The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-02


committee of N, in the vestibue, the corri-
DORIS on the stairs appeared strange people, stoop-
shouldered men with curly black boards dark
ned women in worn shawls and everywhere, getting
In ones way, were half-frozen children with dis
tended stomachs.
1t was tribe of wandering gypsy entertainers
which had followed the troops of Kolchak and after
the defeat of the whites, wandered to the Urals
Here the gypsies were sent to copper factory
but it soon became apparent that they had greater
aptitude for stealing copper articles than for manu-
featuring them. From the factory they were sent
to the salt-mines but started such gambling there
that they were Immediately transported to Lisva
In Lsva they set fire to something and every one of
them got mixed up in some inexplicable tangled
business with the factory horses In a week the
workers of the neghboring factory begged the pro-
vincial government, by all that's holy, to rid them
of neighbors who found such irresistible attraction
in chicken coops.
The gypsies, fifty lively, agile and cunning people,
were not bit discouraged by these defeats on the
labor front Arriving at the provincial capital thew
directly betook themselves to the offices of the execu
tive committee. The president, an intelligent
straightforward man with a strain of humor, asked
them at once.
"What you do besides stea1?"
Sing" they answered
"Then 90 to the Educational Committee the music
department will take care of you"
The gypses did not understand but went to the
educational committee, not suspectng in the least
to what cruel fate the president was leading them
concert, to acquaint the public with the gypsy
choir was announced for Saturday night. This con-
cert was organized by committee especially
sembled for the purpose, and called the gypsy COM
mittee"
An unheard of number of people came to the
concert. The Red Army soldiers standing at the
door attempted to keep back some of the crowd,
but they protested so vigorously and thrust so
many papers with seals on them, into the faces of
the soldiers that they had to admit them.
In the first row sat members of the gypsy
mittee" Hardly noticeable, expectant ronic smiles,
forebodng no good, fitted their faces. Be
hind the curtain, which the scenic artist, con-
fusing all epochs and styles, had painted fiery
horseman galloping across factory chimneys, was
heard whisperings coughing and the stamping Of
cold feet.
When the hall was filled, the curtain creaking
and trembling crawled slowly upward and the
stage the spectators beheld group of people in
triumphant poses.
Behind, stood the men, black-bearded and grim,
in crimson and purple shirts with gold braid and
fringes and shiny buttons sewed on where needed
and where not Black and blue jackets were thrown
carelessly across their shoulders.
In front, scattered in bright wreath. were the
. women boldly and gaily draped in shiny shawls of
the brightest and most unexpected colors. The
bright beads and bangles, skirts like wallpaper in
a saloon, the glances and smiles, We're something
most far removed from the stern reality.
Two mustachioed guitarists, in drawers wide as
the steppe and shiny high patenteather boots stood
at either side Before the footIights with his head
raised high and his carved guitar lying lovingly
along his arm, sef-confident, with the eyes of an
Indian fawn, stood mighty gypsy His glances
wandered slowly over the audience; he smiled faint
ly, struck the strings with his brown fingers and
thick, organ-like stream of sound poured into
the hall.
The choir sang and the lips of the singers, scarce
ly moving, pronounced each word tendery and
slowly.
T. II Il. L. i. u. u. u. u. used to smoke
Ma. "a. "a. "a. a. "a. no &C. %. .rka
"A. a. "a. "a "a. nd no. o. o. ow"
Pausing significantly for second the choir con-
cluded clearly and decisvely.
II smoke tobacco"
And again floated out the slow, restless chorus
without words:
LA la la la la la Ira la
La la la la la la la la la
A. "a "a. "a. nd 100000 owl
And again rapidly and distinctly:
II smoke tobaccol"
The feminine voices blended and sparkled like
cebon