She added that her dupe was quite disposed to
make another venture, by which she hoped to retrieve her former
loss.
USTILAR PASTESAS. - Under this head may be placed various kinds of
theft committed by the Gitanos. The meaning of the words is
stealing with the hands; but they are more generally applied to the
filching of money by dexterity of hand, when giving or receiving
change. For example: a Gitana will enter a shop, and purchase
some insignificant article, tendering in payment a baria or golden
ounce. The change being put down before her on the counter, she
counts the money, and complains that she has received a dollar and
several pesetas less than her due. It seems impossible that there
can be any fraud on her part, as she has not even taken the pieces
in her hand, but merely placed her fingers upon them; pushing them
on one side. She now asks the merchant what he means by attempting
to deceive the poor woman. The merchant, supposing that he has
made a mistake, takes up the money, counts it, and finds in effect
that the just sum is not there. He again hands out the change, but
there is now a greater deficiency than before, and the merchant is
convinced that he is dealing with a witch.
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