The morning times., 1896-12-13
A
Ron1any
Rye.
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Parto the glory of knowing Romany lies
ia the fact that ii is not in books and must
be learned from the gypsies themselves,
and The gypsies the world over make II
g. kind Of secret and viii speak 1T or
teach il only when they are very good
friends with YOU They like 10 nave IL
as a mystery just as children like 10 make
Hp GiboeIsn tnat tney taih win their
chuns and outsiders didn't understand
Charles a. I.rIaHd, tne aLJl.oT "a the
Hans Breitman ballads, knows more of
these people ana Jhrif language than any
other American; and there are very few
proDIe in The world that know 50 much.
and gypses in America and England and
AusJna and RassIa KNOW him ana love ham
ANA call him The Romany Rye u q IS
gypsy gentleman, because they think no
one can understand them well who is
not partly = gypsy himself
Mr. Leland loves TO meet strange gypSles
and speak 10 them in Romany just Ia see
fu.Ir a>tonIShp n ANA nal.gJJ. a.i.4 nr mas
had a great many funny experiences i'm
that way.
One time he was making a walking tour
in wales with Professor Palmer, OF Cam
bridge EnNerSity anu aS they lHncncd by
the roadside There came by The dpCpnteAt
and poorest OF old women; she acted as If
She were gong TO PASS them. but they
spoke 20 her and asked her about herself;
she said she was walkingto a town, twenty
miles way, To see her daughter, who was
q Gying ln tltc hos pita! Thara, Sh . seemed very
sad. but quiet and resigned. for she was
very religious: she WAS a Methodist, she
said. and had 4 letter from her pastor
IN her pocket; she said she had been "A
waSherwOman for forty years; the gentle
men asked her If she had any money, and
,Hfyl
their hands started for their pockets. but
just then Mr.. LELAND, looking up suddenly,
caught very gEpsy-lIke gieam ia her eyes,
and he. paused with da wHing wonder in
his mind: he said suddenly.
'"Can tute rakker Romanes, mIri dye
which being interpreted means, can you
speak ROmany. my MOTHER and she
ans Swered be wiideTedly:
The Lord forbid, sir, that / should
speak aHy of them wicked languages
Prof. Palmer IS 3 great Ronany scholar
himself, and he now drew his hand out Of
his pocket and waited with Frightening
eyes Mr.. Leland now said i'm Romany:
lyon needn't be afraid; I've been
upon the road myself
La, sir, you be upon the road now
exclaimed the old woman in confusion,
whereupon Prof. Palmer cried out:
at seems to me, old lady, that you
understand bomany remarkably wei for
Euch a oevout Methodist
The simple old Christian looked from one
tC the other, speechless, and then Mr..
Leland took out one penny and sad:
There, III give you this because you
are such very poor person, but III give
you a pccketful If you'll rakker"-that is
talk Romany.
when the gypsy saw she was not going
10 get into trouble. hut that the gentlemen
were ready 10 enjoy the whole trick, aCT
face Frightened with witchlike fun, and
she put hand on her hip and said in
Romany:
''Genllemen, IN have you know when
you talk 10 me You talk TO a regular
shrewd old trickster,' and then she turned
TO Mr.. Leland and cried loyOusIy: Il know
who you are now; you re the baro Romany
Rye the tall gypsy gentleman I've heard
about I've wanted TO see you, and now
you can SO your way and brag about L
in your house, that Old Moll of the Roads
couldn L take YOU in, that you found her
out; and well may you brag. for never
another rye VIII say as much. Never
And after she had play at telling IN hir
fortunes, because she did not try to make
gentlemen who knew SO much believe
in such doings. she danced away back
ward in the sunshine, Tattling her money
in her hands, as agile and happy as a
deer in the forest
But though gypsies never believe in their
10 palm off their prophecies on those who
know their tongue and their ways they
always think there is such a thing a 5 true
fortune telling and sometimes when they
find that Mr.. Leland knows more Rnmany
than they do, and more about eypSies
the world over, they will beg him 10 tell
their fOrtunpS-and he will look at their
palms SUudiOuSly and do it! His friends tell
him that this is the height OF all cheek
TO start IN 10 tell gypsy girls their fortunes
Leland delights in playing many tricks
that are very gypsy-lke in spirit Wood is
scarce IN England, and every twig is looked
upon as property, and to take one is TO
steal one evening when he was walking
III the country in England he came in a
remote lane on little gypsy hoy dragging
along bag full Of wood. ii was clear
enough that he had neither begged or
bought IT, and he cast a frightened despair
Ing look At the well-dreSsed gentleman who
had caught him, but the well dressed gentle
man sad, LariShan,' which is ROmany
Tor how do you DO, and offered 20 carry
his wood for him.
The load was much too heavy for the
little fellow; up it went onto the gentle
mans broad shoulders and the pair start
ed for the little hut hidden away in the
copse, Leland said To the child in Rumauy
I'VE must be very careful and not let the
police see US, and that remark established
perfect confidence between them.
The mother saw them coming ana came
out TO meet them fun of fright. for she
Thought ner sman son was going 10 be ar
rested, but tie stranger threw down the
wood and said in cheerful tone and
In her own tongue:
Mother, here is ONE wood we've beer
stealing for gou." TIE poor woman fair
gasped with astonishment, and made half
articulate sounds when She tried o speaE
and her mysterious visitor disappeared b..
the gathering dusk without another wore
All these things are told though among
the gypsies all over England and even
get printed about from one side of IL,
ocean TO the other, and Mr Leland is We