In passing, it may be remarked that gypsy children are extraordinarily cute in business of this nature. When important news has to be carried, the words “Plastra lesti” addressed to them by their parents make them scuttle along like hares, and sharp, indeed, will be the eyes or ears of the rural policeman who either sees or hears anything of the youngsters until after their message has been delivered, for they will run barefoot on the inner side of a hedge, lie concealed amongst herbage, take a short cut here, another there, through a stream, or anything else if such a course will save time and enable them to get to their destination quickly and secretly.
To return to the subject of the two names:—
It is worth noting that it is usually the surname only which is rendered into Romany; for instance, Fezenta Cooper in English will in the gypsy tongue be Fezenta Vardomescro, Clara Stanley will be Clara Beshaley, and so on.
The surnames hereunder are among the best known of the principal Romany families:—
Barney, Stanley, Smith, Pidgley, Cooper, Hughes, Wells, Lee, Shaw, Deighton, Saunders, Lovell, White, Ayres, Loversedge, Rickman, Brazil, Bull, Churen, Doe, Fenner, Harris, Buckland, Lakey, Lamb, Sherred, Black, Willett, Taylor, Bosswel, Boswell, Allen, Carew, Corrie, Glover, Buckley, Bosvil, Loveridge, James.
Scotch surnames:—
Young, Ruthven, Blythe, Fleckie, Gordon, Faa.
Many of the Christian names are very curious, as is evidenced by the following lists, which might, of course, be greatly extended, but the names given indicate the widely differing sources drawn upon by the gypsies:—
Male.—Panuel, Sylvester, Wester, Jobey, Soner, Euri, Jasper, Samson, Bendigo, Noel, Daniel, Liberty, Freedom, Noah, Nelson, Franny, Rodney, Larry.
Female.—Sinfai, Fenella, Shuri, Laura, Ivy, Mona, Fezenta, Videy, Dōsha, Rhona, Rawnie, Zillah, Leander.