The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04

with the Cossacks OF the Don. In the
present swarming they apparently left
the extreme east Of Europe about 1870
and were identified by competent observ-
ers In Germany in 1906.
That which serves TO establish their
identity as band Is the peculiar and
ancient art which they practise. the re-
pair OF copper kettles. This art was also
observed five centuries ago during their
last great wandering and the method
then in use seems not TO have changed
In any degree
The first thing to do Is TO get cracked
coppers to mend. In this all the members
OF the band go from house to house with
an eye open for an old fashioned big
chimney stack, sure sign that coppers
are stll in use. They pay particular at
tenton to brewers, pickle makers and
manufacturers OF Jams and other fruit
products. and soap boilers are by no
means neglected. Unable to speak Eng
lish. these ooppersmiths conduct their
negotiations through the aid OF such in
terpreters AS they can pick up usu-
ally sedentary British gypsies who can
manage some understanding OF the cor
rupt Romany which these foreigners
employ.
Quality Of Work Excellent.
Their negotiations are very simple.
They charge four shilllngs a pound for the
new copper put into pot and allow a
shilling for the old copper taken out. The
quality of the work Is better Than any
that can be done by English copper
smiths. for every patch is brazed into
, place flush with the surface and there are
no seams and rivets. While the terms on
which they contract to work are appar-
emily simple and the work is wonderfully
ine. they are full of tricks, When they
get II copper into their hands they weigh
Il In the presence of the owner and after
repairs they weigh It once more and or
the difference OF weight he must settle
But the weights are all foreign and the
British tradesman has no means of keep
| ing tally on unlicensed scales. Accord
! ingly their work proves very expensive. al
I times amounting to more than the cost OF
a new pot, and disputes are frequent and
worry the police.
The men look prosperous. in fact they
| have very large amounts of money In
| their belts, The distinctive articles OF
! garb are the unfamiliar sight OF boots
with trousers loosely tucked In at the knee
and coats and walstcoats heavily marked
with patterns OF braid and decorated with
buttons of silver These buttons are fire.
quently as large as hens eggs and always
! finely polished. AS mark Of his rank OF
evidence OF his greater wealth the chief
OF the band Is decorated with gold buttons
representing high money value.
| The band lives in tents, for which II II
! necessary to rent empty ground Or
their first arrival In Liverpool they rented
| a disused drill hall in when TO put uT
their tents, and there they lived until thu
officers OF health found II necessary &c
dispossess them Despite their wealth
TIE women go out to beg and pride them
selves on their skill in wheeding coppers
to lie In their pockets with sovereigns OF
their own or gold money OF half th'
countries OF the world. They are too laz,
to tell fortunes, though they understand
the art. They sell amulets and othel
charms. They perform the trick Of thu
boiling water In the cold goblet quite as II
Is practised In India. probably the frs
time that this trick has been produced IL
| England.