New-York tribune., 1907-08-24

Twenty wears ago the GYPSY Lore Society was
formed in London. and did good work in pro
noting the study OF important subject. but
its quarterly journal only lasted for four years
Recently the society has taken on new lease
of life and has begun new series OF It's Jour
nal" the first number of which, printed by
Constable has just been sent out from the head
quarters at No Hope Place. Liverpool We
trust that this publication may win generous
support for the making of il is really labor oil
love. and it ministers TO the development OF de-
lightful studies. In the number before us. Mr..
John Sampson has a paper gypsy language
and origin that skfully clears the board for
further contributions to the discussion. In q
brief note on gypsy costume. Mr.. ]. II. Yoxall
suggests that some should prepare mono
graph on the subject. who will study out and
tell us" he asks why yellow is go much a
gypsy color? Was it a sense Of fitness and color
harmony with their compilations which first
made gypsy women fond of yellow 'kerchicfs
and yellow beads and gypsy men so fond OF
yellow neckties? Or it in the origin. the
effect of some sumptuary law. such the Or,
dinance applied to Jews in medieval days. COM
pelng the wearing of distinctive hue? Worn
by medieval Jews, the color of yellow in cos
tune had a separative, contemptuous and de-
grading significance; it ever, for the same
reason, forced also upon the wanderers OF the
roads?"
Mr.. Sampson prints in this number. giving
text and translation in opposite columns, a
Welsh gypsy folk tale, and DR.. Krauss, of
Vienna, communicates in the same form two
tales of Savonic origin. Along with divers other
interesting items we have some hitherto unpub-
Iished pages by the late Charles Godfrey Leland
on Shelta the secret language OF the tinkers
and notes OF his those useful vaga-
bOOdS from Leland as
The solitary. often savage, wanderings of such
nomads induce a silent nabit strange stoicism
which separates them from other men. and casts
years ago TO perceive This peculiar character and
TO study it Thus l remember how once of
tinkers and took them into a tavern and treated
them trSt S thad when hey chose to
their they all spoke better, far better English
assy specens Of ednd 5nG ha
all knew a little Romany. but not much. Thirdly
ferently, while both assured me that great many
1T it.s comes about in this way sir said one.
rather young man They have found out all over
(inkers) better at the business than their own
French being mere bunglers at it. So the people
ihs iises sesd in France having been over there four
I did not know. the time what 1 would bet
! roundy now-that every one of these knew
more or less Shelta and possibly made comments
dertone, even while drinking my health. For that
l. is known rather extensively in London itself
was made known to me son1e years after, fol-
lows: Waiting day the Euston Road or
ST Johns Wood station L fell IN with two small
vaeabond bows who selling groundsel for
birds They were not gypsy but the elder knew
many Romany words, describing in that language
the pitching a tent in manner which indicated
that he was a keen observer. And having tried
hin, in Sheita / found him far familiar with
the tongue that when 1 observed: .'The midas of
fha kena don't grani what were a-tharyln. he
r,ron1ptlv translated it THE gentry of the
house don't know what were a-sayin.
And thereupon gave him sixpence with the re-
mark: -. So, - 49, 49,,