Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1882 — The People of San Domingo. [ARTICLE]

The People of San Domingo.

Men and women wear European costume of light texture—the women tidier than negresses usually ore; and, as the doors and windows of their houses stood open, I had an oportunity of seeing that the interiors were, for the most part, neat and comfortable looking. As I overheard several of the blackest-look-ing talking English, I got into conversation with them, and found that a constant intercourse was kept up with the Bahamas, especially. Turk Island, and the black population of British subjects numbered about four hundred, although in order to become a naturalized citizen of San Domingo ho other form is necessary than that of registration. Foreign negroes are subject to many disabilities. My informant told me that they adhered invariably to their British nationality for the benefit of the protection which* it afforded them in case of revolutions, as without it they would be immediately pressed into military service. They came here, they said, because it was so much easier to make a living than in the British Colony; but they all intended, as soon as they had made money enough, to go home. They form the entire Protestant community of the place, and are Wesleyan Methodist and Baptists. The former are ministered to by a colored parson, and the latter by an English missionary, who is the only pure Englishman in Porto Plata. The foreign merchants are for the most part German or Spanish. The language of the natives is Spanish. The result of eigthy years of black government is not encouraging.— Blackwood?a Magazine. A widow in Japan who is willing to think of matrimony wears her hair tied and twisted around a long shell hair-pin. E laced horizontally across the back of er head. But when a widow firmly resolves never to change her name again she cuts off her hair short on her neck, and combs it baok without any part. ’ Don’t be afraid of appearances so long as your life is all right. No man can better afford to have ill-tempered things said of him than the man who does not deserve them.