The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-04

Bailliea, and old King John Faw. Many
members Of the Faa families have attained
wealth and political p%refermens in SCOT
land. The once wealthy Falls. merchants
of Dunbar, are Glpsies. One OF the Falls
became q colonel in the British army. An
other served n term in parliament. Hosts
have been and IRE undet-sherifs and bail
ifs. Lady Anstruthe-. wife of the late
Sir John Austruther, of Ellie. was Jenny
Fan. a GipBy woman of great wit and
beauty. These Falls or Faas, OF Dunbar. are
also connected by marriage with the grent
banking family of Coutts. widely known in
Amesicn through tbs frequent social intel
ligence concs, ming the noted Baroness Bur
dette Coutts. While tho celebrated poem.
''The Gipsy Laddie," commentaries tho
abduction by the thcn Gypsy king, John
Faa. in 1643. of Lady Cnsillis. wife of the
earl of Casillius. "a sullen and ill-tempersd
man. more given to theology than to ilka-
day goodness" who was absent on a depu-
tation TO rntify tho solemn league and COW
snnnt OF that year at Westminster.
This noted line OF British Gipsy royalty
still exists in direct descent in the person
OF the most hopeless outcast OF oil out
casts, an outcast Gipsy, whose acquaint-
ance I have the honor to possess. although
the same ia esteemed almost a dishonor
from q Gipsy point of view; and the same
royal line, in distributed strains, is still
proudly recognized In nearly seventy fam
lilies or tribes I personally know in Eng
land. Scotland and America. All those
within their separate tiny Kingdoms OF
population rather than territory with the
same ~tsnacity and snered inviolability AZ
any European monarchical dynasty.
Where the limo bscomes extinct. which
seldom occurs, 10 10 nearly always. re-
introduced by marriage with members Of
other tribes where the hereditary line 10
supsrabundsnt. In instsnees whore it Is
POI mittsd 10 become and remain extinct. a
king or queen or both are always chosen by
popular election. In neatly all such cases
the sovereign is selected from n family
possessing tho next regulate to royal blood
ago without faint of oiime. Thusi il will
Gipsiea. while pu.oly communicate In no
tual application of tribal government. are
among ths most e1actinR OF all strictly
monnrchical people IN holding to the princi-
pie of royal herodity.
The climax of visible B itish Gypsy roy
ally was undoubtedly reached. at ancient
Kirk Ysshoiu. just across the English bor-
der. amenR tho Chsviot hills, at about the
middle of the present century. At the
death at Kirk YothoIm in 1S47 OF ths king
OF all the Scottish and many of tho Eng
lish Gipsies. William Fna. or Aud Wull
Faa." ~ he was familinrly known. they
mustered from Yctholm and its immediate
nsighborhood 900 Gipsies and 300 asses A.
an escort for his remains from Coldatteam
to the parish burying ground at Ystholm.
Shortly after his death, on the sudden death
OF Charles Blythe. King Williams immedi.
ate Successor, n remarkable contest took
place between the late FAIRS two daughters.
Princess Esther md Princess Helen.
The Blythe liue was extinct in Scotland;
and no one could DO found to dispute tbs
royal line rsvertiuR to one or other OF tho
two Fan princesses. Helen. the younge-,
urged hor claims on the well-known and
oftan-expressed wish OF the dead king that
she should eventually succeed him. Esther,
tho elder, claimed tbs succession on the
grounds Of seniority. For months she
l~iveliest imaginable canvass was wagsd
throughout the gypsy camps OF Scotland
aud England. At last the contest waRsd
10 bitter that these ~sistera OF royal blood
came to blows. the INST aud the laat breach,
OF tho pence ever accredited to Gipsies In
Yetholm.
They wero both women OF powerful
scribed to me BY an eyB witness now living
A. having been" OF tho most savage and
ferOcious character. Esther wal victorious,
and Helen. or blaok.bsarded Nell. rs ths
villagers called her. got hersel weel
liokit." This nRFay apparently decided tho
contest; for whom "tssting DAY." or shrovs
Tuesday. on which the famous Bowmont
games are still notably celebrated, Prin-
csss Helen and her followers urged NO OBJ
~jection TO Princess Esther's election and
coronation.
The Gro ming Of Queen Esther-whose
full namo was Esther Fac Blythe Ruther-
foEd--tho blythe and Rutherford addenaa
coming from marriages with worthless men