Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-05
CHARMS OF GYPSY LIVING
THE CARAVAN CRAZE SWEEPS
OVER ENGLISH SOCIETY.
Fad Of Wandering From Place to
Place in Wheeled House Of the
Romany Type.
From Parsons Weekly.

From Pearson's Weekly.
The cult of the simple life" has as
sumed many forms In recent years. but
none has secured such hold on all
classes Of society as the caravan craze.
The membership of the Caravan Club
has lately increased by leaps and bounds.
and nowadays it is quite the thing to
spend the greater part of the summer
months wandering from one part OF the
country to another in the ordinary house.
on-wheels of the Roman type.
The. new craze is particularly popular
with actors and actresses. authors and
professional men and women whose orii-
nary vocations entail a tremendous ex-
penditure of nervous energy.
The complete transformation from their
ordinary methods of life, the novelty of
having to entirely "fend" for themselves.
even to Harvesting the pony and cooking
the dinner. acts as a marvellous tonic to
their Jaded nervous systems.
AT the recent annual meeting of the
Caravan Club the turnout Of members
was more than twice as great as any
previously seen in this country.
All sorts OF caravans are now affected
by society. from the humble van convert
ed from the actual use OF the real gypsy
to a palace on wheels drawn by a motor
and costing more than q thousand
pounds.
Luxurious Rowing.
One OF the most luxurious residences Of
this kind is that used by a well known
French nobleman and his wife all the year
round. 1t consists practically OF two
large caravans Joined together. with .
covered-in platform at one end
It Is most deliberately decorated, and
boasts salon. or drawing room. with
no less than three windows. and with
moor space twelve feet long by seven
and half broad. and containing .
charming. little model cottage piano.
There Is a most elaborate miniature
kitchen at the rear. and several bed
rooms. and this Arcadian dwelling is
hauled from place to place by a nifty
horsepower motor car. The walls are all
padded with heavy felt SO as to keep 1t
warm in the winter months, and It Is
lighted with electricity
The French nobleman and his wife
travel all over France in 1t in the sum-
mer months, and in the winter they dwell
In 1t on a piece Of spare ground in the
Bots de BuOlogne in Paris.
Another palatial caravan OF a some
what similar character has toured all
over Great Britain during the last few
years. 1t cost more than a thousand
pounds, and is inhabited by the tray
eler" OF a well known whisky firm.
who finds 1t a most enjoyable way of
tourneying from place to place as well
as an excellent advertisement for his
firm.
Author on Wheels.
One of the first persons to realize the
charms OF the gypsy method of living
was DR.. Gordon Stables. the famous au-
thor, who, after having been many times
around the world. and cruises as far
apart as the Arctic circle and the Indian
ocean, has now settled down as a jour
nalist and author on wheels.
He spends the whole summer In his
caravan. in which he has written more
than hundred books, including Leaves
from the Log of Gentleman Gypsy"
THE Cruise OF the Land Yacht Wander
er" and Health Upon Wheels"
Two years ago Lady Arthur Grosvenor
started the caravan craze in society.
spending a two months holiday in an
ordinary gypsy caravan, doing all her
own work and cooking
She even took out a hawker's license In
the name Of Syiera Lee, and with a
friend sold baskets and clothes pegs from
door to door, after the manner of the
gypsy-born. She was delighted with her
experience. and is now one of the most
experienced of those who would convert
every one into amateur caravaneers