The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-04-18
WHO ARE THE GYPsIESs
THEIR ORIGIN rs STILL ONE OF
THE MYSTERIES.
Thor Eirst Appearance In Europe and
How They Were Rsoeived--rhslr
Home Now IL the Wide,
Wide World.

In the course of the numerous wars
which have rent the world into hostile
factions, the dispersal Of nations has
been OF not infrequent occurrences; but
generally 1t has happened that when a
nation was scattered the members lose
their national identity, the men have
forgotten to what nation they belonged
and have become absorbed into other
peoples. Two or three notable in
stances to the contrary, however, have
happened, but of the whole number
none Is more singular than that OF the
gypsies, a people who were once
race, and although now scattered
bands OF wanderers, nevertheless pre-
serve many OF those chara ,teristics
which are generally considered to in
dictate nationality. Although their
national identity was ages ago so COM
pletely destroyed, and by some great
national movement they were sent
from their native land to become wan
derers up and down the earth. still the
families OF Migrants retain much OF
their original language, together with
not few peculiarities which CON-
pletely separate them from all other
peoples.
Tho first appearance Of the gypsies
In Western Europe was in 1417, when
u band numbering, according to differ
ent accounts, between 400 and /, 400,
appeared in Germany. This little host
OF invaders soon separated into smaller
parties. which soon found their way in
to cvcry pare of Germany. The first
band was rapidly succeeded by others,
and under the influence Of some I'M
known agency the eypsies soon came
in swarms and found their way across
the Alps into Italy, across the Rhine
into France, over the Pyrenees into
Spain, across the channel into the
British Isles. A few of their leaders
were richly dressed, and assumed all
the style OF mediaval noblemen; but
the great part were poor, ill-clad and
worse fed. A singular feature Of this,
the first invasion, lay in the fact that a
gypsy band then seems from all
accounts to have been precisely the
same rs the gypsy band to-day. The
mon were on horseback or on foot, the
women and children in wagons; the
gypsies were noted for their fast driv-
ing, for their love of horses and dogs.
They called themselves the Sicani, and
told various stories about their origin
and the country whence they had come.
Some said they were from India,
others claimed to be from Egypt. and
endeavored to excite popular sympathy
in their behalf by various tales Of
their sufferings. In one town they
detailed pathetic narrative OF having
been driven out Of Egypt because they
abjured Christianity; in another they
claimed that the Saracens had expelled
them from Asia because they refused
to accept Mohammedanism. In still
another they declared themselves to
have been expelled from Asia by the
monster Tamerlane. At first their
stories were received with some degree
OF credit, but the gypsies themselves
soon fell into disfavor. They were
horse traders and horse thieves; they
were thinkers; they were petty pilferers
Of any small goods that could con-
veniently be stolen and secreted. Their
women were all fortune-tellers, and
inculcated among the populace the
belief that gypsy woman could deal
in the black art. In various countries
the people soon arose against them,
and, as we are naively informed,
divers were slain for their evil
deeds"
This was their first appearance in
western Europe, but long before this
they were known in the east. though
how long Is uncertain. Two hundred
years before they appeared in Ger
many they were mentioned by an Aus
trian monk. who saw them in Greece
and Asia Minor. Writing paraphrase
on the book Of Genesis, he pauses to
incorporate in the margin bit Of his
experience concerning the gypsies,
founding his remarks ON the verse
mentioning the birth OF Ishmael. This
Ishmael Is the father Of these accursed
wanderers, who 60 up and down the
earth trading horses and stealing, work.
ing in iron and making such employ
ment cover for their wickedness. Buy
nothing OF them, for you are certain
never to get its full value. "-Globe
Democrat.