Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-07
AMONG THE GIPSIES.
Something of the Habits and Gus
toms of This Peculiar People.
MORALITY ENJOINED UPON ALL.
A Disposition to Treat Strangers With q
Degree of Suspicion,
BUT HOsPITABLE AND KIND TO FRIENDS

BUT HoSPITABLE AND KIND TO FRIEND,
| CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pIsFATcH.l
CAMP, NEAR NEWPORT, R. l., June g.
For over quarter of century hav,
passed some portion of nearly every year il
a Gipsy camp as guest and friend. In thai
time hundreds of Gipsies have grown to the
estate of men and women from Gipsy child
hood and youth. From the first, I think
my best friends among these pilgriming peo
pie were the little folks; and, at first, 1 re
call many an instance where the confidence
and trust I SO earnestly sought from theil
elders was largely, if not wholly, the result
of the confidence and liking was enabled
to awaken in the little waits of the camps.
the hearts OF the Romany folk to their inter-
esting logic about that very matter, and also
the fact that 1 got along famously with their
horses and dogs, as well as with their chill
dren; for it is universal Gipsy notion that
the instinct of children and animals is un-
failing and true.
In 1868 was lettering abouta large Gipsy
camp located in the woods on the beautiful
shores of Lake Michigan, about a mile north
of the Northwestern University grounds, at
Evanston, Ill. My object was a literary one,
wholly 1 felt drawn to these people; en-
deavored to give that feeling acceptable e1-
preston; but, while they were civil enough
in q general way, there seemed to exist an
insurmountable wall of distrust between US.
l talked plainly with one or two of the lead
ing men, and a few of the old spae-wives
about it Their responses were inexpressibly
sodden and disappointing. Then began on
the young men and children. assisted the
former in all manner of menial tasks The
principal of these was cleaning the animals,
and occasionally giving them swim in the
lake. A passing, snorting tug so frightened
the horses that despite all the efforts of the
GipsIes the animals would neither drink
from nor permit themselves to be led into
the water.
HAD SwUM HORSES HIMSELF.
I thought my chance was here; for as a
boy on the farm, and as an artillery postil-
lion in the army. had sEum horses in lakes
and rivers as often as any Gipsy of nv age;
and l succeeded at she Evanston camp by
simply inducing one of the horses, after
dusk, to take to the water like duck, and
the next day it seemed to have forgotten its
fright, while all its companions followed us
into the lake as nicely as a flock OF sheep
will crowd over fence opening after bell
wether. That evening was honored by an
invitation to stay all night and occupy a
wagon with the bands tinker. The next
day had small CARLOAD of TOYS in the
hands of the delighted children, and gen.
uine rope swing for them underneath the
great elm trees. My reward for this was
tent with the son OF the chief.
The next day the chief himself invited me
to supper with his family, and genuine sill
verware, dug out of the dingy recesses of
shadowy wagon-beds, assisted in the re-
splendence of the occasion. After the meal
the chief took me out for saunter along
the rippling shore, and, finally after much
apparent embarrassment, and with protuse
though halting apologies. explained with
many fine Gipsy prevarications why as a
race they must put no trust in the white
blood, but, that in my case, "w'ereheyer
an owsomdever hus comes up wi'ye, any
time an oft, hus'll allus gle We odd fagot
an hextra sup for welcome" He added
as if to clear himself from error and fortify
himself against accusation of disloyalty to
his own, Illus as no learnin' wi books;
but Gipsies as hus is, if the chauvies (chil-
dren) an the dugals (dogs) an gryes
(horses) takes kindly to the Gorgio (non-
Gipsy) hus minds no longer 'owsomdever as
hescomes an goes!'
This little lesson was never forgotten; and |
though many, many years ago my standing
was SO well assured in Gipsy camps that ef- !
never ceased to 60 literally loaded for little |
Gipsies. And what brave welcome do 1 |
ever get from these little foxes. "Gorgio |
chall' (The Gipsies |
friendly is the merry sound that rings in |
my ears as they scamper from tent wagon,
covert and copse, with vociferous greetings |
and expectant shouts; for, bless them they |
all know that every swarthy mite Of thing |
is to be somehow remembered.
APPRECIATE A FRIEND.
The endearing term is mine by hill and in |
dale; by the meadow path where we gather |
the buttercups and daisies; by shaded hooks |
where we fish in the clear waters OF melo- |
dious streams; in deep-wood covert where |
we find the laee-hke fern; in sunny hillside |
openings where together we part the long |
grass and find, where their real owners never |
found, red, ripe strawberries in myriads to /
take back to camp in rush-woven baskets of |
our own making; by hazel copses, when the |
first frost-fres flame across the land, and the I
dainty nuts as brown as my little friends
faces are dropping from their wrinkled
sheaths in the odorous woods where we
gather the fir and the tasseled spruce for re-
newing the beds of the camp; and then, at
morning, noon and night, in our orgies with
the dogs, at all manner of games, in the
swings of vine branches or patched leather
straps and ropes, indeed at all sorts of inno-
sent mischief, OF which 1 am more than
1nce the willing victim, until oItentimes
he ok folks hustle us all from sight; and
again, and quainter and sweeter than all,
when the shadows fall softly upon the camp
'ide and the cressets or tent fires fare, in the
songs they have taught me and the songs 1
nave taught them; or, tiring of these, when
The 'stories" must be told, and 1 rack my
brain for tales of sea and land that will
make their dark eyes glisten and open, until
he night and sleep shut them close from the
best that "Gorgio chal" can do.
But that term of endearment follows out
nto the other world of labor, struggle. en-
leavor; it pursues into the haunts of men
where life RACES and activities roar; it calls
rom striving and winning, from race and
,lace, as the sweetest of home-sounds to me.
t comes across the hills and meadows when
he pen is tired and the brain weary.
'Gorgio chalP'-"Gorgio chall'' All, it is
S the sound of summer melodies, of singing
'lrds, of falling waters, to him who all but
aints in the withering city ways. 1t calls
o me even in dreams.
PUREsT CODE OF MORALS,
There is surely the Gipsy taint in nv
lood, or am become Gipsy altogether; and