The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-02-22
EUROPEAN LETTER.
Tour in Spain-An Experience With
the GypSieS.
From Our Special Correspondent.

Nectar of romance and adventure has
not all been drained by curious Americans
and discontinued English and one finds the
people as musical, picturesque and I'M
clean as could be washed. The local color
and life have withstood the paratively little
invasion of travel, and though Granada
with its incompatible Alhambra has been
the goal OF more curiosity and sight seeing
than other Spanish cities it retains many
of its purely characteristic and delightful
features. One of these is the gypsy camp
on the outskirts o! the city. We drove
there late one afternoon and saw the gypsy
in his native lair. Cervantes alone de-
scribes these people as, 'Just as God made
them and oftentimes worse" Education
has never laid her rule or ferule on them;
honesty and morality have passed them in
proximity of cleanliness and godliness is
true the gipsies are way off,. 1t has
been enough for them that they live and
they have never asked those engmatcal
questions whence, why and whittier. Their
houses are caves and we were allowed to
90 through one. The first room was the
kitchen and the last and choicest one the
abode of the pigs. There were many of
these compartments about thes size of steamer
state rooms. and as one CROPPED his way by
the aid Of small candle into the depths OF
the hill, the smell became painfully promi-
nent. The pigs, though, like the gipsies,
were contented and the fact of being kept
in the parlor or spare rooom added no ar,
rogance to their amiable manners. Eyi-
dences OF certain Luxurious tastes were to
be seen IN the cave such as a piece of car
pet before each bed on the earth floor, and
stovepipe running up from the kitchen
fire place. Indeed artistic taste was also
manifest, for hanging over the bed in one
of the rooms was a highly colored adver
tisement of German beer
When we left the cave we were told that
we could see the real and genuine gypsy
dance for the modest sum of seven dollars,
but we declined. Our interpreters after a
consultation with the gipsies told us that
our economy would be respected and the
dance given for five dollars. AS we drove
regretfully away we were again informed
that though it was a great sacrifice and al
together unparalleled in the annals of
history we might see it for three dollars
We accepted this proposition though it
developed that we really payed four dol
lars, the last one being in RECEPTION Of a
counterfeit dollar that had been substituted
for the good one we had given. The coin
was probably product of gypsy ingenuity
and SO for as | know, the transaction may
be one of their established ways Of making
an honest dollar, so to speak. The dance
however, was quite worth the experience.
Accompanied by our two guides and two
policemen who, it was explained were
necessary for our safety and vii" My
added to our general feeling of insecurity,
we went up a dark alley, a darker flight
of steps and into a tiny room where the
orchestra and dancers were assembled. The
orchestra consisted of three men who
played the guitar, mandolin and tambou.
rine. The dancers were four ugly women
and pretty one all gorgeously arrayed in
bright calicoes and with artificial flowers in
their coarse dark hair. The services opened
with frightful song that nearly dealened
the audience, which on account of the size
of the room was within two feet of the
singers. Then the women danced to-
gether-an active, spirited dance such as
kiralfy labors in vain to get. This was
followed by sort of danse du ventre.
There were several graceful figures danced
by the women and then one, LA Hata, -
by the tambourine player and the pretty
girl which was quite the lrettiest Of all,
and would compare favorably with the best
dancers on the American stage. During
the performance | wondered that some
enterprisng American had not imported
them all to America and made his fortune
by putting them on the stage. One does
not find such abandon, animation and
natural grace in the dancers who learn on
chalked squares while they count one. two,
three, one, two, three. The pretty woman
had four month' old baby in the room,
and the little creature actually waved its
arms when the mother danced as though
already interested in its future employ
ment. The father had been sent as q sol
dier to Cuba the mother cheerfully ex-
planned and the cares of maternity and
widowhood sat lightly on her mind. II
was only another demonstration that
women don't always weep while theil
husbands war; and her devotion to the
tambourine player led me to think sh,
might be preparing for the future IF the
worst should come TO the worst in Cuba
We escaped from this place with oul
lives and we were not robbed; the Latter
! because we decided to give them all VT
had and save them the exertion OF takin.
it. AS we drove away l looked among the
children for some Of those that common re
port says the gipsies steal, but | saw none
and Judging from the number that have
been sent in the natural and approved way