Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-14
By Frederic ]. Haskin.


ness of a Gypsy king in Detroit few
days ago, which is said to have en-
dangered the succession in a famous
Gypsy dynasty, was widely noticed in
the papers and called public attention
to that strange race of nomads who
live all over the modern world, and
yet are not in the least a part of 1t.
In fact, their camps, which at this time
of the year are beginning to appear
along the highroads all over the Uni
ted States, with their queer tents and
painted wagons, their swarthy women
in gaudy silks, seem as out of place
among the neat American farms and
homes as would an orchid growing
among daisies.
The Gypsies are unique among peo-
pies in having roamed all over tve
continents without a country of their
own or any other unifying influence,
and yet they have kept intact their
language, their customs and ways of
living. and their racial purity. on the
nature of that race science has recent
ly shed a good deal of light The Gyp-
sizes are no longer thought TO have
come from Egypt. as their name would
imply. but are known to be derived
from northern India. Both their Ian
guage and their racial type are said
to relate them Enthusiastically to the
Hindoos.
The mystery about them is what
caused large section of race to
suddenly adopt nomadic life. and what
enables it to continue this life in all
parts of the world for centuries with
out loss of racial identity For the
Gypsies began to wonder in the 10th
century, moving from their home prob
ably in a body which broke up into
smaller and smaller subdivisions and
gradually scattered into all parts OF
the world. They were probably driven
out of India by the hordes of Gcnghis
Khan. There is nothing remarkable
about the start of this migration. His
tory is full of similar ones. But usu-
ally the migrants have settled again
mt the first favorable opportunity and
have been largely absorbed by the
population about them. Only the Gyp-
sizes have kept moving and have re-
mained unchanged. The Jews of course
offer the nearest thing to parallel.
but tho Jews have attached themselves
10 various countries, adopting their
languages and customs, playing an i'm
portant part in tho making of civili-
zation. The Gypsy adopts nothing and
remains as completely outside of civ
ilization as the rabbits and birds.
A Unce Of Nomnd~
1t is plain the secret of Gypsy nature
is tho love OF wandering, which scien-
lists call the nomadic impulse. This
component of human nature has been
scientifically studied by Davenport.
He decides that the nomadic impulse
Is native to all human nature but has
been largely inhibited in most indi-
vidunls because of the necessities Of
.,,.,t, rtxytn nf ftt r.f -
time in youth have dreamed of long
and adventurous journeyings. and &,
good many of us have yielded to the
temptation at some time or other. II
the delinquency amounted to no NOR
than playing hockey from school
Many persons keep this desire all OF
their lives. even tho they never yield
to it, Some cannot resist 1t, and these
became tramps. itincrnnt peddlcrs, cN-
plorers, globe trottcrs, or whatever else
their abilities and opportunities enable
them to become. There are few OF us.
even those most rooted in habit and
settled. who cannot feel tho romantic
appeal Of free rowing life.
The Gypsies. then, arc II race OF men
who emhody this characteristic of all
mon most intensely. Think Of "A Gypsy
as a personiiication of your own love
of change and adventure. your hatred
cring dreams OF your youth which you
never had the chance or the courage to
fulnli. and you viii understand him
better.
The Gypsies might perhaps he OK
plaiued by the fact that a part of n
| race or tribe mad to migrate in that
| far-away day. and that all OF those in
| whom the nomadi" impulse was strong
est naturally volunteered to go. Per-
haps circumstances made it impossible
for them to settle anywhere as a whole
and SO they kept moving. tho less
strong and adventurous dropping out
one by one, until only n band of hardy
born wanderers remained.
The fact that the GYPSY personifes
the vagabond and tho nomad In all OF
us doubtless explains the different ac-
counts of him that YOU get. BY most
respectable people he Is regarded as u
cheat, thief. n kidnappcr, and a bad
fellow generally. on tho other nand
many distinguished persons. of whom
George Borrow the English author. is
tho most famous. have learned tho
Gypsy language and lived among the
Gypsies, and these without exception
testify to the sincerity, kindness and
hospitality of the road people and to
their great CAPACITY for friendships