The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-13

GYPSY SIGN WRITING.
An Elaborate Code Of Secret Symbols Ant



Sounds.
For an uneducated. half-wild and
Justly mistrusted people like the gyp-
sizes, it is almost a necessity of exist
ence that the several tribes should
have some means of communicating
with each other which would attract
very little attention on the part of out
siders-information, warnings, direc-
Nion, etc.
Let US give an example. In the be-
ginning of September, 1890, a gypsy
family passed through the village Of
N. in Germany. Not far from the
point at which they left the village the
road divides into three branches, and
any other gypsy or tribe of gypsies fol-
lowing their tracks would look for q
sign" here.
There is a tree at the fork of the
roads, and the gypsy's eve is quick to
detect four long. fiat stones piled one
on the other They are SO covered
with dirt that the ordinary traveller
would hardly disturb them, and it
would most likely escape his notice
that each stone has horse hair tied
around it. Near at hand little branch
with three twigs is stuck into the
ground. and the middle twig points in
the direction of the right-hand road.
A small piece of leather is nailed on
the tree. and is seen on inspection to
have several stitches of red wool, a
square hole and two round holes. A
small charred elder stick with straw
and two red threads looped together is
stuck behind the leather, along with a
small birch twig with two loose red
threads.
The gypsy. however, in search OF
"sign' reads the message without diff
Guilty, and thus interprets it for the
benefit Of his comrades:
1.-The chief of the tribe of our pre-
decessors informs us that his wife is
dead. his son arrested, and that we
must ali be on our guard, as the au-
fhorities charge lis with theft. We
have taken the road to the right, and,
passing through the next town to the
second village beyond, we purpose re-
naming there until September TO-"
Each tribe has It's own distinctive
mark or totem, which. in the case in
roint. was the horse hair. The four
stones bound with horse hair signified
that the communication was intended
for memb ers of the communicates own
tribe and no other.
The direction of the middle twig in
dictated the road taken; the long stones,
too. were so laid as to indicate the
direction of route.
The charrcd elder twig with straw
eignitied death; the red color is the
sign of the chief, and the two knotted
threads signify the chiefs wife. The
birch branch denotes an arrest, and
the two separate red threads signify
that it is the son of the chief who has
been arrested. Three threads would
signify a grandson.
The employment of skin or leather
signifies request to meet for commun-
6cation on important matters. Tho
stitches give the time. Time is reck.
oned from the three high feast days
and from st. Michaefs day as follows:
The long stitches show the number Of
Sundays since the first great feast,
The piece of leather in this case had
sixteen long stitches and two square
stitched IL is, therefore, the Tuesday
following the sixteenth Sunday after
Easter, that was the 10th of Septembe
which was fixed as the limit of sta
The square holes in the leather sig
nifty towns, the round holes villages.
Beyond the next town a smaller piece
of leather will be found attached to
tree, but there will be no square hole
I'm if, and the reader knows that the
second village on the road will be the
mecting place. Any kind of filth is
employed to prevent the signs being
molested.
As oharred elder stick signifies
death, so a green one signifies sickness.
Several notches in the twig. with
straw, signifies broken arm: without
straw, a broken leg. A fir twig signi-
flies an engagement; a willow twig with
\ red or white thread the birth of a boy
or girl; an oak twig. the return of a
messenger 30 his family. A bunch of
dogs hair is an intination to those fol-
lowing to change their course. Small
glass fragments announce the death of
kope domestic animal OF the tribe;
large fragments that a domestic ami
NAL has been stolen, or strayed away
Clean fragments denote a horse, dirty
fragments a pig.
OF the charcoal marks made by gyp-
sies on buildings, cross indicates
nothing TO be got there" double
cross that you may look out for harsh
treatment: a cross within a circle init
mates desire for revenge on the occu-
pants of the house; circle alone.
That presents We're received there; a
triangle. that money may be had for
fortune telling; two serpentine lines,
that the mistress would like children;
triangle including serpentine line,
that the master of the house is dead.
I'm this manner the wanderer manages
to communicate a great deal of intor-
nation To those who come after. which
the fortune tellers of the second group
can utilize 10 the astoniShment of the
people. who little suspect that their
affairs are Published on their house
walls
On :he march two whistles and two
owl boots intimate 20 the approaching
gypsy that he is near 4 suitable resting
place; whistle alternating with a
cuckoo call is signal of danger Rapid
waving oe-both arms is equally signal
of danger. Raising the left arm signi-
fes the road is open," raising the
right warns to caution
In the presence of "A stranger. the
movement of the little finger of the
right hand informs the others that the