THE SPANISH GYPSY OF TO-DAY. 289 



Spanish, which is daily increasing, and, being free from 

 all the traditionary observances of the gypsy, mingles more 

 and more with the national life, carrying with it much of 

 the ready wit and piquancy of the latter. 



The result of. this grafting of- an element of gitanismo 

 upon the original Castilian stock is the Flamenco of to-day, 

 and it is a curious satire on Spanish society that the style 

 and attire, even the language, of this wanton half-caste 

 breed have become a fashionable craze — have been by 

 some paradoxical freak adopted by a section of even the 

 higher Madrilenian circles who revel in copying the garb, 

 the manners, and the jargon of the once loathed gypsy. 

 Flamencos are found in every grade — well known among 

 the gilded youth of Madrid or Seville — but the bull-ring 

 appears to provide the most approved models for this school. 

 Nor is the mania confined to the men : the bright gala-dress 

 of the gitana has become fashionable among high-placed 

 senoras who appear at dance or salon sporting the gaudy 

 Manila shawl with its flowing fringe, short frock, and with 

 hair coiffeured a la Flamenca. To prefer the raciest and 

 most highly-flavoured Spanish dishes, to quaff freely the 

 Manzanilla, to smoke cigarettes, to prefer olives to bon- 

 bons, to know the bull-fighters by their pet names, to be 

 loud if not witty, smart in repartee and slang — this is to 

 be Flamenca. 



Both sexes of the Flamencos proper retain the dress 

 and manner of the original gypsy. The brazen beauty of 

 the young Flamencas has the same seductive charms for 

 the Bwne; and it is from the half-caste that the dancing 

 girls of the cities and light-fingered gentry of many accom- 

 plishments are mostly recruited. 



A considerable admixture of gypsy-blood is found among 

 the lower strata of the bull-fighting profession, though its 

 higher ranks are comparatively free from it. His in- 

 tensely superstitious nature unfits the true-bred gypsy 

 from real success in this or any. pursuit where nerve and 

 decision are required. ' The only gitano espadas of note 

 are Chicorro and El Gallo. The , former has latterly 

 lost nerve and prestige through a curious practical joke 



