Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-06-23
THE GIRLS OF PORTO RICO.
Four of Them in a Smoking Tournament
with Americans.

Americans who come down here are
both amused and surprised at the vast
amount of smoking INDUCED in by the
native women, writes a Porto Rican
correspondent of the New York Sun.
Those of high standing socially are
not addicted to the habit, but among
the country women the practice is al
most universal. And the fair ones do
not confin2 themselves strictly to Gig
arettes, either. Big black cigars in the
mouths of really very pretty young
girls are Il common sight in the coun-
try districts. Cigarettes are really
more of Il luxury, because the paper in
which they are rolled has to he
bought. but the all-tobacco cigars can
be raised and rolled by any one taking
the trouble.
Not long ago the writer, then recent
ly arrived. rode into the country one
fine day and stopped at native shack
on the military road. Four smiling
women greeted him at the door, one
of them was perhaps thirty years of
age and had baby in her arms. The
other three were not more than fifteen
although they had the development of
American girls much older. They
were all dark of skin. but with that
shining straight black hair which is so
often seen in the mulatto in whom is
combined the Spanish with the negro
blood.
Having given him water the Porto
RicanS invited the stranger into their
home. and then began the customary
linguistic wrestling bout. in which the
simplest ideas were exchanged only
after the most violent mental facial
and digital effort. During the CONVEX
sation- so called by courtesy-the
woman with the baby became so eX-
cited that she lit n cigar which lay on
the table and began putting at it furi-
ous!y to calm her nerves. The visitor
was also smoking. and although some
what surprised at his hostess action.
he felt it to be his duty to offer cigars
to the other members of the party.
The three young girls accepted the Of
fer with pretty little waves of the
hand and just as though it was the
most natural thing in the world They
reached for a box of matches. which.
by the way. are the most plentiful
things on the island, there being three
match factories in successful opera
tion-and lit up with a most nonchal-
ant air. They smoke with much gusto
lHlltlllS tlle smoke Ike the ordinary
American cigarette smoker. And how
they did spit. 1t may not be a thing
to boast of. but the Porto Rican wom-
an can spit with all the power and pre-
ciSion of the most inveterate male to-
bacco chewer that ever lived. 1t is
really amazing. Sad to relate. all their
skill is wasted. The spittoon is I'M
known, and the genius which would
enable them to hit ii arourt corners
and between the rungs of chairs is eX-
hausted in the futile drawing of
fancy figures upon the floor.
So with the CaguaS Quartct. They
Were, of course, uncon ;ciouS that their
conduct might provoke criticism They
had been doing this almost since they
were babies. and there was nothing
indecorous to them about it. When
their visitor left them they gathered
in the doorway to see him off. and the
last lie saw of them they were still
smoking and splitting and smiling.
Certainly tobacco does not seem to
hurt these people. They are as healthy
ana as buXom a lot of girls rs a man
would care to meet. Their spirits are
high though their lot in this country
would be considered far from n happy
one.