The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-24
VlKEMANS WANDERINGS
mr. cyPSTES or LONDON AND
ROIND4BOUT.
,,,c,,rc Of the Annual Return OF the Lon
don Romauy Bands 10y the Highest
Living Authority Upon Gypsies.

tlnE more llCpuIOSlucly suggestive OF the
5smg year than the scurrying toward
uiatcr quarters in any land by inuumer-
sb.c bands Of pilgriming folks, my tawny
friends the Gipsies
This fastening OF whole people from
oat the summer heart Of the countryside
this reluctant. driven, hurried human
scattering from hedgeside home beneath
tie sun and stars to the miserable make
shifts Of city housing, has in 1t far more
Impressive revelation of winters coming
than all the autumn flights of bras ana
wind whipped bcatings of bare Dr"iioHe'
and bedraggled brown leaves.
Illus gifts old, doan't hus|
This from tinker Zeke, the other morn
inc. where had remained over niShI WIN
q Gtnsv caravan bv tie side Of dreary
down ON the old stage road TO Bath. Bare
bo,aed and borcfooted he had clam 0ered
outside Of his tiny roadside haoitation TO
.f.,t DOR the day." lie looked again ana
o,.tn 90 the sky. and over 10 the saffron
80 (,e, Then. with both hands deep in
t;str,,,s.rs rockets, he gave his old body a
sort ~ numbering rub and twist and
vouchsafcd dejectedly:
'Hus gifts old. doan't hus?"
"How's that, Zeke;" answered merrily
enough. determined to provoke a continu-
alton Of his strain Of Gypsy philosophy if
Dossible "Gipsies never get old, and be-
SIDES you're too brave an old rascal, Zeke,
10 whimper about getting on in years a
little"
Hi tells ye, hus all gifts old" This We
hemently. Iii never quits the country
'tbout mindn me o. hit. Hits like mou-
Ian diving, leastwise for me, to jaw vree
the drom TO leave the road. Cans stur-
die" the towns PRISON..
Here was a genuine exhibition of Gypsy
sentiment Zeke pumped himself down
alongside the smOldering campfire, with
his elbows upon his knees and his fine old
head in his hands, and apparently gave
way 20 the most gloomy reflections. Catch
ing Gypsy off bis guard is not n common
thing. and felt like prodding him little.
Turn Gorgio mon Gipsy) then, Zeke; en-
ioy every day Of life with happy perma-
nent home over your head; 90 to church
Ike white man, and finally get to heaven,
where there won't be any rough Gypsy
winters
He looked at me first with blank amaze
;nent. A fine scorn came into his swarthy
disbelief and almost pathetic longing he
SAID with ridiculous solemnity, AYE, n
HID turn Gorgio Tor even kair rajah town
or false Gypsy, the most contemplate Of
all beings in the estimation Of road Gipsies),
fur a. that-mGdc SurC"
An. honest Zekel and who would not'
Here were perhaps two score vans, with
all their ramshackle belongings, their
4. A.,fr
cocoanuts and oilcloths. their skewers,
pegs. rush baskets, dried flowers and
leaves. and their far more odd and inter
esting owners. Some Of the wanderers
had come from as far north as Beauty, in
Scotland; from away up in classic Words
worth land by the quiet English lakes;
from of southwest by the shore hooks of
Somerset and Devonshire, and even from
St Ives and PenzaBce in Cornwall, but
most from dickering and dukkerng at the
midland and western counties fairs. AS
If by some secret understanding, they had
drifted together for bit of roadside re-
union at the edge of these wind swept
rnOofs, where few of the co6stabulary
come with their Temorseless summons Of
"Move on, you Gypsy dogs" and, returning
70 the great city from a country tramp in
Buckinghamshire, by right Of rank and
station as Gorgio Chal (Gipsy's friend,
had become one Of them in the little roist-
ering before their final abandonment Ofth
seasons wanderings by poisoning lane
and road
Camp was to be broken this very morn
ing The dark places Of London would
close upon the tawny crew scattered in
little groups and families by night. 1t
NOS .h.o1rfa1v cprtain fbo,- would ravar
all meet again, even though separate fami-
lies or bands should again know the bound
less JOY Of the springtime outgoing
Tinker Xeke was not alone in his mourn
full regret. The camp was rife with it,
just as the landscape, sky and air were in
stnct with the tender sadness of the dying
year 10 seemed to me, nor was it all of
seeming that the fires themselves burned
with less crackle and flame. Even the
sizzling pots hanging from the grimy ket-
Tie sticks. boiled and blubbered in minor
hearJh,de tones
Over in the stunted copses of the moor
the tethered donkeys stood meekly silent |
with lowered heads or nibbled at the frosty !
grass a., if in serious Illumination. As the |
morning advanced good wives sat by the |
Tent mouths or IN the open van doors in !
sober discussion with their husbands or |
busted themselves with the morning meal, !
les spry and clipper than is the Gypsy |
wOman's way. Youths bringing water
from the stream or returning TO camp with
fodder for the animals and dead moor
brushwood for the fires did their work |
gloomily and with none of the summer
time whoop and halloo. Here and there !
were groups Of the elder Gypsy men. seated
on reversed buckets, van thills or leaning
their backs against van wheels, who
smoked their pipes with long, strong, in
Prospective pufis and said little, while that
little was measured and reflective.
Old spaewives puttered and bothered
tuerulously, unsteadier in tone, more rest
less in movement and full of that petulant
resentment 90 change, so trne and pathetic
seal upon the overripe faculties OF old
age. Gypsy laSses. ever demure in the
presence Of potent act or fact in their cid
els, but miracles of winsome physical and
heart free abandonment in joyous hours
looked twice their age in their long gowns
anu faces And even the Gypsy dogs, those
rare sad yisaged, voiceless cheats whose
Eielehse Of sOdden ignorance Out-Gipsy the
e9est RomGny themselves, sat ranged at
.''fental distances from the campiires,
'"g embodiment of dreary cOefulneSs.