Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-25
GYPSIES IN CAMP.
A REGISTER REPORTER SPENDS AN HOUR
WITH THE FORTUNE TELLEaS.
A Little Tent Village en- the Psninsula-IA'
Dusky, Rowing Maidens-How They
Travel and how They Live

The opprobrious epithet so frequently
applied to that nomadic species Of beings
known as the gypsies, would in part be dis
PEELED. by careful examination of their
modu, opcrcndi \ band, or rather two
bands. Of cypsies are row in camp in the
Peninsula, both parties, who have been
travelling in opposite directions, having met
each other here yesterday. II was with
the idea Of ascertaining how they move
and have their being. that prompted the
REcIsreH Quill driver 10 visit their camp
bv special foot yesterday Some 1--WE nun
dred people visited them during the day.
One would be surprised at the number OF
tents. wagons, horses and general parapha-
MALTA that adon the grounds. There are
tents. u wagons and 81 horses and for the
haphalard treatment that one would nat
urallv suppose these animals would have,
they were looking remarkably well and
shapcly. They were kept.
Is SEPARATE ENCLOSURES
by ropes. and one or two of the men were
evidently paying considerable attention to
them
There are over thirty of the dusky
travellers in camp. OF this number there
are some six women and seventeen chill
dren Several of the carts appear TO be
specially made for the service, being fitted
up with miniature hunks, with ample pro
visions for ventilation. One of the vehicles
is very gaudily painted, and would quickly
attract attention Most of the people APP
pear to be Of middle life, yet there is one
man in the party who has seen sixty win
tiers, and bleer-eyed, sorcerous OLD
woman. with apparently such heart as
"the soft blue sky did never melt She was
sitting in the centre of the tents Turkish
style smoking black clay pipe, aud looking
iargers at all who peered within. With
this exception, however, IL is rather a
wholesome looking gathering. Nearly AL
are of large frame, stout, healthy, and pass
able i'm looks In fact there is one nut
brown maiden there, if arrayed in fine silk
and satin. that would not be amiss on the
boulevard Most of the gypsieS come from
the South Of Wales. where these bands are
still more common. aud several of this
party have been in America but short
time They speak both the Welsh and the
English languages.
The carry with them quite alarge amount
of linen, clothing and apparel, all OF which
appears 20 be
SYSTEMATICALLY PACKED
in the different wagons and carts. They
live. SO far as food is concerned, perhaps
not so wisely, but too well. One of the
men informed the reporter that sometimes
when they feel like il, they not only have
three meals = day, but four They eat
considerable meat, and a glance into one Of
the tents yesterday revealed gastronomic
layout. that many man in more promi-
uent circles would be glad TO get And
what's more, the food was served from
decorated ware The cooking is done just
outside the tents in improvised stoves, all
of which is superintendent by the women.
The reader naturally asks what is the
source of revenue for the parties One
fruitful sOurceis basket selling, and great
many fancy ones were sold in Wheeling
Saturday. The baskets are made by the
men Another is horse trading, but the
last and perhaps still more fruitful is the
fortune telling part of the programme
The women do this and get dollar a tell.
You can pay as high as 500 for fortune
telling" said one OF the men, 1.-The more
YOU pay. the more they tell For SD or
80 YOU can be fairly well sized up. While
I their expenses sometimes run as high as
So day, they nearly always take money
enough in every place 10 more than pay eN-
peuses. Several of the men walking about
the tents
WE'RE SMOKING CIGARS.