Union gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1899-1900, 1900-03-09
ARE AN ODD PEOPLE.
TZiGANES OF HUNGARY HAVE
NO couNTERPARrs.


Retain the Habits of Barbarians in
Spite of RESPONSIVENESS : Raiment
More Scant than Strict Decency Die
tates-Their Reclamation Abandoned.
Among the many races which make
up the population Of that heterogeneous
geographical expression termed the
empire certainly the
most interesting are those curious peo-
pie called Tziganes In Hungary, bohe-
mians 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 CEN
turies as being emissaries Of the evil
one and enemies of Christianity, but
Hungary took pity on them and treated
the wanderers like lost children. There
are now about 15O,O00 Of these Tziganes
in Hungary.
One Of the favorite abodes of these
strange people Is near the frontier OF
Croatia. 1t is there that the typical
Tziganes may best be seen. Their
camps" are always set up at some dls-
tance 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 extremely well to do, ana
are 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 ordi-
nary bill of fare consists of potatoes,
stews, milk and lard. On festive occa-
sions such titbits are INDUCED in as
hedgehogs, foxes and squirrels. Cats
are considered by the Tziganes prince
ly diet and they train dogs to hunt
hedgehogs and foxes.
Tzigane women, as 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, and
until the time of their marriage (be-
tween II and Is years of age) they also
go about almost naked. After mar
riage, however, they attire themselves
in the gaudy Hungarian national cos
CASTOR garments of some Magyar no.
bleman they particularly prize, and
when they are able to obtain bright
red coat their satisfaction Is complete.
The Tziganes have q horror of work or
restraint of any kind. Even those who
have a fixed residence like to roam
about when they feel SO inclined. So
strong 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
nomadic life. They are either horse
dealers, blacksmiths, sheep shearers or,
and above all, beggars. 1t is quite i'm
possible to take a country drive
through some provinces Of Hungary
without coming across band Of TIL
games, some one Of whom will surely
follow a carriage for half an hour or
more until he has received a coin. The
Tziganes have given themselves the
nickname Of poor men" and the habit
Of begging is SO thoroughly rooted in
them that even well-to-do members of
their race, whom one occasionally meets
In Buda-Pesth, driving pure blooded
horses and wearing costly jewels, can
not resist the temptation Of asking for
money.
! Many unsuccessful attempts have
been made to restrain the vagabond pro-
pensities Of the Tziganes. Emperor Jo-
seph II. once tried to compel them to
have fixed residence, and allotted them
land, distributed agricultural imple-
ments among them and ordered them to
cultivate their acres. But instead of
taking up their residence in the COM
Portable homes 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
he had already done away with the
Magyar language; did away with the
very name 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
a strict code of discipline. But the little
Tziganes grew up with all the Instincts
of their race, and at the first opportuni-
ty escaped and rejoined their parents.
A few years ago Tzigane who had
been adopted as a child in an Austrian
family entered the army and rose to the
rank of captain. One day, without any
warning, he disappeared. and six
months later he was found among
band Of wandering Tziganes. Liszt, the
great pianist, once tried to tame young
Tzigane. He took the boy to Paris,
gave him teachers and tried to bring
him up in a conventional manner, but
the effort was useless and the young
bohemian had to be sent back to his
native land. There are a few excep-
tions which prove the rule, for In Tran
sylvania some peasants are Tziganes
and enjoy a well-deserved reputation
for thrift and intelligence. Others in
Pennsylvania have become wood cary
ers, masons and dentists.-Home Jour-
nal.
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