The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-14
A Schilling & Company
San Francisco

asked her about herself she said she
was walking TO town 20 miles away
TO see her daughter, who was dying in
the hospital there: she seemed very
sad, but quiet and resigned, for she
was very religious; she was a Metho-
dist, she said, and had a letter from
her pastor in her pocket; she said she
had been a washerwoman for 40 years;
the gentleman asked her if she had any
money, and she said no, but she did
not beg; of course, their hands started
for their pockets. but just then Mr..
Leland, looking up suddenly, caught
a very gypsy like CLEAN in her eyes,
and he paused with dawning wonder in
his mind; ne said suddenly:
Can tute rakker Romanes, miri
dye?" which. being interpreted, means.
Can you speak, Romany, my mother?
and she answered bewilderingly:
The Lord forbid, sir, that l should
speak any one of them wicked lam
guages.'
Professor Palmer is great Romany
scholar himself and he now drew his
hand out of his pocket and waited with
Frightening ewes. Mr. Leland now
said in Romany:
You 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 Professor Palmer cried out:
It seems to me. old lady, that you
understand Romanv remarkably we'll
for such devout Methodist
The simple old Christian looked from
one to the other. speechless, and then
Mr.. Leland took out one penny and
said:
There. I'll give you this because you
are such a very poor person, but I'll
give you pocketful if you'll rakker,'
that is. talk Romany.
When the gypsy saw she was not
going TO get into trouble, but that the
gentlemen were ready to enjoy the
whole trick, her face frightened with
witeh-like fun, and she put hand on
her hip and said in Romany:
Gentlemen. I'll have you know when
you talk to me you talk to a regular
shrewd old trickster," and then she
turned to Mr.. Leland and cried joy
ouSly: - know who you are now:
you're the baro Ronnany Rye (the tall
gypsy gentleman, I've heard about.
I've wanted to see you, and now you
can go your way and brag about il in
your house, that Old Mor of the Roads
couldn't take you in, that you found
her out: and well you may brag. for
never another re will say as much.
Never" And after she had PLAYED at
telling their fortunes. because she did
not try to make gentlemen who knew
so much believe in such things. she
danced away backward in the sunshine.
rafting her money in her hands, as
agile and happy as deer in the for
est.
A LITTLE GYPSY THIEF.
But though gypsies never believe in
their own fortune-telling, and will never
try to palm off their prophecies on
those who know their tongue and their
ways, they always think there is such
a thing as true fortune-telling. and
sometimes when they find that Mr..
Leland knows more Romany than they
do, and more about gypsies the world
over. they will beg him to tell their for
tunes-and he will look at their palms
studiously and do it, His friends tell
him that this is the height of all cheek
to start in to tell gypsy girls their
fortunes,
Leland delights in playing many
tricks that are very gypsy-like 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 in the country
in England he came in a remote lane
on little gypsy boy dragging along
bag full of wood: it was clear enough
that ne had neither begged nor bought
it, and he cast a frightened, despair
ing look at the weli-dressed gentleman
who had caught him. but the we'll
dressed gentleman said. -Larishan.'
which is Romany for how do you do
and offered to carry his wood for him.
The load was too heavy for the little
fellow; up it went onto the gentleman's
broad shoulders and the queer pair
started for the little hut hidden away
I o1-
in Romany, We must be very careful
not to let the police see u.s. and that
remark established perfect confidence
between them.
The mother saw them coming and
anne out to meet them, full of fright,
FOR she thought her small son was go
ing to be arrested but the stranger
threw down the wood and said in a
cheerful tone and in her own tongue:
Mother. here is some wood we've
been stealing for you" The poor
woman fairly gasped with astonish-
ment, and made half articulate sounds
when she tried to speak. and her
mysterious visitor disappeared in the
gathering dusk without another word
A ROMANY OFFER.
All these things are told though
among the gypsies all over England,
and even get printed about from one
side of the ocean to the other. and Mr..
Leland is welcomed in many tent
and van and gets many a lesson in
in return; sometimes ne is
offered more substantial favors: once
he happened to stroll over to the
Hampton races in England, the cOster-
mOngers' races, with only six shillings
(about dollar and a half in his
pocket: meeting an old gypsy friend he
gave her a shilling, and said: III
stand for beer. mother, but that's all
can do today, for I've come out with
only shave trim grushi.''
Old Liz took the coin and looked at
it and then at the Romanv Rye; at
last she shook her head and said: It'll
never do. Rye. you ought to have more
than five shillings to see the races
through; regular Romany Rye like
YOU ought 10 throw some money
around for the credit of his people. and
if you want a bar Ca pound, or $50, I'll
lend il TO you and never fear about
it,
Mr.. Leland said he'd pull through on
his five shillinGs, with all thanks to
1is friend hut he was made very hannv