The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-01
LIFE IN THE WEST INDIES
Peculiar Customs the Inhabitants of the British Colonies the
ward Islands
ward Islands.
correspondence of The Journal.

Correspondence of The Journal. "
Antigua, W. l., July 16.-There are many
peculiar customs and ways of doing ordinary
things in the West Indies, some Of the GUS
toms are common to all the islands and
others are peculiar to one or more groups.
One custom that the average American will
notice first, is the habit of handshakng. Now
Americans shake hand what they think
To be proper occasions but the West Indian
will shake hands on the slightest provocation.
II you enter dining room wherein there
are fifteen or twenty people, you are expected
to shake hands not only with the members OF
The household, but all present, even If you
have never before seen one of them
And upon taking your departure you are ex-
pected to go thru the same performance.
have seen young man enter dining room
for the purpose of asking a single question
of the lady of the house and finding dozen
people assembled shake hands with all Of
them after which he asked his question, and
without being seated he again shook hands
with all present and took his departure. If
you meet friend on the street and do not
stop to speak, it will answer to lift your hat,
but II you stop to ask after the health of his
nother-in-law and to say you hope she will
die, you must shake hands when you meet
and again when you part.
Since Minnesota has become the Bread and
Butter state her people take great interest
in dairying and all that pertains thereto, and
] presume Minneapolis mlkmen would be
interested to know how milk is served to city
customers here. The conveyance that car
ries the milk is of style somewhat familiar
in Minneapolis, but then it is not used as a
milk wagon" And l presume your city
dairymen would object to the construction of
the vehicle for the purpose as we'll as to its
dull somber appearance. Most of them are
black or dark brown l was here some time
before my attention was called to them, but
was up quite early one morning and noticed
one of them drive up to the door. 1t was a
black girl, possibly Is years old. On her head
was one of the ordinary milk cans holding
about eight gallons with a brass cock thru
| which to draw the milk. The measures she
cord was tied about her hips, her skirts
were drawn up thru this cord until the bot
toms of them struck just about the knees,
giving her free use of her limbs in the long
stride used when carrying a load
Another Anticipated thing Is the carts that
are used on the estates and also on the roads
They are two-wheeled, and built much like
ton, but are very heavy, unnecessarily So
They are drawn either by three Kentucky
mules and two negroes or two or three yoke
of oxen and sometimes half dozen negroes
The mules are worked tandem, and it takes
! at least two negroes to three mules With
| the cattle 1t takes more for from one to three
have to run alongside of the cattle to ''shoo
from seven to ten sacks of sugar, when with
an ordinary American farm wagon they coulG
carry at least twenty at one load and only
, have two mules to wagon. The roads are
| good but the conservatism of the Englishmar
! prevents their making the change Some at
! tribute the use of the cart to the fact thai
! the roads kept up by wheel tax of from
wheel Of the vehicle, but as the estates DE-
not pay a tax on the carts used on the es
tates or for hauling their products to market
this cannot be the reason. Only pleasure We