The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-14
ETHoLM IN SCOTLAND.
ong the English Border, Near the
Foot of the Cheviot
Hills.
10 Valley Settled by Gipsies,
whe Came In Two Hun
dred Years Ago.
hel Edicts and Laws Enforced Against
the NomaSls In Scotland-Nearly
Extinct ut Yetholm.

mel Edicts and Laws Enforced Against
the Nomads in scotland-Nearly
Extinct ut Yetholm.
ecial Correspondence OF The INDEPENDENT.
EErHonM, Scotland, Aug. IL always
10 to come to Yetholm. It is sweet,
out-of-the-way spot, hid like meadow
ks nest in one of Scotland's shining
Eder Wales. Besides. my old friends, the
bsies, who have made the place their
INIT and home for nearly 400 years, greet
go joyously that their radiant faces,
e-l,ke hand-grasps and loudly beloved
r-quaint words of greeting. thrill me as
who knows in gladstone home-com-
he valley of Yetholm itself is enchant-
enough without its tinge and flavor of
bsyism, It lies within cannon range of
English border, in the southeastern
Re of Scotland, Roxburgshire, and in its
tern district which comprises the par
es of Linton, Hownam, Yetholm and
rebattle. On all sides rise the noble
eviot hills, more beautiful and charm
in reality than anywhere painted
bill border minstrelsy. The vale is SO
It in from the outside world that it is
accessible by two roads, 80 hidden, as
wanders in hanlletand valley, that no
ess from the romantic spot can any
ere be seen. But winding through the
sviot peaks one thoroughfare leads to
SO and another to Jedburgh, both places
examples of old border towns. through
st enhancing scenes. The one trailing
ng to Kelso gives noble views of the
ion at the junction of the Teviot and
Iced, and of the ruins Of ROxburgh
)ey, to my mind the sweetest spot and
finest Scottish medieval ruin to be
nd. Just beyond where it leaves Yet
|m, through the circuitous opening in
hills, is the famous Cherry-trees-M anse,
srence to which ever brings broad
lie to every Scotch face; for it was here
ID the famous David Williamson, a per-
tied Presbyterian clergyman, who af-
wards ministered at St. Cuthbert's Ed
urg, was put by the lady of the Manse
bed with her own daughter, body
boots'' to escape the pursuing dra-
MS, by which means the reverend Cher
zee Davie, as he was ever afterwards
,wn. was saved from his pursuers, but at
expense of the young lady, who, how
i, afterwards became the first of the
erend gentleman's seven wives"
vershadowing Yetholm itself are SIX
lie hills of the Cheviot, Sherbrough,
trough, Goldsnout, Green Hamilton,
claw and great Venchen, hiding from
hamlet the billowy, verdure-clad reaches
English Northumbrian wales. Between
circling base of Venchen and the sunny
CHS of the five other half mountains,
rs the Bowmont Water, an endless water
2 tuned in hallow reeds and over myriad
ks of bleaching pebbles; miles-long
lows of wondrous tint and tone. At
crescent like base of the five hills is an
lent Scottish hamlet. A wide, clean
ct; huge square houses with peaked,
5ched roots; two old inns to
oh nobody ever comes, save hob-soled
holidays; tiny windows and huge doors;
lstrous knobs and knockers; red tiles
brown matching; with here and there
forms and faces of old, old women
4 bent back and trembling frilled
itch" caps; are what one sees in it.
his is old Yetholm. Winding out of it's
yet side underneath it's shadowy vauIting
rees, pleasant way leads across Bow
ut Water vale, where, often in the very
er itself, occur the tiercest struggles
the. famous Bowmontside games of
TENS Fen. or shrove Tuesday. This
ny road, at last threading around the
4 side of Venchen, passes gray old
then is lost in mass of foliage by an
lent manse in which lives my friend,
minister Davidson, for more than a
rter of a century the pastor of the
lany tribe at his very door: and then,
the right and left, and before you.
ging ragged triangle enclosing Yeth-
Green, are all that are left of the cot
homes of what was once the largest
BY settlement in any English-speaking
I. This is Kirk Yetholm.
ipsies stole into Scotland from Ireland
at the year 1900. So consummately
,wd were they in carrying out their as
ption of pilgrimage under the leader
of Anthonius Gawino, Earl of Little
,pt. and of being under commands of
pope to wander seven years without
ping in bed," that they actually Sc
ID the countenance if not the favor of
hes ~. They received no molestation
thy to be called such until 1879, when
les VI, took the government into his
hands," Then statute was passed
punishment of strong and idle vaga-
DIS and beggars, and relief of the poor
impotent." This statute was very Sc
against the Gipsies, and ordered that
i ears should be cut off and themselves
ished. This law was ratified in 1892,
another statute passed in 1897 that
be, on conviction. made slaves for life.
GOO another act enforcing all previous
ishment, and severely condemning the
iRence of justices and commissioners in
putting previous laws against them
execution, was passed; and in 1903
privy council ordered the whole race
ave the kingdom by certain date, un-
the penalty of death. In 1909 this or
was made a perpetual law; but it APP
8 that, If these statutes were not actu-
set at defiance by the Gipsies them
es, they were effectually voided by the
pathy and assistance extended them by
hich were allied to the wanderers by
rage or secret and still more influential
which the government at the period
loosely controlled.
1t the history of Scottish Gipsies after
beginning of the seventeenth century
1t marked by striking episodes save in
" instances, and those of local ma
and interest, where the Romany peo-
we're persecuted and punished much
same as all vagabonds coming under
surveillance of Scottish justice. The
{ that can be said of them is that they
) Gipsies. Royal edicts and parlia-
tary statutes, whatever their severity,
ated about the same as edicts and stat
would have operated against foxes.
pecial furry of excited vigilance and
" preipaice would from time to time
e renewed persecution, which Only
e the Gipsies into their hiding places,
re, still like foxes, they propaRated
more rapidly, and after quiet had re
ed they came to the surface again,
daring Gipsies and more of them.
laps some poor lame. fox of Gypsy
Id occasionally get caught and be
bed to death by the butt-end of cruel
CHI law, as though there had been q
nty conquest; but that was all. They
N failod To fhriua undaY s,araacufion in