The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-03-02
GIRLS OF PORTO RICO.

San Juan letter in the New York
Sum Americans who come down here
are both amused and surprised at the
vast amount of smoking INDUCED in by
the native women. Those of high
standing socially are not so addicted
to the habit, but among the country
women the practice is almost universal.
And the fair ones do not corfine them
selves exclusively to cigaret,es, either.
Big, black cigars in the mouths of real
~ very pretty young girls are common
sights in the country districts. Cigar
cites are really more OF luxury, be-
cause the paper IN which they are
rolled has to be bought. but the all
tobacco cigars can be raised and rolled
by any one willing TO take the trouble.
Not long ago the writer, then but
recently arrived, rode into the country
one fine day and stopped at native
shack on the military road near Ca
CUES TO ask for a drink OF water -Four
smiling women greeted him at the door.
One of them was perhaps 80 years of
age and had a baby in her arms. The
other three were not more than 10,
although they had the physical de-
velopment of American girls much old
err 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 wo-
man with the baby became SO excited
| that she lit cigar which lay on
| the table and began putting at ii to
calm her nerves. The visitor was also
smoking, and although somewhat sur
prised at his hostess action, he felt 1t
to be his duty to offer cigars to the
other members of the party. The three
| young girls accepted the offer with
| pretty little waves of the hand and
just as though ii 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
| operation-and lit up with most nom
chalant air. They smoked with much
| gCsto, iLhaling the smoke like the or
binary American cigarette smoker And
how they did spit, 1t may not be a
thing to boast Of but the Porto Rican
woman can spit with all the power and
precision Of the most inveterate male
tobacco chewer that ever lived. 1t is
really amazing. Sad 10 relate, all their
skin is wasted The spittoon is un-
known, and the genius which would
enable to hit II around corners and be-
tween the rungs of chairs is exhausted
in the futile drawing of fancy figures
upon the floor,
So with this Cagues quartet They
were of course. unconscious that their
conduct might provoke criticism. They
| had been doing this almost since they
were babies, and there was nothing in
decorus to them about It. When their
visitor left them they gathered in the
doorway TO see him off, and the last
he saw of them they were still smok-
ing and splitting and smiling.
Certainly tobacco does not seem to
hurt these people. They are as healthy
and as buxom lot of girls as man
would care to meet Their spirits are
high, though their lot in this country
would be considered far from happy
one