Tombstone epitaph., 1915-10-10

The gypsy is not fond of entertain- ment. He is more or less of 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 hv- ing traits which have characterized him for centuries. It 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 Bati 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 complexions. 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 to 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 shoeinS 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- sies 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 particu- far feeder" and he eats as many cold meals as hot meals when he is on the road. The women are experts iI 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 | gy psies. 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 cY on record in which gypsies have been caught with stolen children, but they are more rare now than they used to be. as the telephone in rural dis tricts has made the gypsies wary of committing fragrant crimes Being nomads and travelling in the spring. summer and fall in districts which are not well policed. it 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 ever. 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 revengefuI tribesmen-