The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-07

| are good. and there is certain honest "a
| dance in her smile which is very capt.
| waiting. She dresses richly. but with the
oldest mingling Of dates and styles, IL not
| of colors, and her clothes eft" as il flung
az her in q whirlwind There is not the re-
hottest hint Of French chic about her, nor
the trig appearance OF English women, nor
the voIuptuous attraction of her cousin. the
Spanish sonora. and. beside her perfectly
dressed husband. she looks like good
brown hen with bird of paradise. Is 1t
because the modistes of Portugal are so in
ferior TO the tailors? II so, the surplus
dressmakers of the world would better turn
their steps that way. Whatever the Portu-
guese ladies lack in taste and beauty is
more than made up by their manifold
virtues. They are model wives and mothers,
devoted to their families, deeply religious,
kind-hearted, and hospitable.
beauty Among the Peasants.
There is plenty of female beauty in Por-
tugal. however. but it is mostly found
among the peasant classes. The Gallegans,
male and female, are generally perfect
physical specimens, and the young women
have lovely faces to match their figures.
You see them by scores at the many public
fountains, or chafariz, into which all the
water used by the city is poured from the
great aqueduct Of Agoasteores. This aque-
Duct by the way. is worthy to rank among
the wonders OF the world. 1t begins in
the mountains. twelve miles away, spans
the valley OF Alcantara upon thirty arches.
each 107 feet from pier to pier, the point of
the highest arch towering 204 feet above
the earth. Thus a pure mountain torrent
is conducted TO an immense covered reser
voir, and thence conveyed to hundreds of
scattered ali over Lisbon. Since
the day of Joao " the public buildings,
hotels, shops, and most of the dwelling
houses have been entirely supplied with
water from the chafariz, brought in casks
and lars on the heads Of male and female
carriers. Most OF the water-carriers are
Gallegans, and it is said that more than
3 900 Of them do nothing else for a living
One of the most interesting sights OF Lis
bon are the groups OF handsome, barefooted |
girls and swarthy. muscular men that al
ways surround the neutrality-suspicious. |
lettering a bit to chatter and gossip, the |
women in musical staccato the men in |
baritone to match their broad chests; then |
shouldering the heay earthen jars or wood |
IN casks and trotting gayly away. Every
1ne of them hopes to return, some happy |
lay in the distant future, to his or her
beloved Galicia, when he or she has saved
enough mil refs by scanty living to pur-
base a tiny patch of native soil.
Prettiest of all the women in this old
ity are the Gallegan maid servants or
Wealthy mistresses, whom hard work and
insufficient food has not deprived of their
natural dainty curves and contours. You
nay often see an excessively homely
.randdame, of unmistakable high degree,
triding along with the air of a Juno, to
hurch, or the shops, or the promenade, re-
followed by two or three be-
sitching maids. The latter are no doubt
innocent of fiirtatious intentions concern
ng the passing stranger, but their good
allure cannot quite suppress an answering
mile which makes their bright eyes dance
nd discloses n CLEAN of pearly teeth and
ihole families of roguish dimples.
The flower market. too, is full of lovely
iris, the daughters of native peasants,
those bare feet have probably tramped
Many miles before sunrise. Their short
l<irts and low-cut bodices and bare brown
rms afford wonderful studies for an artist
nd their great, dark eyes have haunted
lany a travellers dreams when far from
ortugal. Even the broad-hipped peasant ,
who bring butter, milk, cheese,
ggs. fr Hts, and vegetables from their ais
mt farms TO sell in the city markets. and ,
he fisherwomen, who every day troop down
he Belem Road, and wake the echoes
it'll their peculiar cries, present some
types of perfect figures and I
ten beautiful faces.
Work Done by Women
The women of the Portuguese peasantry
em to hold very independent position.
hough working hard from dawn till dark, 4
icy are always cheerful. genial. helpful !
one another in time of trouble, and full 4
ready wit. They know well their value
the economy Of life, and without any
amor for impossible rights and equality.
Ike their full share of all the happiness >
tainable. They work habitually in the =
Ids beginning 10 do so rs small chill I
en-. Girls OF ten or twelve accompany
e OK carts, walking in front of the oxen
punch them with iron pointed goads. =
lille the men follow to load and unload 3
@ vehicles. Little girls drive the cattle !
eld. and tend them while they Craze .
,ung women cut and carry home the 4
ass, the corn and wheat. and perform y
cir full share OF all the farm work with :
9 men OF the family, except perhaps the .
avier blowing. While this general en- &
Dyment of women nearly doubles the -
ricultural working power OF the nation, =
e women themselves do not seem TO DE .