The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-02-04
ALL ABOUT GYPSIES.
Their Origin, Manners, Customs and
IS. Method of Living. 3

|
Not Like Civilization.
A reporter has had the novel pleasure
bf passing an evening with family OF
genuine full blooded gEpsies at their
homo in this city.
To the average reader this statement
will not appear particularly startling
nor interesting, for the average reader
is probably not sufficiently conversant
with gypsies and their ways to be inter
ested in a family of them which Journeyed
across the water to make a. new home IN
the United States.
1t is safe to say that the popular idea
of gypsies is far from being correct. All
have seen our wandering nomads travel
ing along our highways or bivoucklng
in their filthy tents and still more filthy
camps. Ask ten people what gypsy Is
and six of them will substantially say:
ssPeople who travel about the country
and exist by doing as little work as they
can and by stealing all they can Lay their
hands upon"
This impression is all wrong and there
are few, very few, genuine gypsies in
/ this country.
| Gypsies are distinct race and nation
atty in themselves: as distinct as the
/ Germans are from the Chinese or the
Russians from the Americans. They are
suppose to come, as their name indicates,
originally from Egypt. They have "a
language of their own, the Romance
chick, or Gypsy tongue" which is still
preserved and spoken almost as purely
as it was centuries ago. 1t IS made up
of the Egyptian, Hindoostanee, Rouman-
ian and other languages.
| Gypsies are scattered over all Europe,
| and there are today over 10000 OF them
on that continent. 1t is not known when
| first they left their native country and
began to make their appearance in Eu-
rope. They entered Germany in 1922,
and as early as 1851 many of them were
in Scotland, following the occupations
of actors and dancers and thinkers. They
are known to this day in Scotland as
thinkers" The better and more pro-
gressive class Of gypsies seem to have
adopted Great Britain as their home.
While the men have as a rule followed
horse trading as a business, and the
women fortune telling and basket maxi
ing, they have turned their hands to
nearly all trades and occupations.
NEITHER POOR NOR LAZY.
Gypsies have figured as engravers,
metal and iron workers, actors, artists,
musicians, clergymen, evangelists, car
penters, physicians and so on. Work
ing upon iron and metals appears to
have been their forte, however, next to
dealing in horses. In 1926 they cast a
large bell at Edgehill, and at about the
same period they practiced engraving
on pewter, lead and copper. Gypsies
also conducted an iron foundry near ST.
Andrews. In Hungary, in 1896, they
made bullets and cannon balls.
No one should for moment think
that gypsies are either poor, careless as
to their personal appearance or Stunned
socially by the people with whom they
come in contact. Many gypsies are very
'swell fixed" financially, and few if any
in Europe or on the Continent are not
well supplied with all the necessaries Of
life. They own valuable horses, fine
wagons and caravans, comfortable tents
| and furnishings. In return, they have
been entertained by kaiser and pope on
the Continent, and by dukes and earls in
England.
One Charles Bosworth, a gypsy tking.a
lived and fourished at Rossington in
Yorkshire in 1909. According to all acr
counts Charles was a FOSTERING blade
and enjoyed himself to the utmost.
History informs us that he twas mad
spark, mighty fine and brisk, keeping
company with a great many gentlemen,
knights and esquires." An idea of the
social standing of the gypsies can be
formed when in 1850 the Prince and
Princess of Wales journeyed to Norwood
to visit "Queen" Margaret.
Like the Jews, the gypsies have fol
centuries been greatly oppressed race,
and great injustice has been done them.
AS late as 1879 forty-seven of them were
arrested in Germany upon various
charges and imprisoned. When they
came to trial not one of the charges
could be sustained and they were all re.
leased.
| HOW THEY LIVE.
AS rule the gypsies are superior to