Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-11-24

itatlons, But no ldlers Among Them.
Special Correspondent of Gazs.to and Journa
LONDON, Nov. BIO me there is
something inexpressibly pathetic in the
unvarying good humor and kind
heartedness of English gypsies when
their hard and bitter, though sclf-chosen,
mode OF life is considered. And this is
nowhere on earth made so plain and
emphatic as when you find them in and
about London, all the brightness of the
summer roads and lares but memory,
and the cruel deprivatiOns Of winter
generally winters battle for existence
with million other lowly-staring
them squarely in their stoical faces.
Crafty, wary, hard, unworthy yaga-
bond though you deem him, as he con
fronts you and mankind in this battle
for life and those he loves, he truly has
another side, CHEEKY, good and manly
one, too, that, without one iota of tile
prompting to which all modern society
stands indebted, often glows with kind
ness, generosity, helpfulness, good cheer,
and spirit of positive loveliness.
An ugly word is never heard in a
gypsy camp or band. A selfish act is
hSfNi oSth' L nc CttIHul Ebuulng OF n
mean woman, the brutal ObsceniLy of a
bad man, the hateful jealousies of neigh
bors, the contemplate rivalries Of pre-
tended friends, each and all are as I'M
known as poison in the pure air of
heaven they breathe in tentOr upon the
foad.
There is quality Of sincerity and ten
dernesS i'll their doingS with each other
nt 10 rcin, La a
full. Their mirth, merriment ana jolity
are all consldarato. Raillefy is tolerant;
wit never murderuus weapon. Win
them good cheer is seldom license;
merry-making leaves little sting; liberty
never knows lewdness.
Ignorant as they may be of your
books; obstinately as they refuse the
"clyilizdtiun' OF which we boast 5. crctly
proud as they are of the ostracism which
brands them as an outlaw race; hcathcn-
ish as you must consistently call them
because they hold your creeds in con
Tempt they are yet more than the peers
of any living people in everything
tender and true and loyal growing into
and out of the domestic relation. and in
all that which yields, without law or
force, and as if unconsciously, the help
always exceeds exact justice to ones
fellows.
There are undoubtedly hundreds of
localities which may be termed "gypsy
ground in London and its iar.reaching
suburbs. | have visited nearly three.
score of these places within the past
few years. In some instances they are
in the most densely and forlornly pop
ulated sections Of the metropolis. Here
in perhaps the stable yard Of some an
cient historic inn, among the sheds and
Outbulldings of an abandoned ware
house or mandatory, in the mouldy,
cobwcbbed precincts of some habitation
which has got into chancery and incvi,
table decay, and even in Whtechapel
purlieus, and upon the roofs of houses
at the edge Of the huge masonry sus-
tanning some of the railways, many of
which pass out of the city above instead
Of through or beneath ii, will be found
single families or little communities of
the Romany folk. All are working in
their way as if for dear life to sustain
life until the springtime exodus shall
free them from their hateful prison.
ment; and, contrary to general belief or
what any one may say, none OF them
are idle.
Following up the trail and traits of
gypsies while in their London winter
quarters, brought me originally among
the almost rs curious coStermonger folk;
and found that there were hundreds
of gypsy families owning kindred ties
ito costers who sought quarters among
this class and at once fell into their
manner Of work and ways. Acquaint-
,ance and confidence soon brought me To
many OF these almost unknown gypsy
and coster communities in the very
heart of London.
Two of them are very interesting and
historic. II you We're wandering about
London up Holborn way and should
come to ancient Furnivars Inn, YOU
might note that It's decrepit back hangs
over the entrance to narrow lane.
Whis is Leather Lane. Scarcely wide
enough beneath the back windows of
Furnlval's Inn to permit the entrance
oil donkey and cart, it gradually
wldens towards Theobold's Row, and
to the east and west is itself entered BY
almost numberless closes and courts.
Nc casual frequenter of lIolborn would
notice it, but the locality is one of the
densest in London in point of popula-
ton. Among the thousands of lowly
humans living here, are fully 800 coster-
mongers, and in the winter time half US
many gypsies. The great resort Of all
these folk is the Leather Bottle,n a
public house within the shadowy pre-
cinct.
There are many odd places and studies
here. The former class rather pride
themselves on their utter recklessness
in the matter of gambling, carousing
and drinking. While they live in entire
harmony with their Romlny friends
and possess a certain respect for their
winter companions which permits of
no triiling, 1t was easy to sec that from
The coster standpoint of ethics the
.awny folk are not considered fairly
progressive. They are too quiet. They
attend closely to work and minimize the
II effects of poverty in London.
"Gor bli me p said a friendly coster,
low can ye ave comfort bout o yer
ieighbors, less ye can 'clp carry 'em
ONE now an agin from the Leather
Bother Strike me lucky! if Iii don't
believe they'd rather heat whites than
lick pewter Clicking pewter it must
be known, is coster for guzzling -four
,sle.) Gods truth, but ye awsk one on
'em for the loan o. a bob (shiling) for u
few pots at tn Bottle an their bloody
heyes stick bout like bleedin' muscles,
Cor BIZ me, so they do"
Most OF the gypsies in this locality
live from half dozen to score in
room They possess the scantiest array
OF household utensils. Their native
ability to make the most of little enables