Middletown transcript., 1916-05-13
N The JUBILEE MARET. KINGSTON

maculately fresh and clean, though
scarcely three feet removed from the
sweets. There are piles also Of linen
and cotton prints, whose cheapness
the venders loudly proclaim as they
stand measuring the goods off by the
yard and selling it at ridiculously low
prices.
II was near this place that a woman
buying embroidery that trailed down
into the dust. teld in her arms a
plump little brown baby 1t chuckled
and held out its hands to me, playing
like d kitten. l found that the only
name by which it was known was
Dada" Later. on the edge of the
crowd that oyerflowed into the street,
l discovered little "Murenne Cole"
black as a coal, hiding behind her
mothers skirts and laughing up into
my face The brown babies in Jamaica
are irresistible
There are many coolie women in the
markets, who sell fruits and vegetables
as well as their odd East Indian trim
kets. These women are bedecked with
heavy silver ornaments. in which they
invest most Of their limited means.
and the necklaces, bracelets, rings,
anklets and bangles with which they
are loaded down, display exquisite
workmanship and design. The manner
in which many of these ornaments are
worn indicates caste, and lot Of fiji
gree work dishguring the nostril pro-
claims a married woman. These East
ern women are always picturesque and
often beautiful Wistful and fawn-
like, with soft, dusky skins, they are
as shy and proud as wild animals.
Tobacco by the Yard.
Over in one corner of the market
place colored men sell ropes of strong
native tobacco by the yard and suggest
that strangers take home few yards
as souvenirs. Into the meat and fish
markets, presided over chiefly by men,
l could not persuade myself to go. as
everything was too ill-smelling and
unsightly; but l poked about unhesi-
tatingly everywhere else. The most
delightful of all the stands are where
they sell native basket work and
beads; the latter being seeds OF Vari-
GUS colors and sizes, strung in long
necklaces, and selling at sixpence
each. The venders Of these bead
strings, with long punches of them
hanging over arm or shoulder, hawk
their wares everywhere, haunting the
piers and railway station and victim
izing travellers. 1t seemed to me as
if they were always on the lookout for
myself, for found it impossible to re-
fuse and bought dozens of them, red
and black, brown and yellow, and dove
colored Jobs Tears that seem to have
been wept all over the island.
The baskets are equally tempting
and are of every conceivable shape
and size, from tiny ornaments and
shapes for ordinary usage to great
hampers and suit cases. In suitcase
form they cost but a shilling or two,
and are extremely light and highly
serViceable.
Then there are knicknacks and
fancy articles made of bamboo joints
and palm leaf. candle shades and
mats made of cotton fiber or lace
bark; and cocoanuts carved and deco
rated in endless designs. 1t is a morn
ing's treat to examine them all, and
buy here bit and there bit, until an
astonishing number of shillings and
pence have been transmitted into bask-
cts and beads. And then there is the
sweet smelling cos-cos grass. that
costs but penny a bunch and leaves
the things in ones trunk perfumed
ever after.