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

TREATMENT IN ERIN.
tcOpynshsed. 1881
Special Correspondents Of THE EvxxrSa sr.a
kHMEssAN, IRELAND, Nov 13 1885
Where the winding Callan and the murmur
Gus Ballinahone rivers, after traversing warn
and glowing landscapes, join in placid flow
within the northern environs of picturesque
and ancient Armagh, first came upon nv ole
friends, the gipsies, in Ireland Many trace
of them had 1 already found. Many trail
familiar to my eyes, limiting of their recent
presence, had been discovered. Many a pat
tran, or guidefor Their following pilgrim kind
unknown 10 gentry or peasants. had deserted
with something Ike longing for their outlaw
compromising Many tale of superstition.
dread concerning their grewsome lives and ways
had hearo In hut and cabin. And many an as.
seruon, rom the learned, who often know less
than all, that there were none of tho WANDERING
1oik In ireland, had silently listened to- But
In months Of tramping over mountains. on
endless highways, in lanes and by-patbs by
shining Ioughs, through smiling valley and by
yoiceful stream, never before had come face 10
lace, hand to hand and heart to heart with any Of
tne eSny crew, until from the crumbling
tower above st. Pstrick's cathedral. upon the
Neriest heights of Armagh's hills espied
THE RAGGED BROOD.
and fastened to their sky-covered homes as
fast 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
Lamhain, Eamania, Aern-h,siD,-ue or mobile
city, OF 800 years before the Christian era;
Armagh, the Ardmagha. the lofty plain" on
the summit Of Druimsailech, the hill of viii
lows Of St Patricks time and labors; Armagh.
whose ancient college was once the most fam
Gus seminary of Europe and from which issued
learned men of all nations to enlighten in art.
TO diffuse Christianity and instruct barbarians
In all lands; Armagh, site of the olden royal
palaces, environed by wondrous ruins, II times
burned and IL times IL times plundered and
Iavished by contending hosts; Armagh upon
radient and bloody history; from her ca
thedral hills down past her roofs of slate and
match, sits like a beggared princess at the
threshold OF her own vanished glories, voicing
Du. soooing echoes ofa luminous past; just as
these tatterde malion Irish Gipsies at Armaghs
gate were beggared and spectral type Of q
once ancient and glorious race.
THE CAMP
HE camp was hidden from struggling road
way passers by few furz-covered hillocks. I
Climbed these where could survey the little
community bit before becoming one of il.
1he entire grouping was an eloquent picture of
Wlliui. hopeless vagabondism. or of helpless,
sight conlured up innumerable scenes of eyic-
ton where Irish families, driven from their
wretched homes and clinging to their scant
belongings, struggled by the roadside in their
hrst heart-rending. desperate Management at
tine awful blow from landlord power and En-
giish law. Descending into the camp. wan
cered about for "a time as if one of the MANY
curious daily visitors. 1t was about midday
anu the meager food the camp afforded, in stri-
Elng contrast to that of our high-living American
Gipsles. was being served to several hungry
groups. Settling IN my mind at which one the
chief of the band was located. l came quickly
10 MS side. and after passing the usual Irish
greeting of Zine day. however SUNNY or
gloomy may be the weather. tossed him a half
crown, sat down upon the ground beside him.
and unceremOniously asked for a share of the
beggarly repast- Without protest and with
much pretentiOus Gypsy serviity a portion of
stlrabout and bit of half-raw meat were
handed me on battered pewter plate. 1 be-
gan eating the food which was better than we
many times got with Sherman from Chatta-
nooga to Atlanta in "a, with evidences of hum
CRY satisfaction, and. with kindly glance at the
eaief shaggy-headed wife, remarked in tones
of praise:
SUDDEN INTRODUCTION.
your raunies beenship at the pauplers."
QoU wife is grand at the kettles-i. e.,
splendid cook.
Hash OF responsive qualification leaped in
10 the haggard old face and a light of human
good will flashed into her keen old eyes; but
Gypsy wariness as instantly extinguished them
both The Gypsy himself was upon his feet
with the quickness of a STRIPPING
"Rufie feck mar (The devil take me y eiacu-
lated the man, betrayed into his secret lam
guase In ms surprise and alarm at hearing it
..Cheem retorted, proceeding manfully.
with the stirabout s.Tsufie lee RSmany cbals.
shan droms lur Gorgoisl'' No. silence. Nav
the evil one miss Gipsies; but hard road for
.'Quera?" Cwho are you2) 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; I answered earnestly.
chewing the half-cooked meat with a valiant
energy.
That hah-crown had given him fairly few
back to me. All, the never-failing sense of
gypsy honor toward their kind, or to one who
has befriended the race, was as quick 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 in his
rough old arms in an instant. could scarcely
get upon my feet and name my country and
work, before from 20 to 80 men, women and
children were showering greetings. blessings
ana earesses upon me in most embarrassing
and sti1ing degree. 1t brought the sunlight
INTO their wary, hunted faces marvelously II
hsnted up the ragged dingle with glorious well
coming and friendship. In truth. for the time
II was spell Of hghtsome goodness in these
eastaways dreary lives, that I reverentIy
thanked God for the power of transfusing into
even the momentary consciousness of the few
est and lowliest that live
WITH THE BAND
For nearly week / remained member of
snis band Through their trust, which is abso-
Iuse II given at all, their lives and ways. and
the hves and ways of all Gipsies in Ireland
were as an open book Two facts gained are
important In general Gypsy sociology: one dis
closing o marked popularity of Irish peonle
Themselves. There are not all told-and tb;s
includes skulking city Romany unknown in
Their various town vacations as members ~
this outcast race-upwards of 5000 Ginsies in
all Ireland. of whom barely 1000 follow the
precarious but romantic life OF the road
Irish Catholics. including even the most ieno-
rant and superstltious of the peasantry. with.
out exception hold them in sometbino 6ke .
terrible detestation, and will have none ~
them, save In their least offensive CHARACTER
OF traders. thinkers, and beg2ars. With
nne scorn they viii perhaps hold Converse with
them at ICY distances on q purely commerc,ai
basis. They will occasionally permit a G;nsx
to mend q kettle. pot or pan: ali the tma
showering glib and awful reproaches upor, him
for his uncanny mode Of life while tbeir hos-
pitslity il 80 boundless that thew wonld n"t
turn the devil himself from their doors even -
his horns and hoofs were disclosed throupb the
gauzy guise Of ''traveler" or mendicant Rnt
ct cir fs or 81