The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-25
GYPSY BOUDOIRS ON WHEELS.
MEPHISTA ON A COUCH FORE
CASTS THE PAST AT CUT RATES.

spanish senorita She With . Somewhat
Variable HistOry-Buckland Family
Has Very Active Press Agent-Mutton
Fat Free with 10 Cents worth Of Luck.
The auckland Family" band Of "genu-
Inc European gypsies," orawled into the
upper corner OF Manhattan Island yester-
day and went into winter quarters. The
press agent-these new century gypsies
carry a press agent-says that they are
real gypsies. Far be 1t from THE SUN re-
porter who looked at the camp yesterday
to doubt the word Of press agent; but the
gypsy complexion must have bleached
good deal in this generation. Some OF the
seventh daughters Of the seventh daugh-
ters are red headed, and talk through their
noses and read family story papers in
their hours Of ease For these are circus
gypsies, fresh from the Danbury Fair and
other up-oountry festivities.
They are camped In a big vacant lot at
21oth street and Broadway. Their method
Of camping Is peculiar to them. 1t ia gyp-
sying made modern. Each Of the wagons
Is q complete boudolr, with stairs, windows,
O ourtained bunk on either side, and, in
most cases, lace window curtains. The
Seventh Daughter Of the Seventh Daughter,
born with veil over her face, sleeps In one
bunk and her family sleeps in the other.
After they've all got up in the morning
and aired the bedding, her husband does
some stunts with the hunks, and the wagon
becomes bower Of beauty, with the seer
ess Eeposng on q ourtained couch amid
Oriental hangngs and college cushions.
Her husband makes collections while she
reads palms and dlspenses love charms
from the couch.
The Queen Of the Camp, according to the
press agent, is La Belle Mephista, She's
q struggling dialect artist with chestnut
hair 30 the press agent gape up trying to
make her a real gypsy long ago. Some
where up In Connecticut he conceived a
brilliant idea 1t worked wonders at the
county fairs, and he has brought 1t to New
York. La Belle Mephista, he says, is q
beautiful Spanish sehorita. who was stolen
by gypsies in her infancy or who joined
the band in her young womanhood. or some
thing. She's undoubtedly Spanish-she
says 80 herself-and as for her beauty,
you can buy her photograph for quarter
and form your own opinion.
La Belle Mephista. in q red headdress
embroidered with coins. looked just like
church festival gypsy as she reclined in
neT DOuuOlT yesterday Willie INC picoo
agent indicated her good points with
walking stick and told the story Of her
life. The wagon is painted bright green,
with yellow trimmings in bamboo effect,
Beside the front door there are orna-
mental rails which look like an old fash
toned whatnot. There is a $500 Turkish
rug on the floor before the couch on which
Mephista reclined. The cushions are all
white, more or less spotless according
to proximity, and each one decorated with
a flowing pink ribbon bow. The walls at
either side are draped with the remains
of an eiderdown quilt and further en-
senting Morning Prayer, and Evening
Prayer" The hangings above Mephista's
head, which look like an excessively antique
portiere, bear festoon Of blue and pink
paper. capped by print of the Vatican
by Moonlight
Mephista dallied with mandolin, while
the press agent made Grafton thus
-Genyuwine Spanish Countess. Attracted
by the free and untrammelled life of the
wing gypsies she took tefuge among
US in the romantic surroundings Of Cadiz.
She was pursued by her father: earl
into distasteful marriage. But her heart
was true TO her gypsy lover. He want
no gypsy. neither, but noble Eye-talian.
attracted like her by the rowing life Of
the gypsies. The orool parent summoned
the police and bore down on the camp.
AS he approached he heard the sound of
gypsy orchestra. He was too late! The
gypsieS was already celebrating the mar
rage rites. Instructed in all the quaint
lore Of the tribe, she has developed n most
marvellous power Of forecasting the past,
present and future"
Come, senior, will bring you luck for
the visitor. He passed her up. A moment
later the sehorita said something cutting
about fresh New York Holsters" from
the back of her boudor to the back Of the
next.
Over by Broadway there was a 1genyu-
wine gypsy family. You could tell that
they were genuine by their finger nails,
They hadn't any boudoir, hut they We're
happy, Just the same. az they sprawed on
their stoinachs and ate mutton stew with
their hands out of the common stewpan.
Come on, sweetheart, tell yo' fortune!"
said the seeress, wiping her hands on her
frien's. yo' got good face. Come on, now.
Only half dolla'. Sayl tell 20 past,
presen' an future for a quarter"
The visitor hesitated and was lost He
his hands while he learned that the past
had been very dark and that some one in
the family had died once, hut that the
future was going to be very. very bright
Come on now, said the seeress, slapping
two babies away from the stow. 81 wanna
Say! One dolla' cheap for gra-at good
luck Won gil, INC one doIla', fey it"
Under norsiasion, the sseress reduced
the quotation on luck to so, then to rs, and
finally TO 10 cents
u only geev No' leotlc lrcll for 10 cents,
SHE said, but yo' come back Christmas an
gsnv me fine prrssnt after luck comes"
She put the 50 cents naivey in her stock
ing and dived into the stew again
The gypsies did o great business yester-
dny with driving and automobile parties
and r'ighbors. The press agent has let
teret signs all around the camp SO that the
wayfarcr can't miss the place. They have
set up cook tents besides the sleeping
wagons, and yesterday they were putting
in floors and stoves. This is their first
experiment with Northern winter, for
usually they go South.
TALKS OF StING ROCK ISLAND