Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-01-14
RETURN OF THE GYPSlES.
D6skcring with Unfortunate Farmers
Laying by y Winters stock OF Hay.

Dsskering with Unfortunate Farmer
Laying by = Winters Stock OF Hay.
Thus many return to the cities to theii
actual habitations, which may have stood
IDLE the summer through. Numbers trail
along the highways until their farm homes
are reached, where, il they be rented, al
they usually are to some less thrifty far
ner, they have reserved a few months
housing. Thousands wander into the
central south for all winter dickering and
trading there. Many return to their vii.
hge homes, over OF alongside mammoth
barns, where q winters gypsy ~jockeying
= done. Great crowds of them, not vet
% well along as their brethren in gain
tngs, stragglein the cities. In the COM
o quarters these turn their canas to
bird training, basket weaving, training
and trading in valuable cats and dogB,
while hundreds of gypsy youths secure
ready employment under gentlemen's
Grooms, and particularly at he care OF
horses being fitted for the net years
events Of the turf. Still others. and these
comprise the larger number, come troop.
ing into thousands Of little villages and
countryside places throughout the south.
sn portions of northern states and in thu
oorthern tier Of southern states, arriving
q early as the last October days. Tie
movements OF these provide a gecuine
gypsy study.
Their arrival is hordly noticed, as they
never come in q lar &c body, but in twos
and threts, and it " often weeks before
the little gypsy community is at its best.
The vanguard his quietly rented some
deserted roadside inn at the outskirts Of
the village, or some former spacious home
long gone to decay. This is always got
Tor a song. However much house room
itmay have, it must invariably possess the
requisite Of a great ramshackle barn and
eutlying sheds. For a little time the grp-
Ges seem tomerely exist here. But eve.y
day their women folk may lie seen miles
away, spinning in light buggies owe the
Autumn roads in every direction. Not
only are they found on the well Travelled
highways, but every grass grown wagon
road leading TO secluded and remotest
farms has been hunted and haunted. At
tbs home and that; there tarrying I'M
der pretense of admiring some animal;
there making a tritlng purchase OF
vegetables and poultry over yonder bar
taing for, but never buying, grain and
AAy; again telling e fortune or two il
appealed to; but seldom urging such
profitable vocation-in a little time these
eanniest and most in1omitable of all hui
nan detectives have at their tongues
md, for home reference, every possible
ITEM Of information regarding the finan-
sial standing and condition of every
farmer for half a county round.
Then of a sudden some luckless wight,
nnder terror of an overdue note or re-
lentless mortgage, has sold his cornfield
ain the shock to the gypsles. Another's
weather Drowned stacks Of hay have
come into their possession. Then begins,
and 30 continue the whole winter through,
. ceaseless procession of young stock,
horses and mules, toward the gypsies'
temporary domicile. Drunken farmer,
unfortunate farmer, thriftless farmer, in
all dire tons, pays the penalties Of i'll
doing o, i'll luck to these superb jockeys,
Who. bdying for pittances, and for
months selling at excellent prices or net
ct all, at their improvissd market, make
large profits; and the sprinh finds them
ready for greedy city buyers with great
numbers of stock transformed from
shaggy, ambling beasts 10 animals Of
such splendid form and spirit as do ven
q city gypsy traders eyes good to look
npon. The amount of live stock thus
gathered ~ every winter throughout the
country Is tremendous; the profits are
tnconceivably great, and these wizards
Of the stable must eventually largely con
eol the entire horse trade Of the country.
Edgar L. Wakeman's Letter.