Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-10-02
Polish Gipsies Ruled by Their Own
King Recognize No Laws But His
Strongest and Wt Man. Chosen by Delegates the Tribes Guide Them and Dis
Must Give Up His Wandering Life and Settle n
Place Where His Rowing Subjects May Always Find Him.

FOR anybody, and get them married and
done with"
a shout Of approval went up at this
and the men from the horse
stealer's family began TO beat on cop
per saucepans as a sign that the cere-
mOny was about to begin. The bride
emerged from the tent laughing and
dragging her groom by the hand, and
somebody put n rough table before the
king. who produced a tattered notebook
from the depths Of his neither garments.
The king spoke. or rather shouted. em-
phslsiZing every few words by bringing
his muscular hand down on the table.
wilt thou pay $3.50 for thy sons
bride?" he began. A voice answered
something that was interpreted as
Yes"
wilt thou take $3.50 and be salts
fed?" was the kings next question, TO
which the same answer WAS given.
Then where IS the money!"
AN IMPORTANT PART.
This demand was followed by a long
silence and much pressing forward.
The counting of the money which
was I'm gold. silver ana notes took
more than half an hour and seemed
10 be the most Important part Of the
whole ceremony First, the bride
it from a ragged-loolxing bag and laid
it reRretfully on the table; then the
king counted it. declared Il TO be right,
and called tho brides grandfather, who
could not count above / 2 and got into
hopeless muddle. from which the
fat gypsy aided by many spectators.
rescued him.
Al last, however, II was counted, and
the little man solCmnly declared that
B. mn aaftaHnH a al
out his hands 10 take the money. but
was sternly rcprmandcd by the king
who babe him wait as the marriage
was not over and the money would
not run away. His last remark was
received with loud laughter. and the
old man shrank back. though his lit
tie black cNea never left the bright
heap. After the usual signal Tor Sic
lence had been given, the king turning
TO tho bridegroom said. with rough
dignity that saved even these primi-
tive proceedings from being anything
Ike a farce:
MARRIED FOR FIVE YEARS.
"Vaslli Vasilovitch! Dost thou
swear 10 take this girl TO be thy wife
for Ave years, and n she suits thee and
bears thee children. 10 take her 10
church at the end Of that time and
II she does not suit or has children
90 that thou shall want 10 put her
aside dOst thou swear 10 come TO me
10 give you n divorce. and, II she has
been faithful 20 thee during this timo,
wilt thou not demand the money back
from her parents2'
The bridegroom made an inaudiblo
reply, and the king, turning 60 tho
bride. went on.
"Kala Osipovna. dost thou swear 10
live with this man as his wife for i've
years, 10 be faithful 70 him. and n he
raits thee aud thou him, 10 20 20
church with him at the end OF that
time and TO marry him' And m th0u
dost not want 90 live longer with him.
wilt thou swear 10 come first 20 me
for a diyorcef"
She answered loudly and nodded
her head Then the king turned 10
her grandfather and mother:
"And YOU and your Successors and
sons, win you swear that, II the wom-
an be divorced for faithloEsnoss. YOU
viii return half the sum ?"
They murmurcd agreement and
then Knminski put a ring ON the
brides finger and on the bridegroom
wrote something IN his book, told the
newly married pair whore they were
10 make crosses. and declared them 10
be man and wife according 10
gipsy custom. Only half of tho sum
agreed upon was paid 10 the old man.
the rest remaining I'm the kings care
an the ave years trial was over Tho
arrangement was made because the
bridenoom's parents wished for A. In
most cases all the marriage money"
az II As called, is paid 90 the brides
parents al once.
Then everybody repaired 10 tho 0th-
ar end ~ the eucaununnDf Vghrra
some large bottles Of vodka. few
pounds Of sausages ana several loayes
~ bread were spread out before one
Of the tents This feast was partaken
~ I'm the most primitive manner
plates being unknown and am drSuk
the brides health in "a couple OF en-
ameled mugs. Then the dancing
began.
soon after. a. 1 WAS turning 70 so.