The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1904-02-20
THE WOMEN OF JAMAICA.
an American Woman Who Has
Lived Amongst Them.


count for very much, says a New York
woman who. says the Tribune, has re-
turned after a years residence In ia
maica. The men have what little rec
reation there is to be had, but II never
occurs to them that their wives or sis
ters would enjoy anything besides
nelghborly gossip, and there is abso-
lutely no provision for the amusement
or recreation Of mere females. Men
seem 10 tolerate their wives, and one
never sees couple out driving together
or on any sort Of pleasure excursion.
Tradition and custom exert a very
strong influence socially. and ideas that
were common fifty or one hundred
years ago still prevail in Jamaica. Cos
sip and scandal being the only form Of
amusement, these are made the most
OF. and an American woman finds II ex-
ceedingly startling and annoying TO find
herself engaged the next day after
having stopped a moment In the parade
to exchange greetings with a native
man she happens to have slight ac-
Quaintance with. But such Is the preju-
dice one cannot pass the simplest civil
tiles with person Of the opposite sex
without the scandal mongers taking IL
mp ard making an engagement out
OF H.
The domestic appointments, too, are
In most establishments about a century
behind the times. Everything is done
In the most laborious way, and any In
noyation or labor saving device seems
to be looked on with suspicion or dis
favor The cooking Is on done in an out
side building and the food IS carried
into the house In years stay only
saw one cooking stove; the usual ar
rangement for cooking Is brick erec-
ton about four feet high with an open
wood fire on top A couple OF lroa
bars go across, and the pots ard pans
are set right in the Gre. when there is
10 be a roast the big brick oven ia
heated A great deal Of expensive i'm
ported food Is used. such as cured fish.
butter In tins. enormous quantities OF
condensed milk, ham and bacon, ard
jams. jellles and marmalaGe Bread "a
very dear and very poor All the -four
Is imported from the United States I'M
der heavy duty and freight charges, and
the bakers take very little pains in maxi
Ing bread; It Is always the same, and
one longs sometimes for bit Of rye.
graham or French bread The native
beef Is excellent. but they do not under
stand cutting It, and one pays the same
price. about sixpence for the least de-
sirable parts as for the choicest. The
cook generally a middle aged black
woman, cooks only the meat and voge-
tables, Pastry or desserts are not in
her line at ALL and unless the landlady
exerts herself to make pudding or pie
the boardors have to dispense with des-
sert.
THE creole women are not at all
pretty, but many Of them have graceful
and vIvacious manners, and there are
many naturally fine singing voices
among them. They really sing surpris-
lngly well, considering that they have
absolutely no vocal Instruction There
are no free public schools such as we
have, and children are not obliged to
go to school. Any young woman who
thinks she knows enough may become
a teacher or open little school at her
home, and she may teach subjects that
she has never been Instructed In her
self, but has merely picked up by read
Ing a very few Of the larger schools
have head masters or mattresses from
England, who are trained teachers, but
their assistants and all the teachers In
the smaller schools are lndiferently
qualified native girls ard boys, Poor
people cannot aford to give their chill
dron even such rudimentary schooling
as the island has In the old DAYS Of
wealth and lavish living people sent
their children 70 England to school, but
very few can af'crd 20 DO that now
MANY of the houses bespoak the
wealth Of two generations ago, with
their solid mahogany doors and stair
cases and massive stone construction.
when the people had plenty Of money
they did not do any good with Il, their
only care apparently having been to
squander H. and now their children and
grandchildren are suffering the pinch
Of poverty The girls were brought up
In absolute ldlcncss, waited upon by
m army Of servants, aud a llltlo simple
embroidery was the only form OF toll
that over occupied their dainty fingers.
TO this day Jamaica women look upon
work as about the lowest form Of deg
radiation, and they viii resort to the
most ludlorous aHd GegpIcsble cxpedi.
ents 90 get out " doing BIT Of work.
one will meet large families with half
q dozen grown up girls doing nothing.
and father loIlinr on n small salary
20 support them all In ldeness
They are very 'drcssy' In their pocul-
lar way. Everything IA trimmed TO
death with lucks insertion, edging, rib
bon and every form Of establishment
they can conlrlve, and they have no
conception Of the smartnoss Of slmplc-
n.y. They DO not make any distinction
a. TO when to wear their hnory, aud
they will turn out for picnic or agricul-
tural show loaded with "a much jowelry
and 0ne clothing as they would wear
at dinner party"
Elshy piurnis