The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-04

their broad chests; then shoulderipg tn | heavy earthen jars or wooden casks ant l trotting gaily away. Every one o
 them hopes to return, some happy da,
 in the distant future, to his or her be
 loved Gallcia, when he or she has saved | enough mil reis by scanty living to pur. | chase tiny patch of native soil Prettiest of all the women in this o.t 1 city are the Gallegan naid-servants of | wealthy mistresses, whom hard work | and insufficient food has not deprived | of their natural dainty curves and con tours You may often see an excessive ly homely grands dame, of unmlstaka'
 ble high degree, striding along with the
 air of Juno, to church, or the shops, or the promenade, respectfully followed by two or three beWitching maids. The latter are no doubt innocent of flirta-
 tious intentions concerning the passing stranger, but their good-nature cannot
 quite suppress an answering smile
 which makes their bright eyes dance
 and discloses gleam of pearly teeth
 and whole families of roguish dimples.
 The fower-market, too is full of lovely
 girls, the daughters of native peasants,
 whose bare feet have probably tramped
 many miles before sunrise. Their short
 skirts and low-cut bodices and bare
 brown arms afford wonderful studies
 for an artist, and their great dark eyes
 have haunted many travellers dreams
 when far from Portugal. Even the
 broad-hipped peasant -matrons, who
 bring butter, milk, cheese, eggs. fruit and vegetables from their distant farms to sell in the city markets, and the fish er-women who every day troop down
 the Beem road and wake the echoes with their peculiar cries, present some extraordinary types of perfect figures and often beautiful faces.
 The women Of the Portuguese peas antry seem to hold very Independent position. Though working hard from
 dawn till dark, they are always cheer full, genial, helpful to one another in time of trouble and full of ready wit. They know well their value in the econ- omy of life and without any clamor for impossible rights and equality, take their full share of all the happiness at tainable, They work habitually in the fields, beginning to do so as small chill dren. Girls of ten or twelve years ac- company the ox-carts, walking in front of the oxen to punch them with iron pointed goads, while the men follow to load and unload the carts Little girls drive the cattle afield ard mlnd them while the graze. Young women cut and carry home the grass. weed the corn and wheat, and perform thelr full share
 bof all the farm work with the men of the family, except perhaps the heavier blowing. While this general employ ment of women nearly doubles the ag- ricultural working power of the na- tion, the women themselves do not seem to be either physically or morally the worse for their labors
 Early marriages are the rule among the peasantry, partly because most of the Portuguese conscriptions spare mar ried men. and therefore bachelors have toward matrimony which otherwise might not occur to them A growing family Is good investment for a young fellow who does not desire the dogs life of soldier, and cannot pay several hundred dollars for a substi- ute In the army, so he takes a wife to ensure himself against what he consid- CTS worse fate, and rnybe his everlast ing quietus from cold steel of gunpow- der. Before marriage the Portuguese suitor in love is absuIdly humble and slavish and his sweetheart leads him q merry dance indeed; but soon as ever the village priest has tied the knot, the positions are reversed; he becomes her master absolutely and may beat her as q . he t,-tf ,rinI lot lay As in every country, the songs of the people set forth their sentiments In a popular serenade, the Portuguese swain tells his dulcinea that he writes to her on the palm of his hand. his tears are his only ink and the pen Is fibre from his inmost heart Perhaps her reply. sung behind closed shutter. is like this
 Quando Q sovreiso des baga
 E lourejero der cortica
 Entao te amred, meu bem,
 Sc mao me der a pregu1ca.
 Which means, when the cork tree yields bay-berries. and the bay-tree 'ork, then perhaps I may fall in love with you, if l condescend to notice you."
 Or else she sings: 'I have already i've lovers-three for the morning, two for the afternoon; what time is there eft for you?'
 In Portugal men play upon the guitar IS naturally as Yankees whistle The peasants are universally given to the instrument, chiefly as an accompani- nent to the voice. In towns and vil- | ages the artisans are often expert eui- ar players and walk in groups to and rom their work, enliyenug the Journey with music and song. The carpenter vho comes to your house to execute a mall job, brings his guitar with his | oolS and the blacksmith is a far bet | CT performer on the guitar than the | lnvil Then the Portuguese day-labor- | 1T or workman, when he has finished | lis long days toll. does not hie himself ! O wine shop to squander the few ents he has earned; he does not even | can against post and smoke, nor 1hittle stick while swapping yarns with his fellows If he did not bring his | .uitar with him, he goes straight home nd gets it, rests and comforts himself with the music while supper is being 'repared. Afterwards he spends the vening singing doggerel songs to drumming accompaniment, tilted ack in chair against his own house lall, or on the doorstep of a neighbor. in the rural districts and it be Sun ay, or a holiday he puts on clean hirt, with a big gold or silver stud as
 neck fa eteninp bir "other po;r', nf