Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-12-18
GYPSY Blood Known to Course
Through the Veins of Many
Scottish NOblemen.
Traditions Of the Gypsies in Ireland
and Wales as Related by Mr..
Wakeman.
The Difference Between the British
and American NOmads is Only
a Difference in Condition.

given much time and attention to stud,
of the gypsies as | have found them il
different parts Of Ireland, Scotland apC
England. | feel that something like
survey of these British nomads, with few
points or contrast between them and theiI
American brethren would have interest +,
many American readers.
At the outset am forced to confess tba
my good friend, George Smith, of Coal
vile, is interested in gypsies in vastl1
broader, nobler and more evangelical way
than myself. He seeks them out and find
them at their worst, and the worst of them
unearthipg the horrors of their lives il
and near large cities; and then, burning
with desire and d. termination that they
shall be good citizens rouses all England
with his rugged eloquence, insisting tina
the very world stand still until laws are
passed for their complete sanitation anc
civilization.
| am not worthy to live In the same
country with this hero philanthropist
when motive and labor for gypsies are
measured. | am theirs and they are mine
in America, because with them have
found such rest and peace as the world has
elsewhere never given. Because with
them the warm heart beat of nature has
come tenderly near. Because among them
there has been condolences earnest, friend,
ship true and loyalty sacred. Because
wherever go, by hill or dale, by town
or city, the love word they gave me long
ago, "Gorgio Chalr' goes with me as tnt
seal and reminder of ten thousand endear-
ing experiences, and thrills me that have
place in many hearts. hearts of wander
ers though they be. And because, per
haps there is faint of gypsy blood in my
own veins that brings me to my own
| am theirs and they are mine in this
land, because rough and uncouth men have
received me everywhere as a brother ano
an honored guest; haegish spae-wives
with heads awry, as if to catch every syl
able uttered, have listened with kindliue
eyes to word ] have brought them from
| kindred across the sea; great hulking
youths, hearing with open-eyed wonder
have been nerved with hope for a better
land and life; blooming gypsy lasses, with
arms across their mother shoulders, ano
yet the ever winsome restlessness of girl
| hood have Oen glanceS at tde stranger
seeming to look beyond him with yearnina
eyes to his fair, far country, where gypsies
ride In wagons like pal ces and eat from
plates of silver; while trustful gypsy child
rem, Juggling at my knee. have searched
my scant pockets, climbed into my arms
and fallen asleep-their instinct as to the
stranger proving, after all, the truest
sesame to The gypsles' hearts at home. Ii
is always in this selfish, unevangeical way
that | have known in all lands the outcasJ
| Romauy race, and because of it | have MOI
overmuoh evil to record Of them.
| There are not all told-and this include;
skulking city Romany, unknown in then
town vocations as members of the gypsy
race-upward of 5000 gypsies in Ireland
Of whom barely 1000 follow the precariouS
! but romantic life of the road.
Let gypsy spae-wife or fortune teller
once slip into an Irish cabin and begin any
IT her black art coniurings, the smoke of
war will at once rise above that spot. Call
ing on all the category of saints In one
shrill and mighty breath of appeal, the
| Irish mother will greet this gypsy cheat to
such whirlwind of eviction as may be
heard for half league away. The very
thatching would be pulled from the roof,
If necessary, to speed and force the battle
for the home against the grewsome wiles.
And my gypsy friends the world over
| know this fact 50 we'll and bitterly that
universally with their race Ireland is
| termed, in recognition Of its barreless for
their purposes, sallah lodlie, or the unlucky
and accursed territory.
| There is marked difference In Scotland.
In proportion to its population there are
more gypsies In the land o cakes than In
| England. Scottish traditions and litera-
ture, especially the ballad poetry of Scot
land, are full of gypsy countryside lore and
supe1stitions Which have been the out
| growth of very genial and close relation
between gypsies and Scottish peasantry.
| Gypsy blood is known to course In The
veins of many of the Scottish nobility.
These people actually secured the counte-
nance, if not the favor, of James ~.
| James Y. entered into league with John
Faw, lord and earl of little Egypt in
154O, directing fall in authority in mis-
realm to compel the return to Faw's sub
mi sion all those Egyptians who had re-
| belled against him, and that all officers
should assist IN OBTAINING and Furnishing
these people ''in conformity with his
| laws" so that, as the edict read, ''the said
john have no cause of complaint In time
coming"
This Faw, whose shrewdness stampe
the genuine gypsy upon his character, wa
| the prOgenltor of the many tribes Of Flaws,
Faas or Falls, who, with the Baillies, have
| been the most noted and numerous OF
Scottish gypsies, whose descendants
have found in respectable numbers and
condition throughout the United States.
| The environs Of Edinburgh and elias.
gov are full of gypsies who are superior in
| physique to their English brethren about
| london, Birmingham, Manchester and
Liverpool. In Tweeddale, Anandale, and
| Nithsdale are many families of gypsies
whose respectabiIity and Individual means,
although they lead to a rowing life,
would compare favorably with those of the
small farmers of the same regions. The
g3 psIes whom | have met In Aberdeershire
ana Pertbshlre are not so we'll off, but are
much liked and always welcomed among
the peasantry.
| Within few years much good fortune,
| from pecuniary standpoint has come to
| Scottish gypsies through the vast increase
! of summer visitors, American as well a.
| English, to the high'a nds and islands OF
| Scotland. They resort TO the vicinity OF
| Oban, Rothesay, Inveraray, even cross to
the outer Hebrides, and are found In every
romantic glen in the Trossachs and along
the highland lakes. These are gradually
abandoning the life of the road for the
greater and quicker profits of show" gyI-
sizes In summer, and during the winter
seek lowly quarters in the cities.
The smallest and largest collection OF
gypsies ever found in Scotland were, re-
spectively, in the far north and at the
very southern boundary. The first was
discovered one early morning in July.
was coming with an iminent Northern
Presbyterian divine from grand Strath-
glass over the bleak moors. down through
/ fairu Glen | rn nhart To DrnmnaCroch hy