The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23


You can no more measure the sea than
you can trust the Creek Except pos
sibly IN the case of the Greek this lack
OF confidence can be overcome as ac-
qua.ntance progresses. When the South
Rumanian decides TO yield a welcome no
person can prove more hospi.able. he
will share his last crust with the stran.
ger whom he admits as guest, and when
that fails he will sally forth to steal
sheep and share the mutton as well
The women play large part in the
family life. they are the great conserva-
tive force in the preservation Of the
national spirit through all the assaults
upon the nationality Of these noun
taineers which past ages rave delivered
in this Caldron Of the barbarian invader
from the north the Scythan from the
east, the Tartar hordes from Asia. and
last Of all the Osmanli who in these
mountains won the mastery Of the
Eastern Umpire of Rome. The love Of
order AID the industry OF the South
Rumanja women is uneXampled among
tre ncighboring peoples. Among the
Bulgars and the Greeks we find the poor
living In houses Of but n single room
and bare of furniture Yet the poorest
OF the settled Walachs have many
rooms Hiteu WIN furniture ana store
Of homespun and other women's gear.
The tasks Of the WaiisCh woman all
lie within the house. she IS never called
upon for field labor. Every article of
clothing is her handiwork. She spins,
she weaves. she sews from years end to
years end When she goes abroad she
| never neglects to carry something with
which her hands may be busy. In the
GaIppiLa ~ thaga
~ their marketing. bK in all their
chaffcring their needles never drop a
stitch IN the stockings they are forever
knitting.
She carries of the palm as the pre-
server of Wallach nationality. The
men are brought into contact with
people Of many diverse nationalities.
l-arn many tongues and for the most
part usc Greek commonly in the towns
when out II doors. Yet AT home he
speaks only his native tongue. for his
wife. even when she knows other Ian.
| guaEes. refuses To speak any other than
Eumanian. Even in the towns where
the new Greek propaganda has estab-
| lished schools for girls and has essayed
| To- denationaliZe the mothers II the fu-
| ture this plan has failed Of success
| thanks to the keen national conserva-
| tism of the women.
The Wallach IS intelligent, Of lively
| disposition and very energetic. His
nclghhors the Bulgars say ~ him, "the
| Wallach was born three days before
| the devil" Proof Of these qualities will
come tn the mind Of such as have met
! the many wealthy Wallach merchants
! in the Balkan lands and in Egypt.
The harshness NJ the political condi-
! tons under which the WallaChs for so
many ages have struggled has led 10
| the formation Of a cryptic speech in
| which many words are wrestcd from
| their literal sense. Thus II is possible
| I, convey news Of Cunspiracles and
| other private matter even when 1t Is
certain that eavesdroppers are listening.
| I.azar presents quite a list Of such
| words, the firsi time such thing has
! been recorded So far rs the Immediately
! available literature shows. \ few eX
amples will prove interesting. The
| Wallach calls the Turk domnu or mas
| ter. the Greek thin, the Bulgar fat
Various towns in Albania which might
repay a raid are spoken Of as springs,
salt. sandal. and not by name. France
| rs called leaf. Austria mouse, Italy
| steamer. Greece thin tongue, Russia red,
| i.nEllnu N'illdlls l'li 0I'N'H ~
as garlic or as crazy chaps. A very
necessary caution in mixed company.
he understands Rumanian," is yelled
under the saying "he Chews cornell
cherries" We md in this distant re-
zion an old acquaintance of an origin as
yet by no means satisfactorily deter.
mined. the bird speech or hog Latin.
This il the product u the addition of
| an artificial or grace syllabe 10 Ia,
FORMAL syilablcs VI the word. Lazar cite
the Rumanian tine uui ,who comes?)
as thus screened from the uninitiated
rs tibiHrbi ribiutbi
Domestic divination Is practised, with
y goes hand in hand the belief in luck
and omens. The best oracle Of the flu
turc is the shouldorhlade Of a roasted
sheep. I.azar enters Conside rably into
tie detail Of this osteomanCy, very
complicated procedure Yet firmly he
!icved in by its practitioners; commu-
aitv which still holds faith in the breast
bone Of goose as establishing long
FRANCE forecast Of the weather Of whole
winter yet to come is in no position to
dcspisc the shccphone OF the Wallachs
Many portents are possible NJ meals
To spill brandy brings evil. 1t can he
avcrted only by spilling water on the
same place. One should never change
places at table, it forecasts descrtion
nv wife or husband as the circumstances
of the case may Indicate. The same
thing will happen If one ncgle"ts to eat
his bread 20 the last crumh, When
ants crawl over the hearth it Is sign
of wealth, hut only II they are small
red ants, for the large ants spell pov
erty and death. The bowling of dog
at night is a sure sign Of death. When
hen cacklcs at midnight 1t brings bad
luck: the only way 20 avert h Is to scn'
the fowl TO a monastery and beg the
monks to sing mass for the giNer
II man stumbles and comes to tn
ground. that is the place 10 dig fol
. treasure. Ringing in the ears is 2
sign that news Is coming fast. To rust
out with one shoe off and one shoe or
will cause the death Of the offe nder''
, mother. II Is unlucky to dream OF q
! priest. It is unlucky on journey tC
meet either a priest or a hare.
III.
The Walachs have a large Legendary
, literature ballads Of past history. folk
, lore, freside tales and songs To Thu
| subject La2ar deyOtcs one nf the mos