New-York tribune., 1920-09-26
By Fred B. Pitney

l. they camp In the swank hotels
of the Middle West, wear eve
ming clothes by habit and invest
their surplus funds in tax exempt
securities. But in the breeding
ground of the race the gypsy is still
a gypsy. Civilization has not yet
washed his face or chained him to
the fireside. In the hills and valleys
Of the Balkan peninsula the gypsy is
still the horse stealing, fortuae tell
ing, kidnapping chicken thief and
figure Of dirt and wild romance that
he was fer US IN the days when we
believed in Santa Claus and could
see the horns on Old Nick when the
lights were out.
Than God, the war has left US
something besides Bolsheviki and
profteers. 1t had begun to seem
that there was no middle ground be-
tween Red rebellion anu ice cream
for breakfast. But at the moment
when reason totters the gypsy is re-
ed-rediscovered in his pris-
tine dirt and rags and with all his
thieving habits. All the time the
world has been standing on its head
the gypsy has kept his equilibrium
In his mountain haunts and gone
right on robbing hen roosts in the
same old way he did when Ptolemy
II sat between Isis and Osiris.
The Great Deceit
See this description OF the Ho-
kano Baro, Or Great Deceit, per-
formed by gypsies in Bulgaria in
the midst Of the war and described
by Petulengro in the Journal Of the
Gypsy Lore soeietys
Some time after our honorary
secretary had left Rustchuk and his
friends the combmakers, with whom
he had travelled TO that Danubian
city from Varna, received o visit
from q most villainous looking
creature with only one eye and hor-
nbly marked With smallpox. His
skin was dark and he was dressed
in black clothes, Ike an undertaken.
But they were all shiny with over
wear and his trousers were tucked
into his high boots. He wore a
broad-rimmed soft felt hat and he
had a red handkerchief around his
neck. he was accompanied by three
other individuals who were some
what less striking In appearance
than himself and whom he intro,
duced as q brother and cousins,
Having handed me Mr.. Macfie's card
and also a letter of introduction, he
Immediately broached the subject OF
his visit and gave me to understand
that all ] had heard from the comb
makers concerning his power to con.
vert one pound into two, OK, FOR that
matter, FIVE hundred into a thou
aand, was true, and that II ! was
agreeable he would conduct q little
sssnce in my house on the following
day. All that would be required Of
me would be half sovereign and &
tray Of glowing charcoal
Explains His Visis
Having obtained my consent, the
one-eyed one at once became muck
moro confidential and before Ionl
he made known 70 me the real objec
Of his visit. Would not produc'
Ave hundred napoleons, In order tina
he might convert them, there, be
fore my eyes, into g thousand3
tried to beat him down, Aabbergast
ed at the audacity Of the man. A
last he came down TO two hun
dred and dfty nspoleons In gold
Nothing would make him agree d
work for q Lesser Sum. The reason b
gave was cock-and-buIl tale sbou
the indivisibinty Of the linoleum II
which he must wrap tho none,
preparatory 10 putting 1t into tn
melting pot. So much unoleum wa
required for such and gueh @ sun
the exact amount being known TO ez
perts who provided him with eh
requisite sheets Of linoleun. III
possessed sheets for the doubling O
five hundred, seven hundred an
larger sums, but none for dealin
with sums under two hundred an
: a3sy napoleona. at is just like !
the making Of bread" no added. -
EQf1sA yeaa$ sm s.s<vyysrad for arch an