The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-10-16
Dull Life in Portugal.

a writer on Portugal life says: The
larger of the country towns have streets
full Of gentlemcns houses, and here veg
etatc from year to year families who are
just rich enough to live without working
fu live, indeed, as the Portuguese do in
such towns need cost but little. a large
house, with plot of cabbages, a kaie
yard behind it; with whitewashed walls
floors uncarpctcd, a dozen wooden chairs
enc or two deal tables; no fireplace. not
even 4 stove, either in sitting or bedroom.
no curtains to the windows, no covers TO
the tables, no pictures on the walls. no
mirrors; no tables pleasantly strewn with
books, magazines, newspapers, and ladies'
work; no such thing visible as a pot of
cut flowers; no rare china, no clocks, no
bronZes-nonc Of the hundred trities and
curlosities with which in our houses we
SHOW our taste or want of it, but which
either way give such an individual char
actcr and charm to English homes. All
these negatives describe the utterly
drcary habitations of the middle-class
Portuguese. Foroccupations the women
do ncedlework, gossip, go to mass daily,
and look out of window by the hour.
Except the one short walk to church at
eight o'clock in the morning, a Portu
guesc lady hardly ever appears in the
streets. Asto the men, they lounge about
among the shops, they smoke innumera-
BILE paper cigarettes, they take "siesta"
in the heat of the day. If there is any
sunshine they stand in groups at the
street corners, with umbrellas over their
headsi in:winter they wear Il shawl over
their shoulders, folded and put on three
cornerwise,; as Il French or English wo-
mans shawl is worn-for this is fashion
in PORTUGAL and the Spaniards laugh a
good deal at their neighbors on the score
of their being a nation who invert the
due order of things. In these towns
there is never any news, and if two men
are seen in eager discussion of some mat
ter of apparently immense importance,
and if one happens to be near enough to
overhcar the subject of conversation, be
sure that one of them is plunged in de-
spair or killing with enthusiasm Mt rise
or fall OF half-pcnny in the price of
pound of tobacco. There are not even
fashions for them to think about; young
men and old men dress alike, but the
younger men wear exceedingly tight
hcots, and when they take their walks
abroad" it is obvious that they do SO in
considerable discomfort. They young men
ho"SN'i, navy viz oSCuIdllou IlOTe I'LL
portant even than wearing tight boots
that of making the very mildest form of
love known among them The process,
indeed, is carried on in so platonic man
ner and with so much proper feeling that
doubt if even the strictest English
gevcrness would find anything to object
TO-, The young gentlemen pay their I'D
dresses by simply standing in front of the
houses occupied by the objects of their
affections, while the young persons in
question look down approvingly from the
upper windows, and there the matter
ends.
AFRICAN EXPLORATIONS compa-
ny has been formed in Berlin which pro-
poses to found ut Choa, the most south
ern province of Abyssinia, permanent
settlement. in order to send out scientific
expeditions into the umcxplored portion
of Africa, and to develop the commerce
OF the country. The objects of the COM
pany are, however, supposed to be more
commercial. than scientific.
Only nine persons out of q hundred