Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-04-02
GYPSIES or FL HUNGARY
rzIeANEs, WHO FURNISH THE "HuN-
i. eARIAN oRcHESTRA5."

All Attempts TO Civiiize Thcm-A Weird
Lot Of Musical Tramps.
Fashions fondness for Hungarian or
chestras tho world over and recent soei
ETY. scandal in which an American girl
was implicated have drawn the attention
OF two continents to those curious people
called Tziganes in Hungary, Bohemians
in France and gypsies in England and the
United States. Hungary Is the home of
the Tziganes in so far as they have any
home. In all other European countries
they were prosecuted for centuries as ennis
saries of tho evil one and enemies of Chris
tianity, but Hungary took pity on them
and treated the wanderers like lost chill
dren. 1t was In the fifteenth century that
they first made their appearance there.
King Sigismond received them Hospitality
and recommended to the charity and pity
of the public these poor wandering peo-
PIE, without home and bounded by every
one"
There are now about $50, 900 of these
Tziganes in Hungary. They may be d.
yided into three classes-those who go
bareheaded and barefooted. the wandering
gypsies; those who wear headgear and
shoes on Sundays, the seminomads, and
those who always wear hats and shoes and
who have to great extent abandoned the
nomadio lives of their ancestors These
latter are the most civilized and arc gen.
orally musicians, who excel In the playing
of Hungarian tunes.
When the Tziganes arrived in Hungary,
they were not trained musically, but they
soon appropriated Magyar music, and out
Of 1t have made a crude and weird art of
their own. Their fayorite instrument is
the "bas ALA, as they term the violin
Some play the harp, but they have mark
ed aversion for the piano, for the reason
that it cannot be easily moved about. In
Hungary no fete or festival takes place
without a Tzigane orchestra. At cleo
ton times q Tzigane band always
heads the electoral PROFESSIONS and no
wedding Is considered complete without
their music for the dance. The Tziganes
have become natural musicians, playing
from inspiration and generally being IN
able TO read music. Liszt, who made
study of the Tziganes, says that music is
to them a sublime language, O mystic
song, which they often make use of in
stead Of conversation, and that they have,
in fact, invented music of their own.
One of the favoritc abodes of these
strange people is near the frontier of Gro
alta. 1t is there that the typical Bohemi-
ans are seen at their best. Their camps"
are always set up at some distance from
the nearest town or village, often in close
proximity to some forest. The Tzigane
huts-for they are nothing more-consist
of a single room, unless the owner is ex-
tremely well to do, and generally devoid
of furniture. The Tziganes eat and sleep
on the bare boards. At all times of the
day there is a smoldering fire In the hut,
over which hangs sandstone pot, for the
Tzigane has no fixed hour for his meals,
but eats whenever he feels hungry. The
ordinary bill of fare consists of potatoes,
stews, milk and lard. On festive occasions
such titbits are INDUCED in as hedgehogs,
foxes and squirrels Cats are considered
by the Tziganes princely diet. Dogs are
trained to hunt hedgehogs and foxes. They
have a, peculiar manner Of cooking foxes.
They are placed in running water for
couple of days and then cooked under hot
Goals in hole in the ground. The Til
games have Partially for the flesh of dead
animals, and whenever farm or stable
takes fire they rush to the scene in the
hope of finding the carcass of some dead
animal. Like certain oriental races, they
use their fingers in conveying food to their
mouths.
Tzigane women, as rule, go about half
naked, the young girls wearing nothing
but small apron, excepting when they
go to the neighboring town. The men
wear but little clothing, and until the
timo of their marriage, at between 10 and
10 years of age, they go about almost
naked. After marriage however, they
attire themselves In the gaudy Hungarian
national costume, of which they are very
proud. Cast off garments of some Magyar
iobieman they have great weakness for,
and when they arc able to obtain bright
red coat their satisfaction is complete.
The Tziganes have horror of work or
restraint Of any kind. Even those who
have fixed residence like to roam about
when they feel so inclined. So firm is this
wandering instinct with them that they
have no word in their language to signify
remain" Most of the trades they adopt
are suitable for a nomadic life. They are
either horse dealers, blacksmiths, sheep
shearers or, and above all, beggars It is
quite impossible to take country drive
through some provinces of Hungary with
out coming across a band of Tziganes,
somo one Of whom viii surely follow
carriage for half hour or more until be
has received q coin. The Tziganes have
given themselves the nickname of "poor
men" and the habit of begging is SO thor
oughly rooted in them that even we'll to
do members Of their race, whom one occa-
sionally meets in Budapest driving pure
blooded horses and wearing costly iewels.9
cannot resist the temptation of asking for
money.
Many unsuccessful attempts have been
made to restrain the vagabcnd propensities
of the TEiganes. The Emperor Joseph II
once tried to compel them to have q fixed
residence and allotted them land, distrib-
uted agricultural implements among them
and ordered them to cultivate their land;
but, instead of taking up their residences
In the comfortable houses they had been
presented with, the Tziganes turned the
houses into stables for their horses and
COWS and set up tents near by for their
own use. To prevent the corn given them
for seed from sprouting they boiled it.
But the emperor was not discouraged.
He abolished the Tzigane language, as be
had already done away with tho Magyar
language, did away with the very narne of
Tzigane and finally took their children
from them to be educated by German and
hungarian farmers, who were to bring
them Up according to strict code of disci-
pline. But the little Tziganes grew IN
with all the instincts of their race, and AT
the first opportunity they escaped and re-
Joined their parents Macy Karpad Cor.
New York Times.