In an instant there were a
hundred people round him. He seemed to be well known and waited for. I
saw at a glance what he was. The dark eye and brown face indicated a
touch of the _diddikai_, or one with a little gypsy blood in his veins,
while his fluent patter and unabashed boldness showed a long familiarity
with race-grounds and the road, or with the Cheap-Jack and Dutch auction
business, and other pursuits requiring unlimited eloquence and impudence.
How many a man of learning, nay of genius, might have paused and envied
that vagabond the gifts which were worth so little to their possessor!
But what was remarkable about him was that instead of endeavoring to
conceal any gypsy indications, they were manifestly exaggerated. He wore
a broad-brimmed hat and ear-rings and a red embroidered waistcoat of the
most forcible old Romany pattern, which was soon explained by his words.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. "I am always sorry to detain a
select and genteel audience. But I was detained myself by a very
interesting incident. I was invited to lunch with a wealthy German
gentleman; a very wealthy German, I say, one of the pillars of your city
and front door-step of your council, and who would be the steeple of your
exchange, if it had one. And on arriving at his house he remarked,
'Toctor, by tam you koom yust in goot dime, for mine frau und die cook
ish bote fall sick mit some-ding in a hoory, und I kess she'll die pooty
quick-sudden.' Unfortunately I had with me, gentlemen, but a single dose
of my world-famous Gypsy's Elixir and Romany Pharmacopheionepenthe.
(That is the name, gentlemen, but as I detest quackery I term it simply
the Gypsy's Elixir.) When the German gentleman learned that in all
probability but one life could be saved he said, 'Veil, denn, doctor,
subbose you gifes dat dose to de cook. For mine frau ish so goot dat
it's all right mit her. She's reaty to tie. But de boor gook ish a
sinner, ash I knows, und not reaty for de next world. And dere ish no
vomans in town dat can gook mine sauer-kraut ash she do.' Fortunately,
gentlemen, I found in an unknown corner of a forgotten pocket an
unsuspected bottle of the Gypsy's Elixir, and both interesting lives were
saved with such promptitude, punctuality, neatness and dispatch that the
cook proceeded immediately to conclude the preparation of our
meal--(thank you sir,--one dollar, if you please, sir. You say I only
charged half a dollar yeste