Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1900-05-19
A WANDERING PEOPLE.
Many Efforts Have Been Made to ssSs&
fIe,, the Tzi5anes-

up the population of that heterOgene-
Gus geographical expression termed
the Austro-Hungarian empire GER
tainly the most interesting are those
curious people called Tziganes in
Hungary, Bohemians in France and
Gipsies in England and the United
States Hungary, says the Home jour
nal, is the home of the Tziganes, in so
far as they have any home. In all
other European countries they were
prosecuted for cen uries being emil +
ssaries 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 10000 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
Iziganes may best be seen. Their
camps are always set up at some dis
lance from the nearest town or viii
lage; 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, and are generally devoid of
furniture The Tziganes eat and
sleep on the bare boards. All times of
the day there is a smoldering fire in
the hut over which hangs a sandstone
pot, for the TZigane has no fixed hour
| Tor his meals. but eats whenever he
feels hungry. The ordinary bill of
fare consists of potatoes, stews, milk
and lard On festive occasions such
tidbits are INDUCED in as hedgehogs,
| foxes and squirrels. Cats are consid-
cred by the Tziganes a princely diet
and they train dogs to hunt hedge
1 hogs and foxes.
Izlgane women, as a 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 time of their marriage (be-
tween II and Is Vars of age) they al
so go almost naked. After marriage
however, they attire themselves in the
guady Hungarian national costume
OF which they are very proud. Cast
off garments of some Magyar noble
man are particularly priced, and when
they are able to obtain a bright red
coat their satisfaction is complete.
The Tziganes have a horror if work
or restraint of any kind. Even those
who have a fixed residence like to
roam about, when they feel so inclin-
ed So strong is this wandering in
stlnct with them that they have no
word in their language to signify re-
MAN. Most of the trades they adopt
are suitable for a nomadic life. Tbey
are either horse dealers, blacksmiths
shsep shearers, or, and above all, beg
CARS 1t is quite impossible to take a
country drive through some provinces
OF hungary without coming across a
Dand of Iziganes, some one of whom
VIII surely follow carriage for half
an hour or more until he has received
COIN The Tziganes have given
themselves the nickname of ssDoor
men, and the habit of begging is so
thoroughly rooted in them that even
"elI-to-do members of their race.
whom one occasionally meets in Buda-
pest, driving pure-blooded horses and
wearing costly jewels, cannot resist
the temptation of asking for money.
Many unsuccessful attempts have
. been made to restrain the vapabond
Dropensities of the Tziganes The
Emperor Joseph II. once tried to com
pei them to have fixed residence.
ana allotted them land, distributed ag-
rlcultural implements among them.
and ordered them to cultivate their
acres But, instead, of taking up
thelr residence in the comfortable
homes they had been presented with.
the Tziganes turned the houses into
stables for their horses and cows. and
set up tents nearby for their own use
10 prevent the corn given them for
seed, from sproqting, they boiled it.
But the Emperor was not discouraged
He abolished the Tzigane language as
ne 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 educa-
ted by German and Hungarian farm
ers, who were to bring them up ac-
cord1ng to a strict code of discipline.
But the little Tziganes grew up with
all the instincts of their race, and at
the first opportunity escaped and re-
Joined their parents.
A few years ago a Tzigane who had
been adopted as 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 a
band of wandering Tziganes List,
the great pianist, once tried to tame
a young Tzigane He took the boy to
Paris, gave him teachers and tried to
bring him up in a conve. .i,nal man
ner; but the effort was useless and
the young Bohemian had to be sent
| back to his native land. There are a
few exceptions which prove the rule
for in Pennsylvania some peasants
are Tziganees, and enjoj a well de-
served reputation for thrift and intel
hgence- Others in Transatlantic have
become woodcarvers, masons and
dentists.
Captain Charles Loeffler, the presi-
dents confidential messenger and