Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-24
lCopyrishted. 1881


kLMEssAS, IRELAND, Nov. Is, 1888.
"here the winding Callan and the murmur.
Gus Baliinahone rivers, after traversing warm
and glowing landscapes, join in placid flow
within the northern environs of picturesque
and ancient Armagh, first came upon my old
friends, the gipsies, in Ireland. Many a trace
OF them mad L already found Many a trail.
familiar 10 my eyes, limiting of their recent
presence, mad been discovered MANY a pat
tsran, or guide::for ther following pilgrim kind
unknown 70 gentry or peasants, had deserted
Win something like longing for their outlaw
compromising. Many n tale of superstitious
oread concerning their grewsome lives and WAYS
mad heard In hut and cabin. And many an as
seruon, from the learned. who often know less
tnan all, that there were none of the wandering
Iolk IN Ireland, had silently listened to. But
IN montns or tramping over mountains, on
endless highways, in lanes and by-paths. by
aiming loughs, through smiling valley and by
yoicefui stream, never before had I come face to
race hand TO hand, and heart to hear with any of
the tawny crew, until from the crumbiing
tower above st. Patricks cathedral, upon the
Veriest heights Of Armagh's hills. espied
THE RAGGED BROOD,
ana nastened to their sky-covered homes as
last as ever my good legs could carry me. And
TWAS an odd reflection that accompanied me
ON my way. Armagh, the old. stored in his
tory, glowing with ecclesiastic tradition, the
Eamnain. Eamania. AeDs-huina-lae, or noble
city" Of 800 years before the Christian era;
Armagh, the Ardmagha. 1.-The lofty plain on
the summit of Druimsailech, the ''hill of will
lows OF st. Patrick time and labors; Armagh.
whose ancient college was once the most fam
Gus 81 minary of Europe and from which issued
learned men of all nations to enlighten in art,
TO dlffuse Christianity and instruct barbarians
IN All lands; Armagh, site of the olden royal
palaces, environed by wondrous ruins, IL times
burned and IL times IL times 9undered and
ravished by contending hosts; Armagh upon
her lovely heights, surprising in age, lore and
rsdient and bloody history; from her ca
thedral hills down past her roofs of slate and
thatch, sits like a beggared princess at the
threshold OF her own vanished glories voicing
but sobbing echoes of "a luminous past; Just as
these tatterdemalion Irish Gipsies at Armagh's
gate were-a beggared and spectral type of
once ancient and glorious race.
THE CAMP.
The camp was hidden from struggling road
way passers by a few furz-covered hilloeks. /
climbed these where could survey the little
community bit before becoming one of it.
The entire grouping was an eloquent picture of
wiilful, hopeless vagabondism. or of helpless.
wandering restitution For an instant the
sight eonjured up innumerable scenes of evic-
ton where Irish families driven from their
wretehed homes and clinging to their scant
belongings, struggled by the roadside in their
hrst heart-rending, desperate amazement at
the awful blow from landlord power and En-
giish law. Descending into the camp. wan
dered about for time if one of the many
curious daily visitors 1t was about midday
and the meager food the camp afforded in stri-
KING contrast to that of our high-living American
Gipsies, was being served to several hungry
groups Settling in nv mind at which one the
chief Of the band was located. | came quickly
TO ms side. and after passing the usual Irish
a~rrtrr -
gloomy may be the weather. tossed him a half
crown, sat down upon the ground beside him.
and uneeremoniOusly asked for share of the
begga-iy repast. Without protest and with
much pretentious Gypsy servility. portion of
stirabout and a bit of half-raw meat were
handed me on a battered pewter plate. be-
gan eating the food, which was better than we
many times got with Sherman from Chat.a-
nooga to Atlanta in "a. with evidences of hun
CRY satisfaction. and. with a kindly glance at the
chiefs shaggy-headed wife. remarked in tones
Of praise:
SUDDEN INTRODUCTION.
''Your raunie's beenship at the pauplers."
rour wife is grand at the kettles-i. e.,
splendid cook.
A dash Of responsive qualification leaped in
to the haggard old face and a light of human
good will flashed into her keen old ewes: but
Gypsy wariness as instantly extinguished them
both The Gypsy himself was upon his feet
"Rufhe feck MAJ The devil take mel ejacu-
lated the man. betrayed into his secret lam
guase In his surprise and alarm at hearing it
from another
.'Cheer' retorted. proceeding manfullv.
with the stirabout. .'Rufie lee Romany chais:
shan droms lur Gorgoisr' (No. Silence. Nav
the evil one miss Gipsies; but hard road for
the restD
,.'ouerag" Cwho are you0 he asked trem-
bling with excitement. the whole camp already
astir from the extraordinary parley.
=, "A been riah Gorgio chal," a true man and
the Gipsies' friend; / answered earnestIv-
chewing the half-cOoked meat with a valiant
energy.
That half-crown had given him fairly flew
back to me. All, the nAver-failing sense of
gypsy honor toward their kind. or to one who
has befriended the race. was as ouiek and keen
among these shrikes of the irish roadside
hedges as / had ever found it among the rich
gypsy princes of America. He had me i'm his
rough old arms in an instant. could scarcely
ges upon my feet and name my country and
work, before from 20 to 80 men, women and
children were showering greetings blessings
and caresses upon me in q most embarrassing
and sitting degree. 1t brought the sunlight
INTO their wary, hunted faces marvelously. II
lighted up the ragged dingle with glorious wei.
coming and friendship. In truth, for the time
~ was spell OF hghtsome goodness in these
cast@wavs dreary lives, that / reyerentlv
thAnked God for the power of transfusinp into
even the momentary Consciousness of the few
ess and lowliest that live
WITH rHE BAND.
For nearly week remained member of
this band Through their trust, which ia abso-
lutte II given at all, their lives and ways. and
the lives and ways Of all Gipsies in Ireland.
we're a. An open book. Two facts gained are
important In general Gypsy sociology; one dis
closing q marked popularity Of Irish people
themselves There are not, all told-and this
includes skulking city Romany unknown in
tnen various town vacations az members of
tnis ouscass race-upwards Of 5000 Gipsies in
al Ireland, OF whom barely 1000 follow the
precar1ous but romantic life of the road.
Irish Catholics, including even the most igno-
rant and superstitious Of the peasantry. with
out exception hold them in something like a
terrible detestation, and will have none Of
them save In their least offensive Character
Of traders, tinkers, and beggars. With
hne soorn they will perhaps hold converse with
them q ICY distances on a purely commercial
basis. They wiz occasionally permit a Gipsy
TO mend . kettle, pot. or pan; all the time
showering glib and awful reproaches upon him
for his uncanny mode Of life, while their hos
pitality u 20 boundless that they would not
turn the devil himself from their doors. even IL
his horns and hoofs were disclosed through the
gauzy guise OF '.traveler" or mendicant' But
let gipsy spoe-ecife or fortune-teller once sl;n
into an Irish cabin and begin any Of her black
Art conjurinGs the smoke Of war will at once
rise above that spot Calling upon all the
category Of saints in one shrill and mighty
breadth Of fierce minor appeal the Irish mother