The record-union., 1892-11-12

the incident furnished to me thereafter
open sesame to the innermost recesses of
Leather Lane.
1t was in one of these innermost recess
ses that my gypsy friends had their habi-
tatlon, and il is certain that no more Gu
rious dwelling place and disposition Of
nome belongings were ever seen. About
nan way from EurnivaPs Inn to Theo-
bold's Row narrow, dingy court, above
which strip of sky could barely be seen,
wuggled an hundred feet or more to the
east. To the right and LETT the ramshackle
yet stout old house fronts seemed pitch
ing at each other threateningly. From
the noisome pavement to the strip of sky
1t seemed as though hundreds Of humans
were constantly in a state of existence
on trembling balconies and tottering
window sills. The density of half-fed
life behind these rayen-like beings, cling
ing TO the outer walls, must have been
terrible.
The dark court narrowed at the end,
coming to sudden stop against a black
dead wall, which rose thirty or forty feet
above the pavement as if To shut out the
desperate poverty of Leather Lane from
some better inclosure. Here at the end
OF this court against the dead wall my
gypsy friends had practically encamped
by a system of more than partial suspen-
sion. Some twenty-five feet from the
ground mass of patched bits of sailcloth
and blankets formed the only roof. In
genlously braced bits of wood-1lotsam
and jetsam from the markets and the
Ihames-made three intervening stories
or floors, between the tapping roof and
the pavement of the court, all of which
were open to the weather and Leather
Lane way, save where rags and other
selVe-llke blankets and sailcloth an
sWered the place OF curtaining.
These stories or floors were about six
~ lf - IL,
story, which was as long as the proWess
OF the gypsies could make it against the
hordes OF the stlfting court. An aperture
had been made in the dead wall, with a
few brick and little mud mortar, pro-
ylded a capital chimney piece. The
draught was perfect. There was a good
deal OF comfort, too, about this extraor-
binary fireside. The cart was ''whortled,"
that IS, turned bottOmside upward 1or a
table. y shelt-like piece OF timber had
been fastened against One-side wall for a
loungng bunk and bench. \ ladder ran
from this along the wall to the second
story where cooking utensils and food
were kept.
The most curious of all was the nightly
disposition OF the donkey, what was
left over from the days hawking and the
gypsy family itself. Immediately on ar
rival the donkey was hauled up by rope
and tackle into a little cage which consti-
tuLed the third story under the sailcloth
ROOF. Such vegetables as were left, that
the family did not use, were stored on a
shelf alongside the donkey, and on retir
ing for the night the family, comprising
eleven grown people and children, as
cended into the second story loft, and, in
manner, tlshed all movable belonpinos
up after them.
"1es," admiringly said old man Low
ell, the head OF this gypsy house, after |
cd Z ,e,r,ta
holsted into his cage for his rest and prov
ender, Illus Jess hall goes hup inter hour
ole by night, an pulls the 'ole hup arter
husi"
The Fast End district, locally called
The Mint" where London's ancient
mint was located, is another favorite
haunt OF gypsies in winter. From Liant
street in the Borough to Blackfriar's
road are more than 100 almost impene-
trable lanes and closes. This region was
the former haunt and home of Jack SheD-
hard and Jonathan Wild. and from the
same locality have sprung many of the
noted prize fighters of our time Bill
iugsgate porters, the most jaunty and roll
licking of all London cOstermongers. and
a class Of gypsies who are noted for their
fistlc prov ess, are the sole Inhabitants.
Into this savory region one must come
well introduced, but when once known
as true friend of any inhabitant prog
ress through the quarter is attended often
with even embarrassing greetings and IA
miliaritieS.
l found the gypsies OF this locality. who
number perhaps, fifty families, which
means fully 800 souls, chiefly those who
ply their various vocations at country fairs
and all huge gatherings, such as the Der
by, and London holiday Outings" at
Epping Forest and the like. They are
portion of that vast horde of least win
hIIt nIprnraSnt1n EucrITcb
sizes who, casually seen, nearest represent
the takirs of our American country fairs.
our circus followers and the braWling
nickel-Winners of such summer and sea-
side resorts as COney Island and Nantas-
ket. The Punch and Judy' shows are
getting into their hands. They are be-
ginning to exhibit freaks, and control the
merry -go-rounds. All the fruit and nut
stands at fairs are now in their hands, and
the cocOanut (here called "cokernut")
ranges, where a nut can occasionally be
knocked from deceptively built tier at q
penny "a shy" one of the most popular
forms of initiatory gambling sports at all
fairs and outing gatherings in England,
are all owned by these cunning gypsies.
Their fists are as ready as their tongues,
and their women folk are the most braz-
enly insistive and picturesquely attired
fortune tellers in all the world.
But the genuine drom rajahs, or gyp-
SlGS VI lllC lOdNis WuOSC FOCdllOuS OF IO-laV
are really honorable, thriftful and distin-
guished by downright hard work and fair
dealing, though still full of genuine gypsy
traits and bearing in mild tOrmthe gvp-
sy taint of dickering and duckering for
tune telling, are the gypsies who, in their
enforced winter London tarrying, retain
most of the manner of the summer road
lie. l should think there could be found
from 10000 to 10000 of these in the SUI
burbs of London, from November until
March. These are entirely exclusive of
several thousand more who never leave
London, but travel in endless circles
about the outer edges of the great city, in
terminable Bedouins at all outing gather
lngS; peas and straw berry pickers and
lavender gatherers in the summer, hop
picllers in the autumn, and scavengers In
general the remainder of the year, They
camp where they work, and though often
reduced to abject wretchedness, are a
kindly and CHEEKY set OF men and women.
The road gypsies generally retain and
occupy their vans, carts and tents. Out
southwark way, over IN Surry, are large
communities. Many may be found round
about Esher and Woking. The Chelsea
marshes are another winter haunt, while
Epping Forest, depths and edges, are full
of them. With these summer thrift is
never exchanged for winter idleness.
Many of the stout gypsy lads Eet employ
AAAStAN - 'NNANN Pt'HAAe 9ttfDADS.
The men haunt the horse markets and
weekly suburban markets, and buy, sell
and trade horses and donkeys. Many of
the women rove about the poorer districts
of the city telling fortunes for whatever
they can get. Those too old for these
jaunts mind the pots, kettles and little
ones against the wanderers nightly re-
turn. Old men and lads and lasses re-
manning at home are never idle Rude
mats, market baskets, stable and street
brushes, by the hundreds of thousands,