It is a general opinion amongst the Gitanos that
Spanish women are very fond of Rommany chals and Rommany. There is
a stanza in which a Gitano hopes to bear away a beauty of Spanish
race by means of a word of Rommany whispered in her ear at the
window.
Amongst these effusions are even to be found tender and beautiful
thoughts; for Thugs and Gitanos have their moments of gentleness.
True it is that such are few and far between, as a flower or a
shrub is here and there seen springing up from the interstices of
the rugged and frightful rocks of which the Spanish sierras are
composed: a wicked mother is afraid to pray to the Lord with her
own lips, and calls on her innocent babe to beseech him to restore
peace and comfort to her heart - an imprisoned youth appears to
have no earthly friend on whom he can rely, save his sister, and
wishes for a messenger to carry unto her the tale of his
sufferings, confident that she would hasten at once to his
assistance. And what can be more touching than the speech of the
relenting lover to the fair one whom he has outraged?
'Extend to me the hand so small,
Wherein I see thee weep,
For O thy balmy tear-drops all
I would collect and keep.
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