It was along Farris Lane that a caravan of Gypsies traveled each summer leaving Green County, coming to Adair County. For years, one of their favorite camping sites was where Farris Lance connected with the Campbellsville-Columbia Pike.

Most people did not want these wandering people to stop at their homes for they had the bad habit of stealing anything they could get their hands on. Owners of stores or shops, whether in town or country, felt the same way and locked their doors when they saw the Gypsies coming.

On one occasion in the early 1900's, a couple of Gypsy women quickly strayed from the caravan and rode their horses up to the door of Henry and Sallie Farris' home. Henry was not at home, but somehow "they talked themselves inside the home."

Soon after the women left, Sallie missed her silver spoons. Right away she went to borrow a horse from her brother-in-law, Ikie, who lived a short distance away across Farris Lane.

Sallie overtook the women at their camp site less than two miles away at the Pike. Sallie confronted one of the women about the spoons. She said she did not have them.

Sallie said, bluffing, "I know you do, for my daughter saw you take them I will get the sheriff if I do not get my spoons back."

At that instant, the Gypsy woman flipped up a wide ruffle that was ten or twelve inches wide, connected to the waistline or her dress and produced the spoons which were in one of the pockets concealed under the ruffle.

Readers may look forward to more Gypsie stories in future issues. Be sure to let the writer know when you've read and enjoyed her articles in Columbia! magazine. We hope she'll continue her good work of documenting family stories and send us many more memories. If you know of stories in your own family that should be shared, mail them to: C! magazine, P.O. Box 906, Columbia, KY. 42728.