Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-10-01
Ol.D MAIDS IN BERMUDA.
larrying an Alien Means Loss of =
Woman's Landed Estate.

II Woman's Landed Estute.
I'm spite of the preeminence of the
spinster in New England, the proper
tion Of unmarried women in New Eng
land Is greater in the British colony OF
bermuda than anywhere else on this
side of the Atlantic ocean. The semi
topical climate ofthe islands, together
with their isolation, has made of the
white inhabitants Of English stock q
Quiet, almost a sluggish people OF a sim
alicity nearly Arcadian. The women
especially, many Of whom have led very
Grchmscribed lives, never leaving the
Fi|lnnds, cultivate an old-fashioned hos
litafity and possess a natural ease OF
hammer that seems to rise from perfect
Aith in other people. Crime is very
farein Bermuda, partly because it is
extremely difficult fora criminal to get
Of the islands. 1.rH ~ IL ,..t !.
Betmudian women are excellent
housekeepers and bring up large fami-
lies of children, the fayorite chicks of a
|: flock being sent, in some cases, to the
states for education. in matters OF ETH
quette these folks are much more ex'
acting than Americans. They are com
Portable, well-to-do sort of people, with
here and there a family possessing
ample MEANS As In England, property
especially real estate, remains in the
same family for a long period, some Of
the descendants of the original settlers
still possessing lands that never have
passed out iof their families.
It, is conservative as to real estate
ownership and keeps up the supply Of
ljspinsters. No alien can acquire ttlt
90 land in Bermuda, either by purchase
or inheritance. This law is directed
against the Portuguese, who have
| Aocked to the colony andt taken togrow
Ing onions. So long as these intruder
own no land, they have no vote, and thu
| iificulty of naturalization and thu
property qualification combine to MAKE
q double barrier, protecting the natives
In their control Of things,
| But the law provides further, that i
| q woman owning real estate marries al
| alien she forfeits her real estate and be
comes incapable Of inheriting any
| They have no "squaw men" in Bermuda
This law is not very popular with younl
women who see their brothers ant
sweethearts paying court to American
| girls with comfortable incomes. TIL
number of Americans who have becom
residents Of Bermuda is smaller than !
would be under different land laws, blu
the winter colony is large one, and TIL
most energetic business men of Hamil
ton, the capital of the islands, are iron
the states. Marriages result of Der
mudian men thiAmericanigirls, bu
in n community where so large pro
portion of all property.is land, Bermu
dian girls are prevented from rctalint
ing. There. are, instances where girl
renoiihce their birthrights, but PENN
less bellies are not universally attract
i've.
Young men emigrate from the island
in ever increasing numbers in search o
better openings than so limited feel
can offer, and this course operates wit
the land laws to restrict matrimonial
opportunities. THERE'S very little al
ject poverty among the whites of Bel
muda SO that from one point of view tn
"superhuous" women do not suffer, bu
| thew haze not the mental or social RI
sources of Yankee spinsters. School
are poor, libraries few and small, char
table work, except TO very limited e,
tent among the negroes, unnecessary
and women clubs unknown. The won
EN- are devout church goers, but unles
they belong to the government hous
set they have little other recreation
Is much pleasanter to he girl bacf
elor in New York or Boston than an oil
maid In the beautiful coral islands.-N
Y. Tribune. '"'' '.''' ''''i '''''' ~.