The Motorized Nomads of White Bluffs

A band of wandering gypsies lingered in our midst from Sunday evening until Monday noon. They were traveling from Yakima to Spokane. Instead of the old-fashioned covered wagons propelled by a weather-beaten and leg-weary bunch of cayuses, this particular band of nomads were traveling by automobile. And there were no Fords or the like in their equipment, either, but Hudson 40s and Michigans and cars like that—six in all, and loaded to capacity. There seemed to be a terrible shortage of matches in the camp, and the fair damsels of the tribe seemed obsessed with a desire to know the time of day. These two things furnished the excuses for stopping every passer-by and also provided the opportunity for separating the young fellows from some of their hard-earned cash by way of the fortune-telling route. Although they positively deny it, it is reported that two or three of the older boys were flimflammed in the same manner. Dave Boag tells us, however, he is sure that this is not true and that it was only some of the young fellows that 'potlatched' to them. At any rate, an exchange of confidences after the gypsies were gone revealed the fact that there are not many unusual characters in White Bluffs. A striking similarity was noticed in the fortunes of all those who fell under the spell—sent into a fever of fear and suspicion by the account of the two unknown enemies, but reconciled quite to the present evil of the loss of one plunk by the contemplation of immense wealth to be theirs in future.