The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-28

brides, and arc found in every romantic
glen In the Trossaehs and along the
highland lakes. These arc gradually
abandoning the life OF the road for the
greater and quicker profits Of "sliow"
gipsics in summer, md during the win.
ter seek lowly quarters in cities.
The smallest and largest collection OF
gipsics ! ever found in Scotland were,
respectively in tho far north and ut the
very southern boundary. The first WAS
discovered one early morning in July.
was coming with an eminent north.
crn Presbyterian divine from grand
Strathglass over the blcal; moors, down
through fairy Glen UrqulIart, TO Drum.
nalrochit by Loeb Ness side. On one
Of tho fern spread braos OF Il little loCh
stood n solitary gypsy tcnt-tIc tiny
WOODEN hood OF tho true Komany. Its
flaps were skcwGrcd close. The inmates
were asleep. 1t was the tiniest, snug
gest home human eyes ever bChcld. /
could not but repeat aloud to my revcr-
end companion some gypsy sayings per-
haps G,0G0 years old, sucl Ms: Firm
rs rounded hill arc the tents OF our
people" "My loves breasts are as
hillocks OF amber; rs bright tents bur-
nished BY the SUM-" "Our tents arc
firm against tho sand wind And,
CAS- still rs the rcd stars sleep, shall
nestle our tents in the valleys" But,
as the startled lool; IN tho dominic's
face merged into inciiuble Scotch
scorn, presently desistcd.
The largest aggregation OF Scottish
gipsics, now sadly dwindlcd, is ut the
border Teviotdale town OF Yotholm.
These might be called home gipsies, as
they occupy thatclcd cabins in Kirk
Yetholm, tho property OF the Marquis
OF Twceddale, held under the curious
tenor OF nineteen times nineteen
years" 81. nominal rent. But few
families remain. Nearly all the old
stock has died oil or emigratcd to
America, though 10 longer ago than
1871 they mustered from round about
over 500 souls and 800 asses TO escort
the remains OF their old king, canny
Wull (Will) .Faa from Coldstrcam TO
the burying grounds at Kirk YetholM.
1t was here, too, that my late friend,
the brightest, wtticst and most scnsi-
bic gypsy woman that ever lived, Queen
Esther Fan. rcigncd SO long, go wisely
and SO well.
These fctholn, as well as all other
Scottish drom or road, gipsies, chiefly
subsist BY hawking carthon, tin and
white iron ware, horn spoons, "scrub-
bers" and "besoms," the latter sort OF
willow broom, about country. They
travel Us far into England rs Newcastle
and StalIordslirc for the carthenwarc
buying faulty pottery chcaply, and
selling the same at il good profit. The
remainder OF their wares they make in
Il rude way among themselves, tho
women being quite MS adept as the men.
Some drive asses before their little
carts, but more possess the hardy
"Sheltic'' or Shetland pony. For their
own shelter ut night their carts are
"whummerd or "whomel'd," that is,
turned upside down.
GIPsiRS OF ENGLAND.
Generally speaking, the Gipsies OF
England are comfortable Gipsies in pro-
portion to the distance they make their
haunts from the great centres OF popu-
lation. The same is measurably true OF
all other English lowly folk. The Gypsy
class. which also includes all manner OF
travelling and tramping non Gipsy vas-
aGonds, the radical improvement OF
whose condition has become the heroic
work OF George Smith, OF Coalvillc,
never pilgrim lar from London, Bristol
birmingham, Manchester and Liver
pool. Their members sally out from
these cities and forage around ana
around them in well defined circles, go
ing and coming rs they ure prompted
by impulse or scourgcd by necessity.
They are Bcdorins oil civilization. in
deed, and their reformation or extirpa-
ton would prove public good. My
own observation and experiences have
been almost wholly among another and
4 better class, and the latter is more
like our American Gipsies than any OF
the Romany in all foreign lands.
Probably the most idyllic form Of gip-
sy life yet remaining in England may
be found in Wales and the English lake
district OF northern Lancashire, West
moreland and Cumberland. / have been
much among the statesmen" or land
owning peasantry OF the latter region,
as well us with the gipsics there. Per-
haps | have questioned 500 small farm
ers and others rs to the gipsics' status
among them. have never secured an
answer uniavorable to the no:nads. On
the contrary, much rs is the case in re-
mote countryside districts in. America,
the gipsies annual coming is looked for
ward to with cagerress and delight;
while the summer market day and the
little village fair would be shorn OF
much OF their attractiyencss were the
gypsy folk absent. Nor could | learn in
all this romantic region OF Il single act
OF downright dishonesty OH the part OF
any gipsy within the memory OF man,
In the winter time, those that follow
the Umbrlan summer routes, lair or
house usually in the larger Lancashire
towns, such as Wigan, Bolton. Preston,
Blackburn. Colne, Lancaster and Ulver-
ston, and though the beer mug travels
gaily among them during this period,
they are generally liked and often re-
spected in the neighbornood OF their
habitations.
ROUTES OF TRAVEL.
Again, in Yorkshire, away from its
manufacturing towns, the gipsics have
welldciined routes OF travel, aud are
never scourgcd or,,chascd by the con-
stabulary rs they are in the midland
shires, where, they have Chiefly come
under Mr.. Smiths observation. In
Wharicdale, in the vicinity OF llklcy,
are many families OF respectable gipsics.
Up about Northallerton they are the
only countryside peddlars and thinkers,
and do much in the way OF buying and