The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-11
ST. PIERRE HALF-BREEEDs
rHE FINEST MIXED RACE OF TIE
WEST INDIES.

n 4
We're the yictiios OF Mont feler' 'n
Observation-Disclosures of the W"1he"
Sing u1ar and Brilliant. &ts
In describing tlfe people of ST. fierre 1t
+ne naople who have been buried I'D
oro great black tomb of lava and muo .
no hetter authority may be had thah q
rofcad;o Hearn. who for two years n
lived among them. ana VINO ihaoe I
close study of them. He says; il
"a nopnlat;on fantastic. astonishing
nonu,ntiou Of the Arabian Nights. ,
r. Is many-colored, but the genera ,
dom,pant tint is yellow, like that OF
N. town itself-yellow in the inter-
| blending of all the hues chafac'eiiAlns
mu,atresse, capresse. grife. quarter'
| onne, metisse. chabine-a genera e"ee'
of rich brownish yellow. You are
among people OF half-bre'os' 'he
finest mixed race of the west ih'''es'
straight as palms ana supi'e anu
tall. these colored women ana men 'in
press one powerfully by their dlsh'he"
carriage and easy elegance OF lh"Fe
mep,. They walk without swinging "i
tho shoulders. perfectly set 'orso
seems to remain rigid: yet the step Is
, long. full stride, and the whole WelSh.
is springingly poised on the very up %
III. hare foot An or nearly all. are
d without shoes: the treading OF many
q naked feet over the heated pavement
e makes a continuous whispering sound
l. "perhaps the most novel impression
e of all is that produced by the singular
II ;,v and brilliance of certain OF the
wnman,s costumes. These We're devel-
on.d at least hundred years ago pF
sow, curious sumptuarv law reSu,at-
III ;,x tr. dress of slaves and colored peo-
~ ,, of Yr.a conditional law which al
10 1owsd considerable liberty as TO mate
y! 10, and 1iut prescribing chiefly form.
- But some of these fashions Suggest ,he
Orient; they offer heautiful auoaci'ies
of color contrast. and the luli u'ess
coiffure, above all. is so strlk!hsls
Eastern that one might be temp'eu u
believe it was first introduced INTO 'ti'
colony by some Mnhommedan slave
Is merely an immense Madras manu-
kerchief. which is folded ABOUT 'h
head with admirable ART Ike tafpa'
one bright end pushed through at th
tor in front being left sticking UP Hh
a plume Then this turban, always lu
Of bright canary color. is fastened VIII
Golden bvooches--one in front ana on
at either side.
"As for the remainder Of the dress
Is simple enough: an embroidered, loV
cnr cnemise with sleeves; sklrl
inna very long behind, but caught
IN and fastened in front heio" tii' "ie"
IN so as to bring the hem everywhere 10
level with the end of the long eheiiiis
lH and finally a foulard or siiSen kefch'
Il thrown over the shoulders. These Jup
and foulards. however. are eXaulsate
4 pattern and color. bright crlms'
81 bright yellow bright blue. bright gre
81 -lilac, violet, rOse--sometlmes Uinsl
81 in plaidings or chickering's or SUI
81 inss, black with orange. sky-biue :"
81 purple.
$40 this display add the effect
costly and curious jewelry; lnme
en- earrings. each pendant being torn
of five gold cylinders joined toSet
(cylinders sometimes two lhches 4
still and an inch at least in circumference
~ ~; a necklace Of double, triple, quadrt
or uuintuple rows Of large hollow
heads. Now this growing JeWery Is
a mere imitation of pure metal
-. earrings are worth lI5 francs a p
raid tbe necklace of Martinique quadt
- may cost 500 or even 1000 francs.
,litical may he the gift of her sweetheart,
Punch such articles are usually purch;
oe put either on time by small payment
as on. bend by bead singly until the redu
ae DIS number is made up.
elm to But few are thus attired
was Il greater number of the women carr
Ididate burdeus on their headS-peddllng
but AT +.l,,eS cakes fruit, ready-cooked
rupted from door TO door--are very slI
at of Il dressed in a single plain robe or
lOopinS colors. reaching from neck TO rect
of. the made with II train. but generally
we'll up so as 10 sit close 10 the
ing the and l,s,ye the lower limbs peri
'tuShe' free.
ltfs "l'S ..'rhcse women can walk All das
ran nm and down hill in the hot sun.
; as'lh' ont shoes. carrying loads OF frof
cocha to $50 pounds on their heaoS, d
III al'er their little stock sometimes la
canoi- come up to the accustomed Y
stones are added to make 1t
ce gave a,,uh And the creole street
)ttle, he - ;,. /, snnorous. far-rea
hish kew, interblend and prounc
excite" dom halmonies very pleasant 10
king out ."rhe Quaint stores bordering 0
'roaenes sides uf the street bear no hahlS
he DIE" no signs over their huge archeu
throw -you must look well inside to
ssion on ,,,h,. b,siness is being done
nan haeu hen you will scarcely be able TO
'he' .'" Yourself as to the nature Oh III