Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-28

the world to love by eloquent tongues and
inspired pens, since true sentiment thrilled
the heart of man. Hence. whatever Gipses
are to you and the world at large, while
you may judge them never so harshly for
what you may call vagabondism, there is
behind what you conclude in your superior
intelligence to be wholly bad, a condition
you know nothing about which must enter
into any honest estimate OF the race. This
condition is one which all Gipsy instinct
resents your participation in or your knowl-
edge of. But it Is condition which, if fully
known and recognized, would immeasurably
redeem the race from contumelv and re-
proach. And because the world-mipe is
narrowed and fixed upon a determined
notion that Gipsiess are utterly worthless to
society at large, the task of conveying any
adequate and true revelation of the slightest
good in them is a woful one indeed.
Here is likeness to that which I wish I
could convey fully: Take the average man
OF the world, the business man, weighed
down Dy lnterminable duties and response
pllltles, which none but themselves realize
VI these how few are there who have not
gained reputation, among the most who
lock horns in business affairs with them, for
cruelty, niggardliness, hard heartedness,
and. may be. downright meanness? And
yet these mems true natures are not that at
friends, and in their homes, these mems
true natures are in the main of generosity,
| fidelity, goodness. And it is in some way
like this the Gipsy should be made known.
Crafty, stupid, wary, hard, unworthy. vaga-
bond though you deem him, as he Iaces you
and ma nkind in his battle for life and those
he loves, he has another side, CHEEKY,
good and manly one, too. which, without
one iota of the prompting all modern socie-
| tv n1oxuo Nth md
ty, helpfulness, good cheer and spirit of
| positive loveliness.
MANY EXCELLENT TRAITS.
An ugly word is never heard in Gipsy
camp. A selfish act is never seen in a
Glpsy camp. The eternal goading of a
mean woman, the brutal obscenity Of a bad
man, the hateful jealousies of neighbors, the
contemplate rivalries Of pretended friends.
each and all are as unknown as poison in
the pure air of heaven they breathe. There
is quality of tenderness and sincerity in
their doings with each other that is ever
simple, childlike and beautiful. Their
mlrth, merriment and jollity are all consid-
crate. Raillery is tolerant; wit never a
murderous weapon. With them good cheer
Is not license; merry-making leaves no
sting; liberty never knows lewdness Ig-
norant as they may be of your books; OBJ
stlnately as they refuse the civilization of |
which we boast; secretly proud as they are |
OF the ostracism which brands them as an |
outlaw race; heathenish as you will con-
tlnue to call them because they hold YOUR
creeds In contempt, they are yet more than |
the peers OF any living people in everything
tender and true and loyal growing into and |
out of the domestic relation, and in all that |
which yields, without law OF force, and as if |
unconsciously, the helpful goodness which
ever prompts and ever exceeds exact Justice |
to ones fellows.
Probably at meals and in the long even
lngs, bright with camp fires and melodious |
with merriment, is the Gipsy man or,,woman |
most truly this good natured and Genial ami !
NAL that never reveals meanness and ever |
acts with genuine, unstudied goodness. The |
breakfast, though always a meal of CHEEKY
brig ghtness, is taken with little jollity, for
the duties and doings of the day are ahead
OF them all. The dinner ia seldom a regu-
lar meal, for there are but few in camp, and |
the old men, old women, children and dogs
have everything their own way. But the
supper is overfowing with good things and
good spirits. and
ALL SORTS OF FRANKS
are allowable. The camp has suddenly filled
up with three-fourths of Its members, who
have been away during the day on divers
expeditions, and the breeziness and
activity consequent upon the return
have brought the camp won
derful life and vigor The substantiaIs
for the meal have been sizzling and simmer
ing from the kettle sticks for hours. These
are all accounted for; but there is an ele-
garnishments which find their way into
camp with the incoming troop of Gipsies.
The cloths-usually rubber blankets with
linen spreads upon them-are laid upon the
clean grass plats. Everybody helps at
bringing the dishes and food. Laughter
and badinage 60 hand in hand with prepa-
ration; and the repast itself. be it sumptuous,
as it often is, or meager, as it is not o'ten, is
washed down by more genuine mirth and
hearty merriment-and. 1 must confess,
with something thought stronger, some
times-than falls to the lot of but few in
this world, however much good fortune en-
ters into their condition.
If stragglers from town come and stare at
t hem with exasperating calmness, as if the
Gipsies were animals in some geological
garden, sudden hush falls upon the feast
until the intruders retire, or the merriment
goes on in their own tongue and under
faces of ridiculous solemnity. From the
return, however, until the long, slowly
taken meal is ended, there are such rally
ings of friends, such greetings of husbands
and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and
children, such kindly notice of the old, old
folk, such revelries with the babies, and 7
such proud, glad heart-word for everybody,
that no earnest eyes can look upon it all, I
and not moisten; because all this is true OF
an outcast race, and so barren and meager
in the homes of our own people, where too
'ften insincerity, ambition and heartless- =
ness have taken the place of those tender +
hings which are the salvation OF a land
through its homes.
PLEASURES IN THE CAMP.
Then the eventime grows and glows again
With this good nature. There is not an
ther care or thought-we1ght on the Gipsy's
mind. All give themselves up to unre-
trained enjoyment. The great fires are
'iled high, and seem to crackle and sing an
dded accompaniment OF happiness. High
p along the tree-trunks are hung cressets
lied with faring knots. The fires below 4
hut out even the light of the blazing stars
bove, and draw the night and the dark,
ovingly interlaced with century-old tree
rms, over the bright place like protecting
anopy. By this camp fire Is a crowd
nerrilv playing at cards, which the Gipsies
owe. By another and another are groups
elling old tales or singing old songs.
In between and all about are happy chill fc
rem playing at hide-and-seek in the flash &C
nd shadow of the camp. Over there is q 5. ;.
core of tawny forms dancing with the free h,
ON of lads and lassies to the music Of some b.
nkling vioiinist who sways and weaves
nd stamps and shouts, enraptured by his
wn Vociferous melodies. Everywhere are