Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-12
ROMANCE AND REAkITY
CONFLICT IN CAMPS OF
GIPSIES ACROSS RIVER
c Complete Metamorphosis
Shown in Light Opera Char
acters in Comparison
With Life
DIRT AND NO GRACE
Little of the Beauty Attributed to
Women of Tribes Found in
Nomadic Community
By M'LIsS


q, This cynical age. Take for instance
,hs question Of glpsies. To the mind
AZ a romantic turn gipsy lassies are
h.lnty creatures appareled after the splc-
.ud-span manner of the chorus OF 1.-The
pohemian Girl" They wear natty pat
.nt-leather pumps of inconsplouous di-
mansions fine silk stockings of an Inn
,oaculate witness, crimson skirts which
thew firt alluringly and crisp chemlsettes
revealing nut-brown throats-clean, of
course.
put that is opera and romance; and
Ma is life Therefore, a distinct shock
|. vouchsafed the visitor to the gypsy
encampment In Camden, where some 80
members of the tribe have pitched their
tents at 9th street and Harrison ave-
nue.. Here they have halted in their
Journey southward to bask in the warm
october sun, obviously mistaiing these
parts for the more blistering regions of
ihe tropics
squatting on the ground in all attitudes,
ranging from that taken by graceful
Grecian damsels to that of a grinning
Buddha, gipsy ladies-fat, thin and me-
dium-gave an ocular demonstration the
other afternoon of the high art of TAX
ing life easy, and taking 1t dirty, too.
From the gipsy point of view there is
nothing incongruous in the mothers of the
race having pipes in their mouths and
babes at their breasts at one and the
same time.
A few dogs, cats and chickens playing
hide and seek over their laps annoy them
not in the least.
Long before the camp was pitched the
ehrill tones of a cheap music-box could
be heard, and when 1 eventually got
there and was invited to squat and listen,
u. 4 1. Ia
OF the gipsy matron are sleeping, eating
and playing "da moosic" for the
sbabees."
The gipsy dame is distinguishable from
the damsel by the silken scarf which she
wears on her head.
"The young girls" said one weather.
beaten-looking gypsy mother with face
like leather, they pretty, they not need
the beautiful scarf"
Around her neck she wore enough beads
10 satisfy an entire Indian village, and
the youngster that she had in her arms
was likewise freighted with them. In
addition to the beads, however, they wear
necklaces far more valuable, made up
Of the gold currency of many lands, and
It is said that If the amount of these
coins were taken the sum would total
several hundreds of dollars.
HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY.
That the gipsies have plenty of money |
Is the opinion of the interested residents |
OF the vicinity where they are camping. |
II was a little girl from this tribe who |
was arrested in Philadelphia the other |
day on the charge of having bamboozled |
q superstitious italian and his wife into |
giving her $76 to avert an impending |
catastrophe. When she was in the |
shadow Of Moyamensing for being SO 1
cever-at least her mother calls 1t clever /
ness-one of the men of the tribe came /
forward and produced $500 bail. He |
seemed to have no trouble in raising the |
amount.
The E-talIan. he gave my girl the
money, she be a fool not to take it."
The old lady snuggled a year-old pa
poose closely to her, turned on a new
record, addressed in the Romany tongue |
harsh rebuke to her 18-year-old swarthy |
son who was inclined to get into the
conversation, and puffed philosophically
on her pipe.
There was a marked absence of men
and young girls in the camp. The for
mer. It appeared. were down at Chester,
looking after the horse business, and the
girls In Philadelphia reading palms, this
being an illegal business in Camden.
'ovER DA RIVER" THEY GO
"over da river our girls CO." said one
Domestic gipsy, who was pressing her
fpouse's trousers on an improvised IRON
ing board outside the tent while the in
Vulnerable bracelets on her arms kept
up musical tinkle during the proceeding.
"beeg money over da river in Philly,
nothin' doin' here. cops won't let"
The tents of the gipsies, like Western
mining towns, are wide open. Even the
fnlckens have access, and II is no unusual
sight to see a comfortable-looklRg hen
perched gracefully on the top of the
nlthy feather beds that mount high in
me air Each tent has one bed, and each
family, quite regardless of numbers re-
poses in the family bed The dogs and
me FOWL have not the privileges of the
ismily resting-place during the night, but
apparently enjoy carte blanche through
out the day.
The gipsies. they good to the animals
ana the babees," one barefooted woman
soiunteered. She. too, had an infant in
ner arms who had its little finger through
"a enormous ring which depended from
~ ~ mothers ears and was hanging on
nAe grim death, to the entire oblivion of |
me wearer Of the ring.
AZ this moment a cop entered the |
ssose, swinging his club nonohalantly.
ane whole atmosphere of the camp un-
shelr heads together and whispered
sIange things in a strange tongue. Even
ne graphophone took on a dolorous tone.
.No iadee, one of the fat mothers
.a.o IN voice loud and impressive
snough to be heard by the officer OF the
we doan tell no fortune here. we
IN permit, and wouldn't tell Won
rne.ner he's going to be dark or light
~ a hundred-dollar note. / wouldn't.
~ essr the river I'm da beeg city you can
'a out but doan come here"
.Te are onieer winked a wise wink.
-ney are knowing lot" he said with
ss.Neuon. And. seeing that they al
~.ss nave plenty OF money with a small
ssesa sspsnolture OF effort, l was inclined TO