Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-31


nae ever come upon in England.
As for upwards of a quarter of cen
tury any Gipsy camp in any land or cline
where have found it has been my home as
long as wished to tarry, and it was already
late In the afternoon, / was not long IN
making circuit of the fell-brow, Chamber
ing down the sides of the little glen en-
trance-where saw that seldom used way
ied through protecting larches to the rat
terdale highway-and securing a hearty
welcome from those Of my tawny Rommany
friends who were biding beside the smol-
dering camp6res.
Busy Scenes Around the Tents.
There were but few in camp at this hour
OF the day. These were the very old men
who were pothering at all manner OF tinker
ing upon broken donkey carts, donkey gear
that required mending, and pans, pots and
tln-smlth style for peasant housewives
roundabout; many young chauvies .CGipsy
cmidren) that were at all sorts OF rustic
chlldren's games; and the gaunt old spae-
wives, too old for the labors and articles OF
the road, who still always serve to hold the
re1ns OF good government in any Gypsy
camp well in hand, while bravely preparing
the evening meals against the younger
wanderers return.
During the interval I had leisure for ex-
animation Of the picturesque camp and
time for learning much of the ways and
annual journeyings. Of this particularly
large single community of English Glpsles.
There were 16 tents. 1 knew that meant
housing for from a score to two score
Gipsies. They were indiscriminately scat
tered along the little stream over whose
channel, cut in the solid rock, one could
anywhere step OF leap. The dingle COM
prised perhaps so acres of land. The part
chosen for the camp was always patch OF
sunlight, which Gipsies dearly love.
Descendants of Noted Families.
Here were representatives of all the En-
lish Gipsy families of note-the Whartons,
Stanleys, Reynolds, Smiths, Brewers and
the Falls, Baileys and Boswells, descend
ants from the Scottish Gipsies of Yetholm
by intermarriages of generations ago. They
were all originally potters and packers.
Their former permanent home was i'll West
moreland and Cumberland. In olden times
they made all the rude delft ware used by
the Umbrian peasantry, and by journeyings
into Staffordshire brought back in their
carts over the old Liverpool, Manchester
and Carlisle coach road much of the better
ware; even trading in stMintons'' and
"Wedgewoods' at the houses of the Um-
brian gentry and nobility. Now they have
their winter homes in Liverpool, Birming-
ham and Lancaster, and before the snow
drops and primroses are showing their pale
lusters besides the English lakes, the Gipsies
are back there in their old haunts; many of
the men dickering and trading at the Um-
brian 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 will
low ware and trinkets, and reaping rich
harvests and dukkering fortune telling)
among the Umbrian danes and the less
credulous but more generous tourists who
throng the lovely region.
The Genuine Gypsy Belongings.
had not been in Gipsy camp since my
last years brief wanderings with the ROM
many in our own loved land; and it was like
delicious homecoming to see the genuine
Gipsy belongings that were here. There were
the rude FORCES that could be slung under
the creaking carts. There, innumerable odds
and ends OF the real tinker's craft. There,
the camp fires, which, low as they may
smolder, are never allowed to wholly go out,
because they represent a lingering loyal trace
of old Aryan fire worship. There, crouch
ing by cart or tent or fire or on launches at
the glen entrance, as if sentineling the glad
eventide return of absent masters, were the
brave, loyal, gaunt and voiceless Gipsy
dogs. Here and there the kettle sticks
not the stage tripods which burlesque Gipsy
reality, but the strong, sacredly, Prized,
crooked iron kettle sticks-with their siz-
zling 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; woolen
blankets, like our grandmothers' stout old
chaatc etratnhad 0vpr 0a hoVS and faS-
tened with polished oaken skewers; all so
snug and strong that no ordinary storm can
wreck this tiny Gipsy home. And knew
that my bed this night would be beneath
one of these, on piles of sweet rushes from
the silent tarns above, mingled with fra
grant fronds of larch and fir.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.