Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-13

footing in the place through bravery in
battle as adherents of Scottish border lords
That was fully 200 years ago. The fen
leases of many OF their homes-and at one
time nearly an hundred cottages were in
their possession-were remarkable as illus
trating the friendship existing between the
nomads and the successive lords of the
manor. These were either for nineteen
times nineteen years." or, as with some of
the more favored ones, 'as long as grass
grows and water runs"
A REMARKABLE CONTEST.
Their increase here undoubtedly reached
| its climax at about the middle of the present
century. Over 400 Gipsies then had their
homes in Kirk Yetholm; and at the death
of their chiei, William Faa, In 1S47, they
mustered from Yetholm and its immediate
neighborhood 500 Gipsies and 800 asses as
an escort for his remains from Coldstream to
the parish burying-ground at Yetholm.
This Fas was the acknowledged king of the
Scottish Gipsies. Shortly after his death
on the sudden decease of Charles Blythe,
King Williams immediate successor, a
remarkable contest took place between
Faa's two daughters, Princess Esther and
Princess Helen-the latter hale old woman
still living here alone in her cottage at the
|
These Faas were the pick of the Scottish
Gipsy race, and by their sagacity, address
and physical prowess were able for nearly
800 years to exercise royal supremacy. The
| Blythe line was extinct in Scotland; and no
one could be found to dispute the royal line
reverting to one or the other of the two Faa
Princesses. Helen, the younger, urged her
| claims on the ground of the well-known and
often-expressed wish of the dead King that
she should eventually succeed him. Esther,
the elder, claimed the succession on the
grounds of seniority. For months the
liveliest imaginable political canvass
was waged throughout the Gipsy
camps OF Scotland; the sisters often
taking secret and rapid journeys
of hundreds of miles to further their re-
spectiye interests. At last the contest
wages so bitter that these sisters of royal
blood came to blows, the first and last
breach of the peace ever accredited to Clip
sizes in Yetholm. They were both women
of powerful build, over six feet in height,
and the encounter has been described to me
by an eve witness now living here as of the
most savage and ferocious character. Esther
was victorious, and Helen, or black-bearded
Nell, as she is called by the villagers, "got
herself weel lickit." This affray apparently
decided the contest; for when ''testing-day,"
or Shrove Tuesday, on which the famous
Bowmont games are still notably celebrated,
Princess Helen and her followers offered no
objection to Princess Esther's
ELECTION AND CORONATION.
The crowning of Queen Esther-whose
full name was Esther Faa Blythe Ruther-
ford, the Blythe and Rutherford addenda
coming from marriages with worthless men
of her race-was an affair OF great note at
Yetholm. Her Majesty was attended by a
roval brother, several princes and princesses
OF the blood, Prince Henry, her son, now a
worthless vagabond, many grandchildren
and great retinu~ of over 300 Gipsies with
as many townspeople and gentry of the sur
rounding country. The cavalcade proceed
ed TO the Yetholm Cross, A jolly old black
smith named George Gladstone, who had
performed like Office Tor Charles Blythe,
and thus assumed the title of Archbishop
of Yetholm," wrought resplendent coro-
net of tin, sustaining a tremendous Scotch
thistle In presence of the great multitude
he made proclamation of his right to exer-
else the high Office, and, having in the most
solemn fashion set the emblem of royalty
upon her head, proclaimed the swarth hero
inc "Her Royal Majesty, Esther Faa Blythe
Rutherford, Sovereign and Queen of all the
Gipsies in the Kingdom of Scotland-Chal-
lenge who dare!'
Addresses of congratulation were read
from loyal subjects in the different shires,
from the citizens OF Kelso and other near
cities and villages, and from Yetholm towns
folk; after which leyee was held at the
"royal palace" thatched cottage with
hard clay floor, and the night was passed in
all manner of rustic -evelries, Ath death
in July, 1888, Gipsy royalty in
Scotland came to an end. No one
ever aspired to the enjoyment of her
Gipsy honors; and even old Princess Helen.
with whom 1 am quite a favorite, tells me
that she was so "weeI and fairly licket,"
that she completely lost all her ambition for
royal life. Queen Esther died at Kelso.
Her cortege from Kelso to Kirk Yetholm,
where she was buried besides hundreds OF
her race was u memorable one. Thousands
of people came TO Yetholm. Upon the cof-
fin lay the royal red cloak of the Queen, and
an enormous white wreath Of roses, sent by
Lady John Scott, of Spottiswood, sur
mounted this. Both were inferred with the
body of the Queen. The Rev. Mr.. David
son, for 90 years minister of the parish
church here, tells ME he never witnessed
a more remarkable scene than at this
burial.
AN HUN fEOtLE.
The services were held at Kelso; but such
vast crowds massed about the grave at
Yetholm that though Mr.. Davidson made
effert to reach it to say few words over
the body, the grief of the Gipsies and the
density of the crowd prevented. He also
tells me other things gained from his min
istry among these strange people which may
interest many who believe Gipsies no better
than wolves. Among these, were the state
ments that a no more honorable folk in all
their business dealings ever lived in Scot
land. They never would pay their rent at
fixed time; but they always paid it. Their
word in all matters could be absolutely de-
pended upon. For over rs years no Yetholm
Gipsy has ever been accused OF crime.
Their home and family relations have al
wavs been singularly Tree from unfalthful-
ness and unhsppiness And, in short, he
believes that in all things upon which es-
innate OF character may be based they have
ever excelled the non-Gipsy townspeople
about them.
Notwithstanding this, Gipsydom has so de-
I clined here that it is but wrath of its
former self. When here year since found
but IA families comprising no more than so
souls. At that time predicted that I
should yet live to wander with the tawny
Yetholm crew in my own loved land. Three
of those families are already with the road
side pilgrims in America. Those remain
ing are held to the spot by the old, old folk
who beg to be allowed the last privilege of
laying their bones alongside of those of
their kin in the little church.yard behind
the manse. When that is done, Gipsydom
at Yethoim will be no more. 1t will all
have been transplanted to that grand and
wondrous land across the sea, the Gipsy's
haven and heaven or opportunity and de-
light. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
In many families DR.. D. Jayne's Tonic
Vermifuge is kept constantly in the house,