The Gipsies Advocate | Page 8

song very
gaily. Many events in the life of this woman were very remarkable. In
her youth she was a noted swindler. At one time she got a large sum of
money, and other valuable effects, from a lady; for which and other
offences, she was condemned to die. A petition was presented to
George the Third, to use the Gipsy's own expression, who told the
author, just after he had set up business, that is, begun to reign, and he
attended to its prayer. The sentence was reversed, and her life was
consequently spared. But, poor woman, she repented not of her sins; for
she taught her daughter to commit the same crimes for which she had
been condemned; so that her delivery from condemnation led to no
salutary reformation.
The mutual attachment which subsists between the nominal husband
and wife, is so truly sincere, that instances of infidelity, on either side,

occur but seldom. They are known strictly to avoid all conversation of
an unchaste kind in their camps, except among the most degraded of
them; and instances of young females having children, before they
pledge themselves to those they love, are rare. This purity of morals,
among a people living as they do, speaks much in their favour.
The anxiety of a Gipsy parent to preserve the purity of the morals of a
daughter, is strongly portrayed in the following fact. The author wished
to engage as a servant the daughter of a Gipsy who was desirous of
quitting her vagrant life; but her mother strongly objected for some
time; and when pressed for the reason of such objection, she named the
danger she would be in a town, far from a mother's eye. It would be
well if all others felt for their children as did this unlettered Gipsy.
After having promised that the morals of the child should be watched
over, she was confided to his care. And the author has known a Gipsy
parent correct with stripes a grown daughter, for mentioning what a
profligate person had talked about.
The following is an instance of conjugal attachment. A poor woman,
whose eldest child is now under the care of the Society for the
improvement of the Gipsies, being near her confinement, came into the
neighbourhood of Southampton, to be with her friends, who are
reformed, during the time. This not taking place so soon as she
expected, and having promised to meet her husband at a distance on a
certain day, he not daring to shew himself in Hampshire, she
determined on going to him; and having mounted her donkey, set off
with her little family. She had a distance of nearly fifty miles to travel,
and happily reached the desired spot, where she met her husband before
her confinement took place. The good people at Warminster, near
which place she was, afforded her kind and needful assistance; and one
well-disposed lady became God-mother to the babe, who was a fine
little girl; the grateful mother pledging that, at a proper age, she should
be given up to Christians to be educated.
Before this woman left Southampton, referring to many kind attentions
shewn her by the charitable of that place, she was heard to say, Well--I
did not think any one would take such trouble for me!

Professing to be church people whenever they speak of religion, the
Gipsies generally have their children baptized at the church near which
they are born, partly because they think it right, and partly, perhaps
chiefly, to secure the knowledge of the parish to which the child
belongs; for every illegitimate child is parishioner in the parish in
which it happens to be born. They will sometimes apply to the parish
officers for something toward the support of a child, which they call
settling the baby.
The sponsors at baptism are generally branches of the same family, and
they speak of their God-children with pleasure, who in return manifest
a high feeling of respect for them, and superstitiously ask their blessing
on old Christmas-days, when in company with them. It is worthy of
remark that all the better sort of Gipsies teach their children the
LORD'S PRAYER.
The anxiety evidenced by some parish officers to prevent these families
from settling in their districts, has occasionally led the Gipsies to act
unjustifiably by menacing them with the settlement of a number of
their families; but this, from their perpetual wandering, need never be
feared. Happy would it be for the Gipsies as a people, if these civil
officers did encourage them to stay longer in their neighbourhood; for
they then might be induced to commence and persevere in honest,
industrious and regular habits. Not long ago thirty-five Gipsies came to
a parish in Hampshire, to which they belonged, and demanded of