The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-29
SOME TRAITS OF G|PS|ES,
Habitual Reticence That Gives the
Impression of lnordinate
Stupidity.
Dadgored by an Impertinent DOM
inie One Old Dame Finds
Her Tongue.
1ExC1usiveness Serves an Effective Cloak
Under Cover of Which They Accom-
plish Their Purpose.

Especial Correspondence of THE INDEPENDENT.
Z CAMP, near Dover N. j., June 16.-There
b something truly remarkable about the al
tanost Interchangeable reserve of the Gypsy in
the presence of any other than his own peo-
rple, and of his singular shifts and efforts to
! be rs one dumb. Catch him in a city or
atradinR in village or come upon him in
Rny kind of mixed company, and his reti-
cence is SO marked that the ordinary OBJ
eneryer would set him down as Unfortunately
stupid. This habit is universal among these
people and they break through it only un-
der great stress Of badgering or necessity.
A wagon load of Gipsies once halted in
front OF a wagon makers in small Penn
eylvania town, where l frequently make my
home, and while one of them tried to dicker
Tor sulky for one-half its value, a really lin
,teliigent clergyman in the presence of adj
smiring townspeople put set of stereotyped
QuestiOnssto them about their mode of life
and the state of their souls, varying the
game with other proddings of like nature
were SO bad as to smile at him, SO dumb as
mot to answer him, and SO downright
wicked as to give him no chance for an ar
gument; whereupop the good man lost his
4emper entirely, and consigned them to per-
dltion IN one compact and canonical
thinking to have little fun at the parson' 8
expense, said wickediy in an undertone
to particularly lively old dame in the
wagon:
"A shan Raugie-a grye Choir! Tell him
80 and jaw the dron." or, in PLAIN English:
The man is a bad one himself-a horse
thief. Tell him SO and go away.
The woman gave me quick look of half
inquiry and recognition, which / returned
with all good assurance. Then she called
the Gypsy from the waRon-shop by word.
He came out nimbly, locked quickly at the
crowd, and sprang into the wagon. just as
they started rapidly away she turned full on
the clergyman who was still forensically
disposing of their souls in different forms
OF future torture, and said, quietly: Hits
said ye're no better nor a norse-thief yer
sci. Howsumdeyer hus be, mebby We might
be a-tendln' yer own soul wi profit.'
Everybody was too astonished to laugh
and the good man sorely felt that his pow
der had been burned for naught. Ashamed
as was for my own part in the retort, my
astonlshment was in the unheard-of de-
parture of the brave Gypsy rule to nsve
betray spirit or brightness of indignation
under the most exasperating circumstances
Full retribution came in a learned disqui
sition from the clergyman on Gipsies. tbs
burden of which was that Gipsy writer
and students were in league to give tn
race place as the most canny and CUNNING
of men, when everything proved them tn
m0lt brainiess and stupid people on earth
NoE WAS his idea an uncommon one. Tina
Ct generally prevails is not singular when
Aforementioned that their whole life motiv
i1e1s TO be to appear to all but themselye
Just that sort Of people. 1t is only with tn
mQst ignorant of countryside folk, Q
amongifhose not of their race who are thoi
ouQhly known and have been unqualified
fAsta1, that they relax from this sOdde
1san1er and pretense Of brainlessness. Tes
fAis q any time and in any way and yo
viii 6nd il to be true. An is true Of one o
two other races we have with u.s. they hav
- nee sympathy witRus; they resist all Al