Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-06-28

luz yOu AHu uhu u III Olu 4ku b1ob hOeOA l
waw wunful where was yeu
hopin this Fids you ia God
belt Cloas and best Regars frem Al
George W. Carpenter.
This George Carpenter is q wonderful fell
low ia his way; veritable American gipsy
John Bunyau; and author of many goodly
gipsy rhymes in my possession. The letter
bore every evidence Of serious effort, and
wisely let 1t stand as friendly regret rather
than an unpleasant deception. The entire
matter was simply a true expression of un-
iversal gypsy trait. Had they met nae at the |
theater according TO agreement in a straight
forward manner, that would have been indu-
bitable proof that they were not gipsies at
all.
But in the home life of the camp, safe and |
secure in the seclusion Of the sheltered spot |
which holds all he owns and loves, then 1t is |
that the gypsy has happy heart, radiant |
face, laughing eye, waggish tongue, and
many ightsome ways, merry, care free ana
jubilant as the birds. Nor would I be just
to these strange people did not bring this
truth about them into the strongest light and
best relief. To know gipsies-they are 80
rapidly increasing in numbers through won
derful fecundity, care of their children, with
constant vast additions from Europe, that by
the close of the present century they will
comprise from two to three per cent. of the
entire population-and they must ere long
bs well and wisely known, we muat be large
and generous enough to perceive and appre-
eiase their own hearth side, heartful life.
We must see that they love and treasure and
hope, not just in our way, but in a way
which, to their kind, is full of the simple
truthfulness, the patient and true affection,
and the devoted loyalty, which with US have
been set as types for the world to love by ell
oguent tongues and inspired pens, since true
sentiment thrilled the heart Of man. Hence,
whatever gpsies are to you and the world at
large, while you may judge them never 80
harshly for what you may call vagabondisa,
there is behind what you conclude in your
superior intelligence to be wholly bad, q CON
dition you know nothing about, which must
enter into any honest estimate of the race.
This condition is one which all gypsy instinct
resents your participation in or your knowl-
edge Of. But it is q condition which, if full
| ly known and recognized, would immeasura-
| bly, redeem the race from contumely and re-
| proach. And because the world mind Is
| narrowed and fixed upon a determined no.
| ton that gipsies are utterly worthless to So
| ciety at large, the task of conveying any adj
| equate 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 men
of the world, the business men, weighed
| down by interminable duties and RESPONSE
| biIities, which none but themselves realize
] Of 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 meannese3 And yet these
mems true natures are not that at all. With
! in the circle of their chosen 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 gypsy
should bs made known. Crafty, stupid,
| wary, hard, unworthy vagabond though you
deem him, as he faces you and mankind 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 prompt
ing all modern society possesses, glows with
kindness, generosity. helpfulness, good cheer
and spirit of positive loveliness.
An ugly word is never heard in gipsy
camp. A selfish act is never seen in gipsy
camp. The eternal goadiu2 of a mean wo-
man, the brutal obscanity of bad man, the
hateful jsalousies of neighbors, the eontemp
tible rivalries of pretended friends, each ant
all are as unknown as poison in the pure ali
| of heaven they breathe. There Is q quality
of tenderness and sincerity in their doing
with each other that is ever simple, childlik
and beautiful. Their mirth, merriment ant
. iollity are all considerate. Raillery is t0le
rant; wit never murderous weapon. Wit
] EQom ROOu C1eeE lB uOb llc6ube, merry Mnh
ing leaves no sting; liberty never know
lewdness. Ignorant as they may be of you
bucks; obstinately as they refuse the oiIiliza
ton of which We boast; secretly proud a
: they are of the ostracism which brands then
as an outlaw race; heathenish as you vii
continue to call them because they hold you
creeds in contempt, they are yet more thai
the peers of any living people in every thin!
tender and true and loyal growing inte ant
out of the domestic relation, and in all tha
which yields, without law and force, and a
if unconsciously, the helpful goodness whic
ever prompts and ever exceeds exact iustic
to ones fellows.
Probably at meals and in the long even
| ings, bright with camp fires and melodiou
with merriment, is the gipsy man or womal
most truly this good natured and genial ami
NAL that never reveals meanness and eve
acts with genuine, unstudied goodness. Th
breakfast though always a meal of cheer
brightness, is taken with little jollity, for tn
. duties and doings of the day are ahead o
them ALL The dinner is seldom regula
meal, for there are but few in camp, and tn
have every thing their own way. But tn
supper is overfowing with good things an
) good spirits, and all sorts of pranks are a
lowable. The camp has suddenly filed u
with three-fourths of Its members, who hav
= been away during the day on divers exped
tions, and the breeziness and activity conss
r uuent upon the return have brought th
camp wonderful life and vigor. The sui
stantials for the meal have been sizzling an
simmsring from the kettle sticks for hour
+, These are all accounted for; but there is a
element of pleasure and surprise in man
j. little garnishments which find their way int
!, camp with the incoming troop of gipsie
The oloths,,usually rubber blankets wit Vt
1 linen spreads upon them-are laid upon II
Q clean grass p!ats. Every body helps I
bringing the dishes and food. Laughter an
t badinage 90 hand in hand with preparation
8 and the repast itself, be 1t sumptuous, as
t often is, or meager, as 1t is not often,
5 washed down by more genuine mirth an
% hearty merriment-and, must confess, wit
9 something thought stronger, sometimes
q than falls to the lot of but few in this worl
It however much good fortune enters into the
. condition. If stragglers from town con
II and stare at them with exasperatinR calr
= ness, as if the gipsies were animals in son
It geological garden, sudden hush falls upt
10 the feast until the intruders retire, or Il
merriment goes on in their own tongue al
q under faces of ridiculous solemnity. Fro
n the return, however, until the long, slow
70 taken meal is ended, there are such rallyinI
n of friends such greetings of husbands al
70 wives, brothers and sisters, parents and chi
s dren, such kindly notice of tbs old, old fol
10 such revelries with the babies, and su
's proud, glad heart word for everybody, th
no earnest eyes can look upon it all and r
.. moisten; because all this Ia true of an OF
u cast race, and SO barren and meager in t
u homes of our own people, where too oft
q insincerity, ambition and heartlessnsss ha
n taken the place of those tender things whi
l. are the salvation of land through its hom,
y Then the eventime grows aud glows aga
& with this good nature. There is not anoth
1t care or thought weight on the gipsy's min
y All give themselves up to unrestrained Q
q joyment. The great fires are piled high, 81
q seem to crackle and sing an added accol
O. paniment of happiness. High up along t
l. tree trunks are hung cressets filed with fs
:, ing knots The ires below shut out even {
light of the blazing stars above, aud drs
y the night and the dark, lovingly interlac
lg with century old tree arms, over the brig
D place like protecting canopy. By tt
l. camp fire is a crowd merrily playing at card
es which the gipsies love. By another and q
40 other are groups telling old tales or singh
In old sorgs. In between and all about q
e happy children playing at hide and seek
the fash and shadow of the camp. Ov
or there is score of tawny forms dancing wi
" the freedom and gaiety of lads and lasses
1e the music of some tinker violinist who swa
to and weaves and stamps and shouts, enra
th tured by his own voeiferous melodies. Ey
~ rywhere are simple hearted peace and co
p tent; while la the harder world Of 20
e. cities and towns countless hearts are brea