored to mount it, and nothing
but diplomacy and the permanent investment
OF another nickel prevented a fight between
the young Arabs and saved the machine from
destruction.
did you want TO see mother, sir?" oueried
one of the boys, when the strife was ended.
shell tell your fortune true" he added by
way of explanation. A rapid mental calcula-
ton satisfied the reporter that he was not in
such financial condition as 10 be able at that
time, to cross the gipsy's hand with the neces-
sary coin. SO he declined to listen to the voice
of the charmer
There's no time like the present." persisted
the boy, who was evidently an experienced
''touter."
The reporter was about 10 make a bargain
based on the ready cash in his possession when
he was Unexpectedly relieved by the arrival Of
dayton wagon, in which were seated four
young Washingtonians. They were evidently
curious and IN order 10 satisfy themselves a. to
the nature OF the encampment they stopped
right IN front of the tent. They were at once
attacked by the juvenile horde and .'backshees"
was demanded In stereotyped phrases. Then
came q repetition of the weird music and the
consequent reward. request for more sing
ing was promptly met with counter request
for more money, and as that was not forthcom-
ing the most energetic member of the chorus
threw In a few extra measures of tunelessness
and wound up with ''Hurrah fer Harrison" in
his most energetic style. Why he yelled for
Harrison he refused to say, but il 10 probable
that he was inclined to favor the general be-
cause he bore the same name himself The
family IN that camp were all Harrisons. There
are ten, or there were ten of them yesterday.
They may be more numerous now. A gipsy's
family grows rapidly and in a most un-Ameri-
can manner. The wife was a young looking
/ "bttidb anu the HUSBAND was not more than
thlrty-hVe years OF age, yet there were eight
! children who slept in that tent at nights and
owed their existence 70 Mr.. and Mrs. Harrison
TELLING FORTUNES.
Through the representations of the energetic
boy one of the four occupants OF the wagon de-
| cided to have his fortune told, and while his
companions waited and shivered he went into
the tent. There, seated by a warm stove. he
listened to the bowling of the wind outside and
10 he ir, "a
| teriously of the dark young lady and the evil
influences which surrounded her. The amount
| of silver placed on the Romany woman's palm
must have been small. for when the young man
came out of the tent be looked as pleasant as
| though he was marching TO a gallows on which
| he was soon to figure as the principal attrac-
| ton. Other persons, anxious as TO the future
| and DESTROYS of proving by their own conduct
the accuracy of the proverb which refers TO q
! fool and his money, came and went. much TO
the satisfaction of the prophecies.
! GIPsIEs HORSES.
Warm and snug under their leafy shelter
Gypsy Harrison's horses ate their hay and
looked as sleek as gipsies' horses always do. II
there Is an especially good horse in the pos
session of a farmer the gipsies soon find il out
and unless the farmer is unusually wary he will
some day discover that he has traded of his
| valuable animal 10 an apparently euiieless
lshmaelite without having made as good a bar
gain as the Vicar of Wakefield's son Moses did
when he traded of the colt Tor gross Of green
| spectacles. Sometimes the farmer refuses TO
! trade and then the feminine portion of the
wanderers get in their work. One Of them will
| stroll up to the farmhouse a few weeks later,
and will, by hook or crook, succeed in telling
| the fortune either of the farmer or his wife
| She will foretell misfortune to the cattle and
horses. She asks il they have not o beautiful
| four-year old horse with white star on his
| forehead, Cor whatever distinguishing mark
the animal they want happens to have). The
reply Is, OF course, in the Affirmative, and
the Gypsy then proceeds to prophesy the almost
immediate decease of the animal and the con-
sequentlos Of SO much money. II the farmer
! is credulous he at once becomes anxious to
trade, and he generally has an opportunity
! given him by a gypsy before that days sun
goes down. Failing every other way, the
Arabs have, tits said, even gone TO the extreme
| of taking the animal away without asking the
permission of the owner. This is one Of the
| answers to the question often asked by
country folk, Where do the gipses get such
fine horses?" They are inveterate horse traders,
and their judgment is fully equal 10 that of
Methodist preacher who has been on circuit for
quarter ola century.
ANOTHER CAMP.
Half mile further north, and quite near 10
the road, is another and larger camp. Except
that it is the headquarters for three families
the Smiths, the Stanleys and the Bates'-it ID
very much like that Of the Harrisons. About