Morning journal and courier., 1890-09-13

tude he made proclamation of his right to exercise the high office. and, having in the most solemn fashion set the emblem of royalty upon her head, proclaimed the swarthy heroine Her Royal Majesty. Es- ther Faa Blythe Rutherford, Sovereign and Qneen of all the Gipsies in the Kingdom of Scotland-ChaIlenge who dare.7 Ad- dresses of eongratulation were read from loyal subjects in the different shires, from the citizens of Kelso and other near cities and villages, and from Yetholm townsfolk; after which a levee was held at the royal palace, matched cottage with 8 hard clay floor, and the night was passed in all manner of rustic revelIies. At her death, in July, 1888, gipsy royalty in Scotland came to an end No one ever aspired to the enjoyment of her gipsy honons; and even old Princess Helen, with whom am quite favoIite. tells me that she was so ..weel and fairly licket- that she complete- ly lost all her ambition for royal life. Queen Esther died al KessO. Her cortege from Kelso to Kirk -Yetholm, where she was buIied beside hundreds of her race, was a memorable one. Thousands of peo- pie came to Yetholm. Upon the coffin lay the royal red cloak of the queen. and an enormous whit wreath of loses, sent by Ls1 1y John Scott, of SpOttiswood. sur mounted this Both were inferred with the body of the queen The Rev. NIT. Davidson, for twenty-nine years minister of the parish church here, tells me he new CT witnessed a more remarkable scene than al this burial. The services were held at Kelso; but such vast crowds massed about the grave at Yetholm that though Mf. Davidson made effort to reach it to say Jew words over the body, the gIief of the gipsies and the density of the crowd prevented He also tells me other things gained f4om his ministry among these strange people which may interest many who believe gipsies no better than wolves. Among these were the statements that a no more honorable folk in all their business dealings ever lived in Scotland. They never would pay their rent at fixed time, but they always paid it. Their word in all matters could be absolutely depend | ed upon For over seventy-five years no Yeiholm giosy has ever been accused of crime. Their home and family relations have always been singularly free from un- faithfrlness and unhappiness. And, in
 short, he believes that in all things upon which estimate of character may be based
 they have ever excelled the non-gipsy
 townspeople about them
 Notwithstanding this gipsydom has so declined here that it is but wrath of its former self. When here 8 year since found but fourteen families, comprising no more than eighty souls. At that time
 I predicted that l should yet live to wan
 der w,th the tawny Yetholm crew in my
 own loved land. Three of those families
 are already with the roadside pilgrims in
 America. Those remaining are held to the
 spot by the old, old folk who beg to be al
 lowed the last privilege of laying their
 bones alongside of those of their kin in | NZw n II II Al
 When that is done gipsydom al Yetholm will be no more. It will all have been
 transplanted to that grand and wondrous land across the sea. the gipsy's haven and haven of opportunity and delight.
 EDGAR l.. WAgEMAS.