all she
had in the world, the neighboring farmers took the witch, and, with a
view to preventing effectually further depredation, caused her to pass
"through flames material and temporal unto flames immaterial and
eternal;" that is to say, they burned her alive. But the gypsy would
much prefer having to deal with lynchers than with lawyers. Like the
hedge-hog, which is typically a gypsy animal, he likes better to be eaten
by those of his own kind than to be crushed into dirt by those who do not
understand him. This story of the hedge-hog was cited from my first
gypsy book by Sir Charles Dilke, in a speech in which he made an
application of it to certain conservatives who remained blindly suffering
by their own party. It will hold good forever. Gypsies never flourished
so in Europe as during the days when every man's hand was against them.
It is said that they raided and plundered about Scotland for fifty years
before they were definitely discovered to be mere marauders, for the
Scots themselves were so much given up to similar pursuits that the
gypsies passed unnoticed.

The American gypsies do not beg, like their English brothers, and
particularly their English sisters. This fact speaks volumes for their
greater prosperity and for the influence which association with a proud
race has on the poorest people. Our friends at Oaklands always welcomed
us as guests. On another occasion when we went there, I said to my
niece, "If we find strangers who do not know us, do not speak at first in
Romany. Let us astonish them." We came to a tent, before which sat a
very dark, old-fashioned gypsy woman. I paused before her, and said in
English,--

"Can you tell a fortune for a young lady?"

"She don't want her fortune told," replied the old woman, suspiciously
and cautiously, or it may be with a view of drawing us on. "No, I can't
tell fortunes."

At this the young lady was so astonished that, without thinking of what
she was saying, or in what language, she cried,--

"_Dordi_! _Can't tute pen dukkerin_?" (Look! Can't you tell fortunes?)

This unaffected outburst had a greater effect than the most deeply
studied theatrical situation could have brought about. The old dame
stared at me and at the lady as if bewildered, and cried,--

"In the name of God, what kind of gypsies are _you_?"

"Oh! _mendui shom bori chovihani_!" cried L., laughing; "we are a great
witch and a wizard, and if you can't tell me my fortun