New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-07


wind which had arisen. Ferenh Janos was in,
deed in his own eyes and in those Of his peo-
pie @ Judge and an ayenger. in vain did try
to plead and argue in behalf OF the woman lie
remained immoveable, quietly but firmly refusing
TO grant my request.
You con inform the authorities, IL IL be your
pleasure to do So" he said, "but 1t VIII not heip
the oulprit. For twenty-four hours must she
remain at the stake, and then she will become
wanderr on the face of the eorth. The inclsom
you see are the sign OF her degrade
ton, and no tribe will ever allow her
to rest in its midst Believe me-
be added. we are only Just. We warn women OF
what awaits them should they sin. IL is for them
to keep themselves pure. Moreover. you have
been our friend and YOU will not betray Us. be-
cause in your heart you know that this punish
ment Is well deserved
What could / do against such reasoning. /
begged so hard. nevertheless. that at last the mis-
cradle woman was unbound and sent out Of camp
that night instead Of being left at the stake until
G.e following SHUTDOWN. This was great con-
cession on the part of Janos Fereni and seemed
to I'll his people with establishments l need
hardly add that through my care the wretched
woman found home in farm on the estate OF
my relatives where she still remains to the pres
incident was lasting one and often nv thoughts
reonr TO the wild weird scene Of the forest Of
Temesrar
One thing which has always struck me about
INV Tzigan friends is the nobility Of their de-
meanor They all seem TO be born aristocrats'
40 dignifed and impressive is their bearing
under all circumstances. think that can describe
them as stanch monarchists, for they are exceed
ingly loyal to their vajdas and to their Queen,
wandering Majesty though she is, living in can
vas tents, wherever her fancy may lead her
The Ciganis, whom one meets in cities, are de-
generate and cannot give any idea OF what ule
free born child of the Puszta is ike 10 know
the latter well it is necessary TO Visit their PIC
turesque settlements on the plains or in the dense
pine forests which here and there break the
monotony of the boundless grassland OF hungary.
II is difficult to win their confidence or to secure
a welcome 10 their camps; and many savants who'
In the Interest of science, have desired to study
their WAYS OF life have been discouraged from
so doing by the icy barrier Of dsdain ana mis-,
trust which this still half-savage people piaced
in their way. As far as i am concerned, ionhd
no trouble in making friends WIN men, d I a
due probably to O service which had been s1le
to render to the tribe of Janos ferenzl uhaeI
somewhat singular circumstances. mus co1i.ss
that found them, especially after nad ,as .s
the pains OF acquiring some KNOWLEDGE oil .as
Romany language firm and reliable frlenus, reauy
to stick to me through thick and thin IN uDsweI.-
ing allegiance. They showed me complete uusS
revealing to me many of their secrets WIN aDSo
Lutte sincerity and truthfulness. NO one VINO mas
seen as much of them as | have can do otherwise
than indorse Grellmanns theory concerning une
Hindoo origin Of this remarkable people Inc
two languages are very similar; for instance IN
Hindustani the word snow is hlIna, ana .1e
word bearer laya'; while IN k9many tne Tg In'
elaya. means the bearer Of snow! Many
other proofs might be given as TO the certaihW
of the fact that the IIimalayan slopes were me
original home of all the gypsies, previous 10 the
year l417, when they made their first appearance
in Europe. Their religion has remained aiin9so
entirely that Of the old fire worshppersI me y,
them existed from all eternity and is the origin
of everything that is good, because q raging ana
undying fire burns in Its bowels lhelr u9d -
named Devel" and their devil Beng" They
fear both and curse both freely when some mis-
fortune reaches them. Their most solemn oatn
is to swear by the dead, an oath which II Is me
they do not believe in an after life. They have
no word for Paradise and none for Heaven but
they. sometimes talk of region lnhaoited ny
devils "Beng-pe, "-demOn's-hone.
1t is a great mistake TO imagine that the Tzlgans
pride themselves on the possession OF the powers
Of divination, and even witchcraft, with when
they ridicule the belief. Late one afternoon L
happened to be riding home through Cikana,wherc
I often had been before. ] stopped 70 talk %
quainted. 4 wild handsome girl she looked, with
8. scarlet hood thrown over her jetty hair, and
her glittering eyes gazing into the gardening
heavens where the crescent of the new moon was
rising
TEL me my fortune, Revictai" said I, sud
denly holding out my open hand TO her: Inc
glow of the campfire was bright enough for her
to read the lines Of my palm, which she took
between her brown and shapely fingers. For
moment she remained silent. looking up with
You want me to prOphesy for you. You want
n hear what Revicta the daughter Of the flames,
can say about your future!' half chanted she in
that peculiarly mOnotonous recitative of the gypsy
"Ah. in the past and in the present lie the
seed to bear fruit in the future, continued tie
Girl. speaking now in Czeschen; " Revicta can say
only that which she sees, she cannot lie 70 a
friend Of her tribe True Romantics DO D not ID, oe Don
gypsies to do So To you l cannot tell what do
not know, even for gold: on.
The words fell gently from her lips She
dropped my hand, and with queenly inclination
of her prond head, she turned away and walked
softly toward her tent moving noiseiessy On
the smooth green sward.