The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-01-30


Swiss frontier guards. They asked to
try Germany. I'VE have papers from
the German authorities at Berne to en-
ter Germany" they said, because we
are Germans" And, in fact, they pro-
duced such papers. Twenty days they
remained on the frontier. Germany
refused to receive them; but ION ac-
count Of those papers) France gave
them permission to try again. via Bel
fort and certain roads of the Doubs.
"At Salins We photographed and
measured Them" said NJ. Sebille, "and
we tried to learn something Of their
families. They had as many names
and nationalities as you please. andpa-
pers. too Cat need), more than you
would imagine. Their old gypsy queen.
eighty-five years old, called the Be ule,
or Mother Kakarasca, seemed to pre-
side over ten families of other names,
the Reinhardts. Heints, German, Laga,
Schernots, Meyers, etc. Emile Scher-
nots had German workingman's book
in the name of Kralovitch, Bohemian
At Petit-Croix, on the Alsatian from
tier. eight German gendarmes with
pointed rifles said: You cannot en-
ter-go!" For three weeks they camp
ed outside Belfort, supported by the
French government-'being under ar
rest" Later they sojourned at Suarce
(still at the expense of France), where
they claimed to know by-roads to en-
ter Germany. and asked to be allowed
to break up and get through" wagon
by wagon. The French let them go.
And. now, look-in spite of German
frontier organization, they all actually
got through into Germany!
Before mobilization there was SO
much complaint against them that a
special law had to be made to regulate
them. The law of 1912 had scarcely
got to working when the war broke out
and all complaints against the gyp-
sizes ceased!
How? Why?
THE complaints stopped. That is
ALL"
The law of 1912 gave to the head
Of each gypsy family a formidable
booklet, full of blanks to be filled UP
by mayors of each town or commune
where they stopped-and a number
This family number (printed on each
blank) was repeated in white enamel
on handsome black sheet-iron plates,
as many as each band had wagons.
Gift of the French government. They
OF aa nod 70 hn 70; -
each wagon, so that countryside gen.
darmes might jot them down, running
though the band be in fight! 1t was
beautiful system. 1t will make q
good foundation. again, after the
war
Often tit is repeatedly they were
grand, in their way. They would sell
fine horses to French peasants. cheap
horses which gave complete satisfac.
ton. The Coesre, or prince, would or.
der their copper utensils and kitchen
wear to be repaired by his artisans for
trifling sum; and the work would be
we'll done. They gave amusing shows,
with trained bears and great apes and
dancing girls. Their women, telling
fortunes. bamboozled country wives
Yet the same band. in another com
mune, would obtain all they needed by
threats of fires; and small municipal.
ties would buy them of. in consider.
able sums, to take themselves else
where.
Then the war broke out-and it all
ceased.
"None arrived at the Saintes- Maries
on May % last" volunteered a minor
police official. "A striking indication
1t is. perhaps. the strangest detail OF
the story. Every five years (though
you did not know it) the chief gypsies
of America sailed back to Europe-be.
fore the war. Together with the gyp.
sizes of Syria. the Danube. Germany
Italy. Spain and all the world. they as.
sembled outside a long fishing village