The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-04-16

Fashions fondness of Hungarian or
chestras the world over and recent
society scandal in which an American
girl was implicated have drawn the
attention Of two continents to those Gu
rious people called Tziganes Ia Hun
gary, Bohemians in France and gypsies
in England and the United States, says
the New York Times. Hungary is the
home of the Tziganes, in so far as they
have any home. In all other European
countries they were prosecuted for cen
turtles as emissaries of the evil one and
enemies of Christianity. But Hungary
took pity on them and treated the wan
derers like lost children. 1t was in the
fifteenth century that they first made
their appearance there. King Sigis-
mond received them Hospitality and
recommended to the charity and pity
of the public these poor, wandering
people, without a home and bounded
by every one"
There are now about 100000 of these
Tziganes in Hungary. They may be
divided into three classes-those who
go bareheaded and barefooted, the wan
dering gypsies; those who wear head
gear and shoes on Sundays, the semi
nomads, and those who always wear
hats and shoes, and who have to a
great extent abandoned the nomadic
lives of their ancestors. These latter
are the most civilized, and are general
ly musicians, who excel in the playing
of Hungarian tunes. When the Til
games arrived in Hungary they were
not trained unsteady, but they soon APP
propriated Magyar music, and out Of it
have made a crude and weird art of
their own. Their favorite instrument
is the "bas ALA" as they term the
violin. Some play the harp, but they
have d marked aversion for the piano
for the reason that it cannot be easily
moved about. In Hungary no fete or
festival takes place without Tzigane
orchestra, At election times a Tzigane
band always heads the electoral pro-
cessiOns, and no wedding is considered
complete without their music for the
dance. The Tziganes have become ma
tural musicians, playing from inspira-
ton, and generally being unable to
read music. List, who made a study
of the Tziganes, says that music is to
them a sublime language, a 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 favorite abodes of these
strange people is near the frontier of
Croatia. 1t is there that the typical
Bohemians 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
single room, unless the owner is ex-
tremely well-to-do, and generally de-
void of furniture. The Tziganes eat
and sleep on the bare boards. At all
times of the day there is a smolder-
ing fire in the hut, over which hangs a
sandstone pot, for the Tzigane has no
fixed hour for his meals, but eats
whenever he feels hungry. The ordi-
nary bill of fare consists of potatoes,
stews, milk and lard. On festive occa-
sions such tit-bits are INDUCED in as
hedgehogs, foxes and squirrels. Cats
are considered by the Tziganes a
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 a
couple Of days and then cooked under
hot Goals in a hole in the ground. The
Tziganes have partially for the flesh
of dead animals, and whenever a farm
or a 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 a rule, go about
half-naked, the young girls wearing
nothing but a small apron, excepting
when they go to the neighboring town.
The men wear but little clothing. ard
until the time of their marriage. at
between II 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. CASTOR
garments of some Magyar nobleman
they have great weakness for, and
when they are 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 a fixed residence like to roam
about when they feel so inclined. Sc
firm is this wandering instinct witt
Ahnrn that thew have M word in liz.