b^l 



288 THE WANDERERS. 



frequent applications to the flesh pots. Dalby's carminative and 

 Johnson's soothing sirup had never interfered with the proceedings 

 of their stomachs, their only medicine being a hearty roll in the 

 mud, or a feed on raw turnips. Some of the younglings did not 

 appear to be of gipsy parentage, in the perfection of its caste. 

 One of the young mothers had certainly never been bom in the 

 state which she now delighted ; as her fresh complexion blue 

 eyes and light hair testified ; but, Oh ! Love : she eloped from 

 her father's farm, and married an itinerant cutler. W e had an 

 opportunity of seeing her Romeo before we came away, and a 

 handsome strapping fellow he was, with curled side locks, and 

 silver ear-rings : but the words of Southey might be applied to 

 him with strict verity. 



" Knife grinder ! knife grinder, your hat has a hole in it. 



So has your breeches." 



He, however, appeared stoically indifferent to such accidents. 



Four of the young women were handsome specimens of this 

 singular class of beings, but one in particular was a most lovely 

 vagabond ; her complexion was of the true gipsy hue, but through 

 it there mantled a slight yet transparent tint of rose; at every 

 light laugh she displayed a set of teeth white as snow, though it 

 is not probable they ever were troubled by a scrubbing brush ; her 

 black eyes, full of expression, and a fire that might ie tempered 

 to fierceness or affection, reposed under exquisitely arched dark 

 eyebrows ; her nose was something between the Grecian and Ro- 

 man forms, and as Goethe said of his Margaret's "it seemed to 

 mock at all care;" her hair was coloured like the raven's wing, 

 and clustered over her features with grace, but without ornament, 

 simplex munditiis. She, as well as the other girls, moved about 

 as lightly as fawns; and at no single moment did they appear to 

 think the world any thing but a paradise, yet they did not by 

 word or action show the slightest departure' from a modest de- 

 meanour. 



On one of them being asked how she liked her way of life, 

 and whether she would wish to exchange it for any other, the 

 answer given was " Not for the world ! " And this was said with 

 a sincerity of voice and countenance which could not be assumed. 



I have seen smiles of unshadowed happiness, and the smiles 

 of children, and smiles which were like the outpourings of anguish 

 — sadder far than tears, — but 1 shall never forget the light hearted 

 smile of the beautiful gipsy. 



J. B. 



CONCLUSION OF VOLUME THE FOURTH. 





G. p. HEARDER, PLYMOUTH. 



