Evening star., 1923-03-18
BIT LOUISE RICE.
TIME genuine Gypsy Is tht


for the reason that he be-
lieves himself and all other
real Gypsies to be the actual descend
ants of Egyptian kings. He mixes UP
4 good many prophecies of the Bible
with this belief and with the equally
insistent belief that this state of
kingship Cor. rather. royalty. for the
idea Is not confined to the masculine)
will return to him again. He is con-
vinced that the mysterious ability Of
his race to remain separate and apart,
less generations. has been an act OF
God in preserving them for their ul-
innate high destiny.
From this 1t is clear that the old.
fantastic accusation that Gypsies
steal gorgio children is absurd. The
Gypsy considers the gorgio blood far.
far inferior to his own, and resents
any introduction of ii into his race.
Marriages, out" as they are called,
are deeply deplored and until this
present generation were even a
scandal and disgrace. Yet now,
alas, there are so few Of the undiluted
are breaking down. In another hun
dred years 1t Is feared there may not
be an individual of unadulterated
Romany rakt left in the world. This
IS the opinion OF all Romanys, nc
matter from what country.
On the other hand, the persons in
whom there is a trace OF the great
black blood" will be many. and this
may enrich the world. as the separate
and distinct race never has done.
If YOU were to get true account
from the average American of what
he believes about the Gypsy, it would
run into hodgepodge Of impressions
from The Bohemian Girl" Spanish
bullhghts. decks Of cards, chicken
thieves, kidnapped children, Geraldine
Farrar as the cigarette siren. 1nyster-
ious wagons skullzing along country
roads at night, dark women and dirty,
brawiing men, with no visible means
of support.
In trying TO explain what the real
Gypsy is, as against this mass of
erroneous beliefs, the last item can
be dealt with by a direct and un-
qualified negative. Real Gypsies are
heavy property holders. 1t is rare
that the people whom you see in the
summertime. camping or travelling,
have not good fat farms from which
they draw their living, as we'll as the
karin" place--the home house-in
which they abide when they choose.
\ x :: =
MANY of the people whom you see
WI in Gypsy dress or following
Gypsy pursuits. or claiming TO be
Gypsies, are not such in the remotest
degree. 1t is these, in certain
division, who do all their mischief to
the reputation Of the genuine Gypsies
and their posh-and-posh kindred.
That particular division is the un-
derworld, as you might say, of
Gypsydom. 1t has occasional con-
facts with the underworld OF the
gorgios. since its members are them
selves gorgios. All their assumption
of Gypsy dress and way of living is
an effort to disguise their real
character. They are both pretty and
wholesale thieves. kldnapers, ravish-
ers, bootleggers, stealers of valuable
dogs and prize poultry, looters of
shops and occasionally dispensers Of
drugs.
You can recognize them by one
thing. 1t is the men who will do
business with you, who will do all
the talking. The women, cowed and
sullen creatures, are thrust into the
background. When such a lot come
to your place, warn them off and see
that policeman keeps more or less
an eye on them until they are out
Of the vicinity.
This criminal division of the spurt-
Gus Gypsy is heartily hated and care
fully avoided by many other even
spurious Gypsies, who by instinct and
training are quite as respectable and
decent a lot as you would want to
meet English Gypsis call them
"mempers and American Gypsies
call them travellers" and "yonder'
people, the later only TO be heard In
the southern states. They are often
true basket makers, tinkers, itfnerant
preachers and photographers. They
frequently have small wares to sell
and somtimes the women tell for
tunes. These people are usually of
English, Scottish or Welsh origin and
are often tanned almost as dark a
hue as the dark skin of the real
Gypsy, for there are cases In which
families have pursued this wander
ing and outdoor life for at least ten
generations.
The genuine Gypsy does not mixer
1t - tot,
tho "memper" deals. The "memper"
is usually rather poor, sometimes
wretchedly so, and he Is often i'm
provident and shiftless, Never, never
is the widest Gypsy either improvi-
dent or shiftless, all traditions to the
contrary Notwithstanding!
The Gypsy, like the Hebrew, has a
keen sense of value. and when he
(though always she" with this race,
no mater how the name stands In the
title deeds) buys piece Of property,
you may be sure that the value will
increase greatly in a few years. Quite
number of small but very profitable
farms are owned by some of the
families which travel through New
Jersey and Maryland, and some OF the
small but sound banks in the towns
along their accustomed route of
travel could tell of very substantial
bank accounts which lie against their
names.
The Harleys, posh- and -posh
family. that is to say, of half real
Gypsy blood and half the blood OF
> some of the families which. while