Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-11-14
DEATH OF 4 GYPSY QUEEN.


Jessie Habersham Michele, the
Gypsy Queen" daughter Of A. W.
Habersham. OF Baltimore. who some
years ago left her home to follow the
life of nomad, died Saturday oven
ing at the Seton Hospital in Cincin-
natl, shortly after giving birth to a
girl babe. The dead woman was p
years old.
About five weeks ago the young
woman was carried to a rooming-house
in Cincinnati 10y Gordon Michele, the
gypsy chief. He asked II the woman
might be allowed to stay there until
the child was born. No objection was
made TO this, and DR.. Meade was sum
monod. He, with the help Of dis
trict nurse, cared for the woman until
she became so i'll that they wore COM
PEELED to romove her to the Seton
Hospital. This occurred last Wednes-
day. but she was too far gone to be
saved The child however, is well
and healthy and is being held at the
hospital. The body Of the young
mother will be shipped to the home Of
Mr. Habersham in Baltimore for
burial.
While dying with her baby in her
arms, the mother told OF the hardships
in the gypsy life. 1t was during the
awful storm OF las, Thursday morning
that she was talking with Sister Su-
perior Florentinc, and she said: Hear
that wind and see that lightning y
The sister nodded and the woman
went on to tell OF how in many instances
she had slept undera wagon in such
storm.
You know, sister, l have had a very
hard time with the band, " continued
the dying girl. 1T was work, work,
work from morning till night, nothing
but was very strange to me and which
it was very hard to get used TO. But
after a while did get used to it, though
it seemed to me that the work grew
harder as the days went on. l threw
away my good clothes and dressed rs
gypsy. Ny hair was allowed to float
in the wind, and / soon took on the
complexion OF q gypsy. / became i'll
and they took me TO a homo where the
people were very good to me. | hope
! will die. because | never would feel
like going back to Baltimore nov"
Then she sank away in sleep and died
with her babe in her arms.
Jessie Habersham Michele, the
Gypsy Queen" was the daughter OF
A. w. Habersham, Of Balumore, and
a member OF one Of the oldest and most
respected families OF Maryland. She
created quite q sensation short while
ago, when it became known that she
had married King Jorgas Michele, the
famous leader Of a band OF gipsieS.
Surprise was expressed at the time by
society folk that Miss Habersham
should give up the luxury Of a beauti-
tul home to take up the uncertain life
Of > nomad. But Miss HaberSham ex-
planned it all in few words: / am
tired OF leading the corseted ilie-that
OF member Of society-which in the
end, means but so little have made
my choice and am satisfied with nay
life"
Jessie was the great-great-g grand
daughter Of Francis Scott Key, who
wrote The Star .Spangled Banner"
She was the great-granddaughter OF
Mrs. Marie Lloyd Key, one OF the most
famous beauties OF the south; grand
niece OF Roger B. Tanoy, the justice OF
the Supreme Court who wrote the mo
mentous Dred Scott decision, which
fastened the opening.of the civil war;
cousin Of Lloyd Lowndes, a former gov
ernor Of Maryland; at'great-grand-
niece OF the first postmaster general Of
the United States, and a niece Of com.
msnder in the United States navy.