Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-31

is now as Echened, messy and
gray as the fellside rocks
| out of which its stones We're hewn. As
! stood there for a time drinking in the
| beauty of the spot and the quaint simplicity
| VI the structure, face appeared at the
! window. Then another was seen beside 1t.
| The latter was big and rosy. It was the
| face Of q keeper.
| THE FoMEG WAS pEATHLT WHITE.
| features, hair and beard. II vas pressed
| against the pane as II with the meaningless
| impulse of babe IN moment moro, Two
| white, claw-like hands were raised. These
| clutched neryously at the bars OF the sash.
| The whole picture was If the living shade
| Of Ruskin for an instant impored for re-
| lease from imprisonment: despairingly ey-
| erted a last feeble struggle for liberty
| vOiceleSs but eloquent, cried out 10 God for
| fight beyond the misty PUPPIES OF the far
! mountains to the Ultima Thule Of eternal
| rest. | could not bear 10 see 1t longer: and
| heart-slck from the frigHtfA picture and
| It's do!OrouS suggestions made hasty Hight
| from Brentwood: fOrsaking the pleasant
| highway and plungin" bravely towards
Nlndernere, over the rugged furneSs
FEELS In three hours timc-after STUN
bling among ir-crownCd rocks, descending
shadowy cragS, crossing foaming ghylls
and circling lonely tarnS-l suddenly
came to the edge Of circular dell Or
diugIe, at the Western descent into
| Dalepark, about two miles from the south
ern end of Esthwaite Water. A tiny ghyll
leapcd the edge where l stood, into the dale
below, plOughed its way in spumy
'-force'' through the little hollow, and
leaped out again i'll the direction of Es-
thwaite Water; and | saw that the only en-
trance TO the strange basin was alongside
the latter waterfall. I also saw in the little
deli, nestled along either side of the foam
ing force the round, brown-hooied
Sf- no Lon 7 had
come upon in England.
As for upwards of Z quarter of q century
any Gypsy camp in any land or cline where
have found it has been my home as long
rs wished 70 tarry. and as it was already
late in the afternoon, J WIS not long in
making circuit of the fell-brow, Chamber
ing down the sides OF the little glen en-
tIance-wfere ! saw that u seldom-used
way led through protecting iarcheS TO the
Patterdale highway-aGd securing Il hearty
welcome from those OF my tawny Rom
many friends who We're bidiug beside the
smOuldering camp fires.
There were but a few in camp at this
hour of the day. There were the very old
men who were pothcIing ~ all manner OF
rnkcring upon broken donkey carts, don
kCy-gear that required Enending, and pans,
pots and kettles which We're being renewed
III true tinsmith style for peasant house
wives roundabout: many young Chuuvics
tGirsy Ghtldreny that We're at all sorts OF
rustic children 5 games, aud the gaunt Old
spac-wiyes. too old for the labOrs aud arti-
iireS OF the road, who still always serve to
mold The reinS of good government in any
Gypsy camp well IN hand, while brave.r
preparing he evening meals against the
younger wanderers return.
DURING THE INTERVAL
] had leisure for examination Of the piCt-
BrrSque camp and time for learning much
particularly large single community of
English Gipsics. There We're sixteen tents.
] knew that meant housing for from a score
TO two-sccre Gipsies. They We're indis-
criminately scattered along the little
stream over whose channel, cut III the solid
rock, one could anywhere step or leap. The
dngle comprised perhaps eighty
acres of land. The part chosen for the
camp was always patch of sunlight, which
Gipsics dearly love. Larch, hr and few
fine beech trees were deeply rooted in the
grassy mari on either side. And under
meath these and along the patches of copSe-
Wool and shrubbery at the circling
edges of the dln%le, as VOL as here and
there along up its sunny sides, was grazing
IN abundance for the dOnkeyS which drew
tie Glpsics' carts. | have never seen Il
more picturesque Gypsy camp. possibly eX-
cepting one found in 4 Tiny canon OFF the
Guines calZGda, Just outside of Havana.
Cuba. From any portion Of the camp enc
had in full view the lower reach of Esth-
waite Water, silvery Windernere beyond
to the east with the towns of Bowness and
WlndCrnlere looming against the emerald
sides OF Brantfen behind; and yet the wan
dererS' encdlnpmcnt was wholly invisible to
the spying cOnstabulary from any of the
highways or foot and pony paths Of the lake
region.
Here We're representatives of all the Eng
ligh Gypsy families Of note-the Whartons.
Stanlcvs. Reynolds, Smiths, Brewers and
the Falls. Balleys and BOSwellS, descend
ants from the Scottish Gipsies of Yetholm
by in;crluarriagcs of generations ago. They
We're all originally pOtters and packers.
Their former permanent home was in West
moreland and Cumberland. In olden times
they made all the rude deft ware used by
the Cmbrian peasantry, and by iOurneyings
into Statfor'ishire brought back in their
carts over the old Liverpool, Manchester
and Carlisle coach road much OF the better
ware: even trading in "AIintons" and |
"Nedgewoods'' al the houses of the
UNIBRIAS GENTRY AND NOBILITY
Now they have their winter homes in
Liverpool, Birmingham and Lancaster and |
before the snow-drops and primroses are |
showing their pale busters beside the |
English lakes. the Gipsies are back here in |
their Old hauHtS many Of the men dickering |
and trading At the Cmbrian fairs, and often |
buying and shipping horses to Manchester |
and Liverpool: some pursuing their ancient |
calling at tinkering and osier work; and the |
women. selling willow ware ana trinketS, |
and reaping rich harvests at dul1kerinc |
fOrtme-tclling) among the Umbrian danes |
and the less credGlous but more generous |
tourists who throng the lovely region.
had not been in Gypsy camp since nv |
last years brief wanderings with the Rom !
many in our own loved land and it was like |
4 delicious homecoming to see the |
2euaire Gypsy belongings that were here |
There were the rude FORCES that could be
slung under the creaking carts. There.
odds and ends Of the real
tinkcrs craft. There, the camp-tires,
which, low rs they may Smoulderare never
allowed 10 wholly so out. because they rep
resent a lingering loyal trace of oldeu
Aryaa tireworsnip. There, crouching by
cart or tent, or fire. or on launches at
the glen entrance, as if sentineling the
glad eVcntde return of absent masters
were the brave. loyal, gaunt and voiccleSs |
Gypsy DOES Here and there the kettle
the stage tripods which burlCsquc |
Gypsy reality, but the strong, sacredIy-
priced, crooked iron kettle-sticks-with their
sizzling pots beneath. While here and there. |
but always facing each other and the fires
between, were the real tents of the Rom
many; hoods rather than tents: wooden |
blankets, like our grandmothers' stout old
fastened with polished oahen sllewers; all |
an wreck this tiny Gypsy home. And l
icath one of these, on piles of sweet ruShes |
hoe 1Ifatnr t,aN~ lAa 1.