Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-05
FIRST GYPSY TRIBE
HIT TRAIL I'm TAFT
Now Spanish Chief Proposes
to Unite Wanderers Into
! a "RepubIic."

manhattan ShyScfdper-1n MAT
n'andu, or a ZfegfeId revue in Chey-
enne. Broadway electric sign in
Siam-aIl might ne expected to at
tract attention. Conversely, a gypsy
band encamped on Riverside drive
was nine day wonder for New
Workers. And Snany WaShingtonians
made a pilgrimage 10 a small gypsy
tent up the Potomac. Other cities
no doubt are paying their vicarious
tribute TO VaSanondins. or having
y their fortunes told, as these wan
derers, according to their custom.
follow the setting sun.
Despite the rumors that Juan
Sanchez, Vargas, the Spanish gypsy
chief. is thinking of calling n con-
the purpose of uniting them. one Won
ders whether such Il union can ever
be accomplished. in view of the his
tory and characteristics which the
intriguing wanderers have always
displayed says bulletin from the
Washington headquarters of the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
ITO think of the dark-eyed maiden
with rowan berries in her hair and
the picturesque young man of the
coat who trades his horses and
steals our chickens, living in neat
little house in gypsy kingdom of
democracy stretches even a fantastic
1l1dStudtlO ToI SChtuliCS tHSSS
people, in reality. as we'll as in story
books, have followed over and under
the world the little punches of leaves
or grass which form their patrin
leading to the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
where.
George Borrow relates that the
first gypsies made their appearance in
MoldaVia in 1417. and no one seems to
be very certain about whence they
came. The original 5000 increased to
formidable proportions ip century
or two, and Maria Theresa and Jo-
seph II tried to civilize them. with no
success.
had captain whom they honored
with he title of count. To secure the
coveted position this leader had to be
valiant and courageous in the pliiag-
ing expeditions for food and sagacious
and crafty enough to settle their dl--
rutes. For this he was allowed
third of anything that the band stole.
despite their marauding tendencies
and their more or less contemptuouS
attitude toward people not of the
blood they have a code of morals
which contains many excellent re-
Quirements. A true gypsy must not
have a quarrelsome disposition, and
he never reveals the secrets of the
brotherhood. Though they make the
rest of mankind their lawful prey.
they are capable of great sacrifices
for each other. They pledge them
selves never to marry out of their
own sect, nor will they teach their
language to any one not a gypsy by
blood or adoption.
Their DAREDEVIL spirit perhaps has
had a passing influence on most of
the countries in which these wander
ers have lived. AT least England is
accredited with having contracted her
love of horse racing from them. and
they are nearly always to be found
among her jockeys and in attendance
upon her DerbyS.
These might-be children of Cain
are among the most beautiful races in
the world in their youth. Their COM
plexions are dark with a warm rich
color underneath, their faces are oval,
their features regular, and their
bodies 1.-the and graceful. But the ex-
posture to sun, wind, sleet and snow in
a short time so transforms them into
hideousneSS that beautiful youth
who might have posed as st. Michael
for Raphael finds himself g. fit model
for the devil, who commended with his
earlier self as the angel in the pic
ture. :.
pretending a knowledge Of the
metaphysical and dabbling in fortune
telling have always been within the
province of the gypsy women They
have claimed that they could witch
away troublesome ailments of the
heart and have propounded queer love
philters, which, instead of imbuing
the unfortunate taker with a steadi-
ness of aim with his love arrows,
have poisoned his digestive tract sl5
but they realize the monetary value
of the myth concerning their ability
to divine the future, and have since
the beginning of their history CAPT.
talized it. In Spain. where a large
proportion of the race now lives. trav-
elers say that they find neatly white
washed caves lighted by electricity,
and that even gypsy royalty VIII
eaper and career around in fantastic
dances for the coins of a casual Wis
itor."