Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
GRACE THROUGH WORK
CARRIAGE OF CARIBBEAN wo-
MEN DUE TO EXERCISE.
Keep the Roads and the Streets of
Cities in Repair-Good
Singers.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
There are no more graceful women in the
world than the creoles. or mulattoes. Of the
Caribbean Islands They carry heavy bur
dens, toll in the fields and in the arrewroot
and sugar mills, attend to their household
duties and raise large families yet through
1t all are as happy and cheerful as the
women of any other cline.
one OF their employments is to keep the
military roads and the streets OF the cities
IN repair. They may be seen all along the
twenty-two-mile government road from
kingston to Georgetown. in ST. Vincent.
digging out the bitches, filling the ruts
washed out by the torrents that pour down
the steep hilsides. and performing the
mental part of bridge building and fencing
against floods. Usually they work In com
pany with men, who sad to say, devote
themselves more assiduousy to bossing
than to helping along the work.
The Men Plough.
In the fields the men plough. but the wo-
men plant and hoe. When It comes to har-
vesting the cane the women WELD the ma
chetes in as large numbers as the men. and
their reward for their toll from sunrise to
sunset is from threepence to sixpence a day.
the latter only in rare cases. In the mills
the more experienced operators only receive
siXpence a day. When Saturday (markeC
day. comes these women Of st. Vincent
array themselves in their best and whitest
attire and set out for either George town or
Kingston afoot.
Their lords and masters 90 with them. but
II there is a burden to carry. and there al
ways is at least an empty tray, the woman
carries ii, while the man steps juantily
along, twirling a bamboo stick and looking
and acting much like the typical dude
The women, whose apparel is scrupulously
clean; her tray poised on her bare head.
her skirt tucked up under the belt or girdle
on one side OF it, reaching only to the knee,
her feet free from hosiery and shoes, and
her shapely arms naked to half way above
the elbows, is a picture OF graceful move
ment. Her stride is long, but not mas
culine. 1t is astonishing how rapidly she
moves without seeming to hurry. She keeps
pace with a team of mules without apparent
fatigue, and chats gayly with whoever
cares to talk as she glides along.
Good Traders.
The old women in all these islands are In
veterate traders. Their little outdoor shops
are feature of West Indian life, and they
besiege ships in their bumboats, and the
traveller even in the hotels, with all sorts Of
fruits, nuts and fancy work. Some Of their
most beautiful wares are made of jumping
beans and seeds of tropical plants and
shrubs. Bread, cakes and fruits are re-
tailed in nearly all the island cities by old
women with wayside markets. One at
Charlottetown had place at the Iandwari
end OF the boat landing, and she held il
firmly against all competitors.
Nearly all the girls are good singers
Their voices are boyish In quality but
there is wonderful tenderness in the rem
dition Of pathetic songs or very devout
hymns. A shilling will buy the entire roper
tory, with many encores as you like.
The singer will go on, If tudiciOusly en-
couraged. until hoarseness compels a stop.