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

OF her raoe-vas an af, ir of great note at
Yetholm. Her majesty was attended by q
royal brother. several princes n prin-
cesses of the blood. Prince Robert, her son.
ferred. and a great rstinue of
over 300 Gipsies and as many
townspeople and gentry of the surrounding
country. The cavaloade proceeded to the
Yetholm @ oss. A jolly old blacksmith
named George Gladstone. who had per-
formed a like office Tor CHARLES BLYTHE. and
thus secured the. title of Archbishop OF
Yetholm." wrought q splendid coronet of
tin, sustaining a tremendous Scotch thistle.
In presence of the great multitude he made
proclamation of his right to exercise the
high Office. and. having in ths most solemn
fashion set the emblem of ROYALTY upon
het head. proclaimed the swatth heroine.
"Her ROYAL Majesty, Gather Faa Blythe
Rutherford. Sovereign and Queen Of all the
Gipsies in this Kinpdom of Scotland
Challenge who dsrev' Addresses Of CON-
graduation were read from loyal subjects
in the different shirss, from the citizens of
Kelso and other near cities and villages,
and from Ystholm townsfolk; after which
a levcs was hold Al the royal palace" q
matched cottage with q hard clay 1oor and
the night Was passed In all manner OF rus.
tic revelries.
Queen Esther. whose life sized portrait in
oil is one Of my most priced of Gipsy relics.
aA0u ~ 1A01oOs - A1Ak00 ~ IA ~ ~ "a
Ystholm, in July. 1888. Her oorteRe from
Kelso to Kirk Yetholm, whore she was
buried beside hundreds Of her race, wal a
memorable me-. Thousands OF people
came to Yetholm. Upon the coffin lay the
royal red cloak Of The queen. and IN snor-
John Scott. of Spottiswood. surmounted
this. Both were inferred with the body Of
tho queen. The Rev. Mr.. Davidson, for
thirty.two years minister Of the Kirk Yet
holm church. tolls mo he never Witnessed a
more remarkable scene than at this burial.
The services were held a. Kelao; but :aoh
vast crowds massed about the grave at Yet
holm that though Mr.. Davidson made
effort to roach it to say a few words over
tho body, the grief OF the Gipsies and the
density Of the crowd prevented.
Al ths death OF Queen Esther. British
Gypsy royalty. in its large. o!d-tjme sense,
camo to an end. No n ever aspired to
her regal honors. Prince Robert. her
son, had become q worthless vagabold;
and even old Pfincess Helen. with whom I
wss once quite a favorit-. told me that che
vas 30 "wsel and fairly Ticket" in the oriQi-
nal oontsst for succession that she had
completely lost all ambition for royal life.
Four ysnrs ago the present summer q
study in oil of Queen Esther's face. done by
some vaRrant artist, was hanging In \ to-
bacconist's shop in Leith Walk. Edinburgh.
Attracted by tho picture l entered, secured
permission to examine II, and. just ~ I
was turning to depart. I encounte red about
as f%orbidding q looking tramp a. l ever set
eyes upon in SCOTLAND. Some similarity
between his ps1. pitted face and that OF the
dead queens caused me 10 regard him in
tsntly. Leeting at me as he followed me
into the street. he touched my shoulder
with one dirty paw and with the thumb of
the other proddinQ backwards towards Sho
shop asked me with royal familiarity,
Dye ken rue nooY"
l told him latly hat l did not not wish
to ken" him at all.
"Then yer mao coreio chal, (Gipsy's
friend) that ye'r's famed" he replied
bluntly. ''Dinna be i'll to thole" (dificult
to got along With he continued whininRly.
l was q little alarmed by his ruflanly por-
sistanco; but he had given nj q Gipsy chal.
lengs surely. md l told him 10 Jaw the
drom for a RomAny chor," which in plain
English mssns he should get out for .
Gipsy thief"
Mon, mop." he exclaimed as il sxpeot-
ing inssant arreaS, Pm nne chor; I'm
Prince Robert-kung o. a Nokkums, (nro-
vincisl Yesholm RomAny for Girsiss) II l
had my ain!"
II was Prince Robert surely. Tende,lv
enough now l took him with me dovn
among The fishermen OF New Haven: ten.
dorly atill heard his Maudlin tale OF . beg
gnrly tramp's lite and the sArshvids ostrn-
oism OF his own people; Of HE countless
adventures on ths Lorderland Of law; of
his familiarity with tho s~taripsn or prison
loaf of every parish jail In Scotland-neye.
for crime. but for sndlsss p~sccadillos in
which he held a hopeless pride; tsudsrly
still allsd his pauneh with bitter ale his