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

| NhA "lllIl alG HOlNl VI lilb 6lOWlY Ilt
mantel ornaments, or whittle out skew
crs for meat stalls. All do something
ana earn something. If there is loss
N one days trade, they work the harder
the next. All thus keep from starva-
ton, which is more than many who ara
not heathens can do in London; and
some even get through the hard, wet,
foggy, 5cety, bonewringing winter with
their lives and few shillings to the
good.
few who huddle in these congested
districts have the regulation coster cart
and the helpful donkey, and most curl.
Gus quarters arc often found for both
gypsleS and donkey. Last winter, while
haunting this bit of darkest London
| got on very good terms with gypsy
| family who had lost their donkey cart,
and nearly their donkey, through fate.
| tul collision with IL Hammersmith bus.
1t was early in the winter and the loss
| pretty nearly meant starvation. There
are scores of dealers in costcrs' carts and
barrows in London where cart or bar
row can be hired though at ruinous rates,
or purchased on weekly payments. AT
one OF these made a tirst payment of
~ shllllhgs on donkey cart in behalf
Oh inc gypsy family became surety for
the remainder, and the incident fur
nIshed to me thereafter open sesame to
The lnhcrmost rcceSscs of Leather Lane,
1t was in one of these lnnermost re-
cesses that my gypsy friends had their
hlOtatlOn, and tits certain that Il no more
curious dwelling place and disposition
of home belongings were ever seen.
\ Ia. I,nl 49,
lheobold's Row a narrow, dingy court,
above which strip Of sky could barely
be seen, wriggIed an hundred feet or
more to the east. To the right and left
the ramshacklc yet stoutold house fronts
seemed pitching at each other threaten
ingly. From the noisome pavement to
the strip Of sky 1t seemed as though
hundreds of humans were constantly in
state of existence on trembling bal.
| COMES ana totteriug windowsills. The
density of half-fGd life behind these
raven like beings clinging to the outer
walls must have been terrible.
The dark court narrowed at the end
coming to a sudden stop against black
dead wall which rose 30 or 40 feet above
the pavement as II TO shut out the desper-
ate poverty of Leather Lane from some
better enclosure. Here at the end of
this court against the dead wall my
gypsy friends had practically enGamped
ny system OF more than partial sus-
pension. Some 20 feet from the ground
a mass of patched bits of sail cloth and
blankets formed the only roof. In
scniously braced bits of wood-hotsam
and jetsam from the markets and the
Thames 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
sciye-likc blankets and sail cloth
answered the place Of curtaining.
These stories or floors were about six
feet square, except the lower Or pave
ment story which was as long as the
proves Of the gypsies could make it
against the hOrdes Of tho sitting court
An aperture had been made in the
dead wall which, with a few brick and
little mud mortar, provided capital
chimney piece. The draught was per-
feet. There was good deal of comfort
too, about this extraordinary firesde.
The cart was "whortled," that Is,
turned bottomside upwards for table.
A sheliillc piece Of timber had been
fastened against one side wall for q
lounging bunk and bench A ladder
ran from this along the wall to the
second story where cooking utensils and
food were kept
But the most curious of all was the
nightly disposition of donkey, what was
left over from the days hawking and
the gypsy family itself. Immediately
on arrival, the donkey was hauled up
by rope and tackle into little cage
which constituted the third story under
were left that the family did not use
were stored on shelf alongside the
donkey; and on retiring for the night
the family, comprising eleven grown
people and children, assembled into the
second story loft, and, in a manner,
tlshed all movable belongings up after
them.
yes" admiringly said old man
Lowell, the head of this gypsy house,
after | had just witnessed the sprawl
ing donkey hoisted into his cage
for his rest and provender, illus
jess hall goes hup inter hour ole by
night, an pulls the ole hup arter husv
The east end district, locally called
"The Mint" where Lendon'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 i'm
penetrabe lanes and closes. This region
was the former haunt and home Of Jack
Sheppard and Jonathan Wild, and from
the same locality have sprung many Of
the noted prize fighters Of our time,
Billingsgate porters, the most iaunty
and rollicking of all London coster-
mongers, and class of gypsies who are
noted for their fistic proves, are the
sole inhabitants. Into this savory region
one must como well introduced; but
when once known as true friend of
any inhabitant, progress through the
quarter is attended often with even en-
barrassing greetings and familiarities,
| found the gypsies Of this locality,
who number perhaps so families, which
means fully 800 souls, chiefly those who
ply their various vocations at country
fairs and all huge gatherings, such as
the Derby and London holiday "out-
ngsh at Epping Forest and the like.
They are II portion Of that vast horde of
least winsome but most picturesque
English gypsies who, casually seen,
nearest represent the fakirs of our
American country fairs, our circus fol-
lowers and the brawling nickcl-wlnners
of such summer and seaside resorts as
C0nsy Island and Nantaskct. The
"Punch and Judy" shows are getting
into their hands. They are beginning
to exhibit freaks and control the merry
go-rounds. All the fruit and nut stands
ut fairs are now in their hands; and the