 | The works of Washington Irving |  |
GIPSIES.
What's that to absolute freedom; such as the
very beggars have; to feast and revel here to-day,
and yonder to-morrow; next day where they
please; and so on still, the whole country or kingdom
over? There's liberty! the birds of the air
can take no more.
Jovial Crew.
Since the meeting with the gipsies,
which I have related in a former paper,
I have observed several of them haunting
the purlieus of the Hall, in spite of a
positive interdiction of the squire. They
are part of a gang that has long kept
about this neighbourhood, to the great
annoyance of the farmers, whose poultry-yards
often suffer from their nocturnal
invasions. They are, however, in some
measure, patronized by the squire, who
considers the race as belonging to the
good old times; which, to confess the
private truth, seems to have abounded
with good-for-nothing characters.
This roving crew is called "Starlight
Tom's Gang," from the name of its
chieftain, a notorious poacher. I have
heard repeatedly of the misdeeds of this
"minion of the moon;" for every midnight
depredation that takes place in
park, or fold, or farm-yard, is laid to his
charge. Starlight Tom, in fact, answers
to his name; he seems to walk in d