Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-07
Gypsy CHILDREN.
What Years Of Study has Taught-HOw
to Win the Friendship of q
Strange Race.
First Make Up with the Children, Dogs and
HOrses-Ths Virtue OF the Men and
Women-Childhood Life.
Copyrighted, 1890. ]


CAMP, NEAR NEWPORT, r. T., May &c.
For over quarter of a century l have
passed some portion OF nearly every year
in Gypsy camp as guest and friend. In
that time hundreds of Gipsies have grown
TO the estate of men and women from
Gypsy childhood and youth. From the
first, think, my best friends among
these pilgriming people were the little
folks; and, at first, recall many an in
stance where the confidence and trust
so earnestly sought from their elders was
largely, If not wholly, the result of the
confidence and liking l was enabled to
awaken in the little waits OF the camps.
Indeed l can well date my secure place
in the hearts OF the Romany folk to their
interesting logic about that very matter,
and also the fact that got along famous
ly with their horses and dogs, as well as
with their children; for it is a universal
Gypsy notion that the instinct of children
and ANIMALS is unfailing and true.
In 1868 l was lettering about large
Gypsy camp located in the woods on the
beautiful shores of Lake Michigan, about
a mile north of the Northwestern univer-
sIty grounds, at Evanston, Illinois. Ny
object was literary one, wholly. l felt
drawn TO these people; endeayored to
give that feeling acceptable expression;
but, while they we're civil enough in II
general way, there seemed to exist an
insurmountable wall of distrust between
us. / talked plainly with one or two of
the leading men, and n few of the old
spae-wives, about it. Their responses
were inexpressibly sodden and dsap-
pointing. Then l began on the young
men and children. / assisted the former
in all manner of menlal tasks. The
principal of these was cleaning the ami
mails, and occasionally giving them a
swim in the lake. A passing, snortIng
tug had 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. thought my chance was here;
for as boy on the farm and as an ar
tillery postillion in the army, I had
swum horses in lakes ana rivers as often
as any Gypsy of my age, and 1 succeeded
at the Evanston camp by simply induce
ing one OF the horses, after dusk, to take
TO the water like duck, and the next
fright, while all Its companions followed
us into the lake as nicely as q flock of
sheep will crowd over fence opening
after O bell-wether. That evening was
honored with an invitation TO stay ali
night and occupy 3 wagon with the
bands tinker The next day l had
small cart-load of toys in the hands of
the delighted children, and gen.
uIne rope swing for them IN
derneath 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
mis- family, and genuine slverware, dug
out OF the dingy recesses of shadOwy
wngon-beds, assisted in the resplendence
of the occasion. After the meal the
chief took me out for a saunter
along the ripping shore, and finally,
after much apparent embarrassment,
and with profuse though hating apollo
giles, explained with many fine Gypsy