The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1894-09-04
EARLY GYPSY LIFE.


Some ideas Of How These Strange People
Lived Years Ago. "a
A correspondent of an English pa.
per writing of the gypsies says;
though living in the north country,
formerly the frequent haunt of the
gypsies, l do not ever remember to
have seen any of the tribe. But my
father lived at least 16 years in the
immediate vicinity of Yetholm, the
permanent dwelling of the famous
Faas, which issituated in "a lowlying
glen at the foot of the Cheviot hills.
/ append some of his "reminiscences.
There are, or rather were, some 80
years ago, two Yetholms, one called
Kirk Yetholm, the other Tion Yeth-
ohm. the population of the latter con-
sisti,,g solely of gypsies and mug
gers" viii Faa, the smuggler chief,
Ind Blind Johnny were frequent Wis
itors at my fathers fireside, and
many an otherwise lonely hour they
whiled away with thrilling tales of
hairbreadth escapes by flood and
field from the hand of their invet-
crate enemies, the excise men. Than
they who had richer stores of leg
ends, quaint proverbs and true tales,
in which both tragedy and comedy
were mingled9 Who better could
make the fiddle music rise thrillingly
sweet and clear, or soft and sad like
the wall of human sorrow dying
away over the spellbound listenersa
Will Faa had not then lost his hand
in the famous fight at Berwick Mill
and used to take the harvest with
the farmers around. His sister lived
as servant with a farmer near, and
was, my father can remember, I'M
equaled for strength by any of the
laborers there.
On the northwest side of Cheviot
hills there was then spot known as
the Harrow bog-a thick hazel wood,
in which was secret distillery, q ia
vorite resort for the smugglers. Of
ten, says my father. would blind
Jenny and HE chief arrive with
their secret burdens from those re-
cesses and bury them outside, osten-
sib]y coming empty handed for a
nights shelter-but in the early
dawn they departed, thus evading
the officers of the law, and being, ]
am afraid, no way hindered or dis
couraged by the simple hearted folk
around. In those days, and in that
part of the country, at wide turn
ing in the silent old green lanes, on
a common, haugh or among the
hills-there the gypsies in the sum
mer time would lift the cover from
their carts and pursue their calling
i. g., in making and selling heather
besoms, fortune telling, etc.
One gypsy woman, my father re-
members, used to travel alone and
was an object Of great dread among
the younger pembers of the villages.
No one dared to provoke her anger,
so fierce was it. Never without less
than three donkeys, and often three
dogs to guard the contents of the
creels by which she subsisted, she
was a conspicuous and well known
person. Her dress was unique in its
simplicity--a short dark skirt, a
mans jacket, minus its tails, and q
bright kerchief knotted over her
gray hair. She was always bare
footed. Many tale have / heard
concerning the pranks and frolics
played among the gypsy people, but
few and far between anent this an
Gent dame. She was ''uncanny'
and would lay some i'll wish upon the
daring wight that should attempt tC
cross her will. The farmers were
lenient with such trespassers.