The Republican journal., 1900-04-05
eminent Fabrica de Tobacos, from which

eminent Fabrica de Tobacos, from which
Spain derived such magnificent revenues
while she controlled the crops of Cnha
Puerto Rico and other western posses.
sions. 1t still employs several thousand
hands. but the sound of grinding is low, as
compared to those golden days before the
war. when Spain was at liberty to sqeeze
from her colonists the ultimate centopo.
The building covers more ground than the
Great Pyramid, and is surrounded with a
moat, like fortress, SO that it can be
guarded on every side, giving no chance
for smugglers to sneak in by some hidden
way and carry off the precious weed on
which depends SO much of Spain's
wealth. The vast quadrangle has twenty
eight interior patios, large and small, and
even in this year of poverty upwards of
two million pounds of tobacco will be
worked up into snuff, cigarettes and cigars
Passing through the endless corridors we
find them crowded with working women,
six thousand, all told, mostly young, all
giggling and Cabling as only Spanish wo-
men can. And all the while their fingers
are flying with inconcevable rapidity.
Many of them boast of being able to make
from seven to ten cigars in a minute, and
l am told that few can do even better
but do not believe it. They work Shy the
piece" and hence the hurry, which would
never be seen if wages were paid by the
day. Your head swims as you watch
woman seize strip of tobacco known as
filling from pile upon her table; from
another pile she draws a wrapper
mostens it with sponge, smooths it
with one lightning like stroke, dexter
ously rolls it around the filing, brings
one end to point and ships the other end
with a pair of shears-all in the twinkling
of an eye-lid. Quick as thought she
losses it upon pile and tackles another,
until fifty cigars are finished; then they
must be tied in bundle with yellow rib
bon, stamped with the brand of the man.
ufacturer. Fast as her fingers fly, her
tongue flies faster, singing or joking with
her neighbors, or screaming at somebody
farther down the room. These are the
ciga,retds, to which that charming repro
bate, Carmen, belonged, and this is the
very place where she worked and intrigu-
ed and finally came to grief Their class
is to Seville what the gay grisettes are to
Paris; pert, sly '''with the manners of
kitten and the morals of cat,' but bub-
ling over with mischief and gaiety, and al.
ways picturesque, though seldom pretty.
Perhaps a thorough face washing. hair
brushing and repairing of dilapidated raj
ment might bring out some beauty but at
present if any exists it is in total eclipse
under general dirt and frowsiness But
most of them have expressive eyes, very
| large and black, and all show at least one
womanly trait-the love of flowers. The
ugliest slattern wears a cluster of jasmine
blossoms in her unkempt hair, or stuck in
the bosom of her ragged gown. All are
ludicrously powdered above the dirt, and
every desk SHOWS a chalky rag, to be hast
lily dabbed on the nose, chin, cheek and
ears whenever possible subject for hirt-
alton, viz, anything in male attire, is seen
approaching. You are astonished at the
great number of cradles in this work
shop, and of small children tumbling
| about the inconceivably dirty floors. The
cigmett0s are very much addicted to ma
ternity, and births in the factory are of
too common occurrence to excite com
ment. Unmarried mothers are not sub
jects of scandal among this class of Sevil-
| lans; the worst that is said OF them being
that they have ''eaten of the lily which is
sacred to the Blessed Virginr'
FANNIE. B. WARD.