The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-10-08
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The gypsy is not fond OF entertain
ment He is more or less OF a grub,
eating, sleeping and, between times
plying his crafty trade of trying TO get
something for nothing from folk who
have worked honestly for their sub
stance.
The gypsy preserves the same liv'
ing traits which have characterized
him for centuries. 1t is commonly
thought the gypsy originated in Egypt
the country from which he gets his
modern name. Students Of the races
have proved in recent years beyond
any question Of doubt that the gypsy
is of Hindu extraction. and that the
first gypsies came into Europe in the
train OF Bait Khan, when that follower
OF Alexander swamped Russia with
his Tartar hordes. The gypsies bear
physical resemblance to the low-caste
Hindus, having dark eyes, bronzed
compilations, black hair and wiry
bodies.
The tricks Of the gypsies, who have
specialized in playing upon the weak
nesses Of superstitious folk, have been
handed down for many generations,
and it takes little instruction on the
part of parents 10 teach their young
the gypsy tricks. Some of the men
are handsome, and some Of the young
girls are beautiful, although their
beauty does not last many years.
The gypsies are robust, their out
door life making them hardy. The
mothers give their babies fairly good
care, and the babies thrive as a gen.
eral rule. The compulsory education
laws in the different states do not
apply to the gypsies, for they do not
remain in one place long enough to
send their children to school. In
handwork, some Of the gypsies are
we'll skilled, the women with the
needle, and the men with tinkers'
tools, which they use in repairing
their movable homes. AS blacksmiths
some of the gypsies are experts, shoe
ing their own horses and, occasional
ly, making a business of shoeing
farmers horses.
In Europe. the gypsy has been per
secuted somewhat, especially in Rou'
mania, where, for many years he was
held in slavery. being forced to do the
hardest work and to live in almost
naked slovenliness., He has risen out
of that state now, but is still held
down more or less.
All gypsies are fortune tellers, and,
over the cards or over palms they rat
tie off the most arrant bunk"
The American gypsy, as the gyp-
sizes on the other side, has no par
ticular tribal food. He is perfectly
willing to consume any sort Of food
others produce. He is not a particu'
lar feeder" and he eats as many
cold meals as hot meals when he is
on the road. The women are experts
IN roasting or broiling chickens over
open fires, for the gypsy men are ex'
perts in picking up tempting fowls
they meet along the road.
The gypsy is a great bread eater,
and he'll stow away loaf, butterless,
as he drives along the highway. Oc'
casionally a gypsy family which is
well-to-do and which winters in city
tenement houses, will have on the
road at camp rather elaborate meals,
such as have been suggested to them
by their white neighbors in the tene'
ments.
It will take many years to drive the
thieving traits out of the American
gypsies, who have been particularly
free from police interference. In
some sections of the country, gypsies
are still looked upon as kidnapers, and
they are feared by many mothers OF
little children. There are cases on
record in which gypsies have been
caught with stolen children, but they
are more rare now than they used
10 be, as the telephone in rural dis
.ricts has made the gypsies wary OF
fragrant crimes. Being
nomads and travelling in the spring,
summer and fall in districts which are
not we'll pohced, 1t will be years be-
fore the thieving traits are subdued
IN the gypsies. Dealing with the
United States government in the mat
ter of trading in young women, how
aver, is likely to prove serious for the
greedy gypsies, for Uncle Sam will
run down the swarthy violators of the
Mann act and not be afraid Of the
threats of the revengeful tribesmen.