ohemians of
every grade, all the world over, and I never knew a gypsy who did not
understand an artist. One glance satisfied her that he was quite worthy
of our society.

"And where are you _tannin kenna_?" (tenting now), I inquired.

"We are not tenting at this time of year; we're _kairin_," _i.e._,
houseing, or home-ing. It is a good verb, and might be introduced into
English.

"And where is your house?"

"There, right by Mammy Sauerkraut's Row. Come in and sit down."

I need not give the Romany which was spoken, but will simply translate.
The house was like all the others. We passed through a close, dark
passage, in which lay canvas and poles, a kettle and a _sarshta_, or the
iron which is stuck into the ground, and by which a kettle hangs. The
old-fashioned tripod, popularly supposed to be used by gypsies, in all
probability never existed, since the Roms of India to-day use the
_sarshta_, as mine uncle tells me he learned from a _ci-devant_ Indian
gypsy Dacoit, or wandering thief, who was one of his intimates in London.

We entered an inner room, and I was at once struck by its general
indescribable unlikeness to ordinary rooms. Architects declare that the
type of the tent is to be distinctly found in all Chinese and Arab or
Turkish architecture; it is also as marked in a gypsy's house--when he
gets one. This room, which was evidently the common home of a large
family, suggested, in its arrangement of furniture and the manner in
which its occupants sat around the tent and the wagon. There was a bed,
it is true but there was a roll of sail-cloth, which evidently did duty
for sleeping on at night, but which now, rolled up, acted the part
described by Goldsmith:--

"A thing contrived a double part to play,
A bed by night, a sofa during day."

There was one chair and a saddle, a stove and a chest of drawers. I
observed an engraving hanging up which I have several times seen in gypsy
tents. It represents a very dark Italian youth. It is a favorite also
with Roman Catholics, because the boy has a consecrated medal. The
gypsies, however, believe that the boy stole the medal. The Catholics
think the picture is that of a Roman boy, because the inscription says
so; and the gypsies call it a Romany, so that all are satisfied. There
were some eight or nine children in the room, and among them more than
one whose resemblance to the dark-skinned saint might have given color
enough to the theory tha