Middlebury Register

The Girls of Porto Rico

Four of Them in a Smoking Tournament With Americans.

Americans who come down here are both amused and surprised at the vast amount of smoking indulged in by the native women, writes a Porto Rican correspondent of the New York Sun. Those of high standing socially are not addicted to the habit, but among the country women the practice is almost universal. And the fair ones do not confine themselves strictly to cigarettes, either. Big black cigars in the mouths of really very pretty young girls are a common sight in the country districts. Cigarettes are really more of a luxury, because the paper in which they are rolled has to be bought, but the all-tobacco cigars can be raised and rolled by any one taking the trouble.

Not long ago the writer, then recently arrived, rode into the country one fine day and stopped at a native shack on the military road. Four smiling women greeted him at the door. One of them was perhaps thirty years of age and had a baby in her arms. The other three were not more than fifteen, although they had the development of American girls much older. They were all dark of skin, but with that shining straight black hair which is so often seen in the mulatto in whom is combined the Spanish with the negro blood.

Having given him water, the Porto Ricans invited the stranger into their home, and then began the customary linguistic wrestling bout, in which the simplest ideas were exchanged only after the most violent mental, facial and digital effort. During the conversation—so called by courtesy—the woman with the baby became so excited that she lit a cigar which lay on the table and began puffing at it furiously to calm her nerves. The visitor was also smoking, and although somewhat surprised at his hostess' action, he felt it to be his duty to offer cigars to the other members of the party.

The three young girls accepted the offer with pretty little waves of the hand and just as though it was the most natural thing in the world. They reached for a box of matches, which by the way, are the most plentiful things on the island, there being three match factories in successful operation—and lit up with a most nonchalant air. They smoke with much gusto inhaling the smoke like the ordinary American cigarette smoker. And how they did spit! It may not be a thing to boast of, but the Porto Rican woman can spit with all the power and precision of the most inveterate male tobacco chewer that ever lived. It is really amazing. Sad to relate, all their skill is wasted. The spittoon is unknown, and the genius which would enable them to hit it around corners and between the rungs of chairs is exhausted in the futile drawing of fancy figures upon the floor.

So with the Caguas quartet. They were, of course, unconscious that this conduct might provoke criticism. They had been doing this almost since they were babies, and there was nothing indecorous to them about it. When their visitor left them they gathered in the doorway to see him off, and the last he saw of them they were still smoking and spitting and smiling.

Certainly tobacco does not seem to hurt these people. They are as healthy and as buxom a lot of girls as a man would care to meet. Their spirits are high, though their lot in this country would be considered far from a happy one.