The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-12-04
GMD Star
A PROSECUTED RACE.
The Wandering E~..s'es and Their
Strange Ways OF .i,ing.

~ ~ lfIit' ~
ing race ever since history notice
them. AT one time they were SUI
posed 10 have come from Egvpt
but now scholars have ascertaine,
that they were originally AN India.
tribe or groupe OF tribes. maxim
their first appearance in Asa Mi
nor in the middle ages. Their frs
appearance in Western Europ,
was in 1927, When several hundred
appeared in Germany and rapid,
spread over it in small bands %
companies. Through some un
known cause others quickly fol
lowed, until great swarm of then
found their way across The Alp,
into Italy, cross the Rhine into
France, W. the Pyrennes into
Spain, aid across The English
channel into England.
The first appearance of lhs
strange, wandering people creaIed
considerable speculation, says the
Epoch. They were always led by
Il duke" or count" who was
richly dressed, carrying letters
from kings and empernrS. They
travelled in bands, the mea ON
horseback and the women and
children in wagons. They told
various tales of suffering and per.
secutlon, and excited the sympa-
Thy of the Europeans. But their
stories did not agree, and their
actions were no less consistent
than their words. They became
horse thieves and petty robbers,
and their fortune.telling women
soon gave the simple folk Of Eu-
rope The impression that they were
dealing in the ''black art" They
were quick and apt TO learn and
were handy craftsmen, generally
more skiIlful than the native
workmen. They were courteous
and affabIe, and shortly became
famous as fiddlerS in Ilaly, as
guitar players in SPAN and as
harpiSts in Wales and Ireland.
The wonderful adaptabillty soon
won for them a good living aud
fair renown in all Europe, and
many privileges were granted
them. They became good artists
and e%ngravers, which led them TO
The art Of cOunterfeitIng; they be-
came good musicians only 10 de.
generate into beggars and mendi.
cants; they became good takers
in OrGer to better cheat at 4 bar
gaia and, IN short, they cultivated
every arl, trade and science only
to degrade and abuse it. Under
such circumstances The GypsieS
Oon fell into discredit. Many OF
their number were arrested and
punished for their crimes, but the
others continued to practice un-
lawful trades. a strong feeling Of
dislike then rose up against them,
and they were accused Of rObbing
graves, or killing children TO eat
them, and OF numbering men To
drink their blood.
A general persecution followed
all over Europe. The hated wan.
derers were tortured on The rack,
burnt and imprisoned. They we're
supposed to be witches and canni-
balls and the people began to fear
hem as well as to hate them.
They we're ordered out of several
countries on pain of death, but
hey persisted in returning or
where they were when the
prosecutions began. Many of the
lark stories concerning their HE.
are mixed up with folklore
superstIlinns and fairy stories
started during this period.
first they seemed to have a re-
llgion of their own, but they 500
adopted the practice Of embracing
the religion of The people with
whom they dwell. Along with
his, however, they observed many
secret ceremonies Of their own. j
we're surrounded with so /:
much mystery that new fuel was l
added to The flames. When tor l
ured at The stake they confessed 4
many crimes of which they were !
accused, such as being witches.
lealerS in the black arts, and |
prophets. q
These confessions made tie sim
pie country people dread them, so q
hat they we're often afraid to com. v
plain 10 The authorities of any act q
If depreciation performed by The 4
rated people. Matters, however. a
cached a elimination in lime. aud n
he gypsies were killed and hung n
" The hundreds for no other rea- n
on than being members OF Tue al
race. They finally fled from p
he scenes of their worst persecu-
ions and sought the rural dis, ricts
{ less populous countries. In II
.neland tins was brought about bv N,
he peculiar advantage of james n,
2. who came near losiag his life l.
{ the hands of the wandering peo- h,
lie. This monarch entered one of an
heir camps at night in disguise. a,
nd 500 became a great favorlte ; m
ui when he lnsulied one of The n
he bad 10 reveal his iden- a
~ to save bis life. IN
He was kept prisoner several In
avs, and released only upon the IN
that he would mol punish IN
Is captors; but The king issued a Ct,
reclamation in revenge, making sb
lawful 10 kin a gypsy whenever ali
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