The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
GYPSlES MEET PROSPERITY.
THEY ARE DOING BETTER HIRE WOW
THAN ETER BEFORE

land, Now in Camp AZ East Chester
More English Gyps,es Mere Thsn I'm
Engiand-So Gypsy Queen ReiEninE.
There is gypsy camp near the old East
Chester Tavern at East Chester. The bands n
branch Of the auckland family. which is scat
tered all over England and America. There
are dozen tents. several vans. and a large
nun Der OF horses in the camp. II is charac-
teristlc gypsy camp and Is somewhat OF a nov
city to city folk. The women tell fortunes and
sell lace and fancy goods and trlnkets and
magic charms and medicines. while the mon
trade horses. The head Of the band is old
Plato Buckland He Ia grizzed aad weather
beaten, yet does not look his 81 years. He was
born and has spent most OF his life in Eng
land; he has been in America for ten years.
&" Nishto HON me diknrn int" II am glad TO
see YOU. he said. extending his hand TO n
visitor who had addressed him In Romany. and
there is no doubt that he was. gypsy Is as
delighted to meet stranger or friend who
speaks Romany as he is to make shrewd
horse trade. After making Ills visitor COM
Portable rato told OF himself and his FAMILY. Of
the Smalls. the Penfolds, the Coopers. the
Stanleys and all the rest % the gypsy families
east of the Mississippi River whom he had re-
crnty seen in tho South. and talked Of many
things Of interest to the Gypsy.
Plato Buck land is one Of the oldest and bsst
known RynSleS IN lnlS country. ne w Well
vcrscd in Romany ana ia especially well known
to philo!ogists who are interested IN the gypsy
tongue He is spoken Of frequently by Charles
G. Leland. the greatest American authority on
gvpsics. who knew him in England He
was born 81 years ago In England. and s
the son OF Henry auckland. There were Ave
brothers. all OF whom were trained to be horse
traders. Plato himself was trndinR horses
when he was little more than II ycars Old. 1t
is to be feared that his conscience In
horse dealing is not very sensitive. for he
laughinEly tells how he cheated an old farmer
on horse at that age. At 16 ne owned his
own van and wont travelling In England. some
times with his father and brothers sometimes
alone. When he was about II he fell in love
with Elizabeth or Betsy Small. who was about
his own age. and was the seventh daughter OF
Simeon Small. an old English gypsy. By the
way. she now has. q seventh daughter herself,
about Il years old. whose name is Pearl; and
with great skill IL the gypsy belief holds good.
His wooing was cnt short by the Smalis COM
cSa set He mons e
and =, return 70 the camp Of the smalls; fol.
lowed by the parental forgiveness and blessing
to's van to earn their living ,ossther. Pla!o
lace and fahcv work and did the cooking. AZ
ter flre.ye honeymoon spent In travelling
BACK t to knaand About te T' Years ago they
returned to this country with a large family;
since ana tS SS f% wo ssTsS
ters and one son have married into the Peniold
family and have further multiplied the grand.
ifteop., Mrs. Buck land when asked how many
grandchildren she had said
"Lor' bless ye never counted en-.
They live in a land OF perpetual summer, 60
ing South in the winter and coming North IN
SeT york a sprne and alter spending
several weeks in this vicinity. go on up the
State. Sometimes they 60 as far west as Ohio
me BagEpnds sys well R to do The :ss o
It's interior is arranged for ores conyenience and
ru@ ssa sA TsHd
surprising to see Gypsy travelling in
SSGins p.a:Dss! IT. usual, sssssa +;
$sr q horses an. snd some really good ,ewsilI s
sna she nsns HSps
box full OF trinkete. some heirlooms In the
8s%eSn hmss and BE- fs a
auckland holds some thousands Of dollars.
srekn Ss OF the gypsy folk In general In this
America. There are more here now than IN
my ntUtT country, Dy IuT why, tHcIc drc uOIS
Eng sh gyEsies IN America than there are, in
England The, Romanys are stronger to-day
arc n
There are many strong families that are seat.
prominent are the stsnleys. who spend TIE
summers q Psst o. the
the Hernes the Towels, ,he drayss The smiths.
| the Whartons. the Caulheds. the CoatelloB. the
| BAiIeyS. the BORyillpS. the BFO00Waya the
tn the @Pes h the are h the
a"Tsn The Romsny e%u'Essnts are as tc
lows; The Grays are Grys, or horse, people; the
Of he h "r The Icrs!s are canmioes.
%s rsS0e the sosvlef are GhupH
Lees, the Purrums or Lee ks: the Stan!eys. the
s Say %c nnTe En and In
instance. Boro-Gav or Big Town Tor New York;
Gay f
Cav or oIdeTown for Boston. N"N - '''>'
bands as ormerly' The families now V split is' 10
int, smaller nall camps which are moved more
Do better. pToportionateiy. than 81 large ones
We are better treated than we used to be. be-
cause The people know Us better and are less
come to sec mo before ! have been there swo
| them and sometimes they chOre me. II get
| the better of them they act like 70 en- and walt
| until next year TO get even. and do the same
| II | nm worsted In the trade.
The L3vcl family Is one e the largest It
now numbers over sixty. They camp every
year across the river In New jersey. The Stan
year on Long Island The gypsy cnmn always
consists Of a single family. often having chit
| dren. grandchildren and great-Rrantchildren
tho death OF Matilda Stanley II, at Dayton,
| O.. q few years ago, the American Ryp-
| The patriarch of each family is its ruler
| jointly with his wife. In case Of the death ot
| either the other remains head OF the family
| alone At the death Of both tho law OF primo
! g"niturc gives the ruling voice to the eldest
this occasion and start new branches. New
| branches are often started before the death Of
| the parents by the older children"