Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-10

glimpse of the gorgeous. costumes of the
Hindu gentleman and the priestiy look
ing Parsees. and the long. cool white
robes of the common people, for several
of each class we've gathered at the end of
the pier to welcome friends who arrived
by the steamer. but the moment that he
energies from the dock he enters new
and a strange world filled with vivid
colors and fantastic costumes. He. sees
his first CHERRY" a queerloOking We
hicle made OF bamboo. painted in odd
patterns and bright tints, and drawn by
a cow or a bullock that will trot almost
as fast as a horse. All vehicles, however,
are now called cherries" in India. no
matter where they come from or how
they are built--the chariot of the viceroy
as well as the little donkey cart of the
native fruit peddler. -....4..-
The extent of bare flesh visible-mas-
culine and feminine-startles you at first,
mon people OF both sexes. The working
women walk by wearing nothing but a
single garment wrapped in graceful folds
around their slender bodies.
Small Size of the Women.
They look very small compared with
the men. and the first question every
stranger asks is the reason. You are
told that they are married at infancy,
that they begin to bear children by the
time they are twelve and fourteen years
old. and consequently do not have time to
grow; and perhaps that explains the
diminutive stature of the women of
India. There are exceptions. You see
some fine, stalwart amazons, but 90 per
cent. or more of the sex are under size
Perhaps there is another reason which
does not apply to the upper classes, and
that is the manual labor they perform.
the loads they carry on their heads and
the heavy lifting that is required Of
them. II you approach a building in
course of erection you will find that the
is carried UP the ladders and across the
scaffolding on the heads of women and
girls, and some of these "hod carriers
old. They carry everything on their
heads. and usually 1t requires two other
women or girls to hoist the heavy burden
comes on the spine. and must necessarily
prevent or retard growth, although 1t
gives them an erect and. stately carriage.
which women In America might Initiate
with profit. At the same time. perhaps.
our women might. prefer to acquire their
carriage In some other way than, toting'
a noatut or Dicks TO the TOP OF 1our-
The second thing that fmpresses you is
the amount Of glistening silver the working
las Wegg. they wear rings I'm their noses
and rings on their toesesd and bands OF sill
yer wherever they can Hsten them on their
arms and legs and neckSn THEY have brace.
let's, anklets. a'rmlets, neck1ases, and their
noses, as well as their. cary, pierced for;
pendants. You wonder thoxs woman can
eat, drink or sleep with "a great big orna-.
ment hanging over heftIlfpss and some of
the earrings must wefgT several ounces,
for they fall almost tosthe sbealders. You
Will meet dozen coolie women every block
with two or three p0uf7ds III silver orna-.
ments distributed over xheiff persons, which.
represent their savings,i bank. for every
spare rupee IS invested in a. ring, bracelet
or necklace. which. Of course. do not pay
interest hke postal sayings bank, but can
pc disposed OF Tor full value in case Of an
emergency. The workmanship. is rude, but
collection of the silver ornaments worn by
Hindu women would make an interesting
exhibit for a museum They are often q
burden to them, particularly In hot weather,
when they chafe and burn the flesh, and
our bombay friends tell us that In the
summer the fountain basins, the MIGRANTS
ana every other place where water can be-
founu Will De surrounded by women bath
ing the spots where the silver ornaments
nave scared the skin and cooling the metal.
whish Is often SO hot as to burn the fingers.
Gay colors Everywhere. : -
Another feature of Bombay life which
Immediately seizes the attention Is the gay
colors worn by everybody. which makes the
streets look Hike animated raanbows or the
kaleidoscopes that you can buy at the To-
cent stores Orange and scarlet predomil
nate. but yellow. pink. purple, green. blue
appears In the robes OF the Hfndus you
rect upon the street. 4 dignified old gentle
man viii cross your path with pink tur.
Dan on his head and a Green acarf wound