Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25

the most lucrative Of their trades is that
of dealing in horses.
Mr.. Smiths early days were spent IN
travelling through the counties of Essex
Suffolk and Norfolk. This travelling was
done in a large wagon, which he declares
was perfectly comfortable. These wag-
ons. which are used by, Eypsies the world
over are really miniature houses on
wheels They cost from three to 81
hundred dollars. and are used only for
travel and during the day. At night the
horses are unhitched and tents are spread
in which the men, women and chiidren
sleep They have no beds. They merely
stretch themselves out on the floor and
cover themselves with blankets.
His Memory Of His Mother.
Mr.. Smith cannot remember what his
mother looked Hike, but the details of her
death have remained str:k, ngly vivid,
I'VE were travelling in Hertfordshire,
hf the family. girl. was taken Ill.
Father hurried to the nearest town and
returned with physician. The latter
did not enter our wagon. He merely took
bne look. Your daughter has the small
pox.' said he., and you must go away at
once He sent US to lane about one
and a half miles away, where father
erected our tent There mother and four or
rs children remained. while father took
the wagon two hundred yards farther
down and stood 1t near an old chalk pit.
From the door he coud Sc, thu tent
clearly and be within call. The wagon
was the sick room and my father was
the nurse. In few days my brother
also had the smallpox, and he. too. was
sent to the wagon Father. being the
nurse, had to spend all his time in the
wagon. Mother had to go Into town TO
buy food and after preparing Il in the
tent. carried it half way to the wagon.
where she put 1t on the ground. She
would then shout wave her handker-
chief to attract fathers attention. ana he
wou'd come for It, Eventually my mothef
contracted smallpox.
..She was buried at night, for the au-
thorities would not permit the funeral
to take place in the daytime In the
afternoon the coffin was placed on chairs
in front Of the tent. waiting for darkness,
and while our little family was watching
and weeping around the tent t.e latter
caught fire and. together with all 1t con-
tanned. was burned to the ground. Sparks
were so furious that nothing could be
done to stop their progress. but strange
to relate. the coffin itself was untouched.
After darkness had fallen an old farm
tween 10 and II o'clock that night my
mother was carried to her grave. Father,
the only mourner. followed her by Ian
tern light"
mother. Gypsy. with his father. resumed
his wandering life. His father, heart
broken over his bereavement, sought
refuge in dissipation and drank a great
deal. The two travelled from village to
village. where the father would play on
an old violin and the SON would take up a
collection. Sometimes. according to the
evangelist, his father would Immediately
spend the proceeds in drink. and when
this happened the boy. now about ten
years old. would take UP a second collec-
ton. the proceeds of which he would
keep. Under such circumstances, the
two naturally led a hand-to-mouth exist
ence. Even food was sometimes scarce.
Gipsys dress at this time consisted of
solitary garment-an overall-which was a
smock frock Of the sort which Is still