Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-15

hats, and bsre-footed, gray -cowled friars of the
| stern order Of San Francisco There are ladies
OF high degree, their faces partially concealed
by mantillas OF rich lace, and graceful senoritas
Of whom one notices nothing but their besuti-
ful eyes, incomparably large. black and LIQUID.
and balf-naked Indian women, each with a
mahogany-hued baby slung at her back as a
tourist carries his satcheL There are easy-
going Englishmen and Frenchmen gesticuIat-
ing like lunatics; aggressive, ouick-footed
Americans, stolid Germans placidly smoking
their pipes and plenty of the ALWAYS we'll
dressed and courtly descendants of the con-
querors.
THE HOSPITALS OF PANAMA
deserve more than passing mention. In Colon
there are splendid hospitals for the employees
OF the canal and railway companies, but no
refuge for the ailing stranger, except by an ar
rangement in effect between the government
and canal company whereby the latter has set
aside ten beds for public use. In Panama,
however, one OF the finest hospitals is that for
tues, supported mainly by voluntary contribu-
lions. There are several others sustained by
the government and various companies. the
most elegant of which was built by the canal
people IN their flush times at cost Of over
five million dollars. It stands on an eminence
In the midst OF extensive grounds, surrounded
by a beautiful garden with shaded walks and
arbors
And if ever hospitals were needed in any
quarter Of the globe it is in Panama, where the
popular saying goes that there are no gray
heads" meaning that there are none sutfi-
clently robust to withstand the diseases epidemic
and endemic, indigenous TO the climate and
brought here by the floating population. till
the sere and yellow stage Of life have
listened to two or three stories today which
may help illustrate the point. The gentleman
who now fills the position of Italian consul is
a native OF Colombia, because the four who
preceded him, all from Italy, followed one
another to the grave in quick succession.
A recent minister to Bolivia from the United
States passed his four years safely in the
smallpox haunted capital of that country, but
on his homeward journey, being compelled to
wait three days in Panama for a northbound
steamer, his two bright little sons both sick
ened, died and we're buried here.
An Englishman told me that his especial
chum died in Panama from sun stroke during
the early days of November. The friends
breakfasted together in good health and before
evening one was corpse.
The same gentleman called my attention to a
white speck on a distant hillside which he said
was the tomb of another friend, whom he de-
scrlbed as 1.-THE jolliest fellow in the world"
who landed here one day full of life and vigor
and i'll an incredibly short time was in his coffin
having been given bed in which man had
died of yellow fever only few days before 1t
Is needless to multiply Incidents for everybody
knows that Panama is no sanitarium.
Following street that leads out OF the plaza
and past the cathedral one may find an inter-
esting relic of the past, known as Ell Postga de
los Monjas, 1.-The Gate of the Monks" an an
tlque archway quantity carved and crowned by
a watch tower which leads through the moss
grown ramparts to the beach. Following the
path OF the monks OF old We find ourselves on a
wide expanse of coral reef which. if the tide be
out is alive with shrimps, cuttle-ish, hermit
crabs and other forms of deep life and strewn
ferns m oh ll
of curious forms and colors.
Another antiquity that should by no means
be neglected is the ruined
CHURCH OF SAN DOMINGO
1t was built soon after the founding of the
city and in its day was one OF the finest sanctu-
aries IN the new world possessing an extra
ordinary store OF jeweled vestments altar serv-
ice, lamps and images of gold and silver; but
more than century ago it was nearly destroyed
IN one of the numerous CONGREGATIONS. There
IS an interesting tradition concerning its bells
which runs as follows:
The church itself was built by the queen of
Spain and the ladies of her court. each contrib
utlng to the plous work what money she could
afford When the time came for casting bells
for 1t there was nothing left to pay for the
metal they should contain. SO the jealous
queen invited not only her court but people
of all classes to come and witness the casting
day they came in crowds. high and low. rich
and poor. When all was ready the queen threw
handfnis OF gold into the great cruclble and the
ladies and gentlemen of her court did the,
same, and then the poor followed
with donations of silver and copper greater in
quantity but less i'll value. Thus the amount
of metal rapidly increased but still there was
not enough. Then the queen threw i'll the
golden ornaments she wore; her ladies did the
same; the gallant courtiers cut the silver but
hDI slnto nd tl1 4. -
their shoes and the officers wrenched the lew
eied handles from their swords. The excite
ment grew intense. Rings, bracelets and val
uables Of all sorts, some OF them precious relics
and family herlooms. all went into the cruel
pie, together with buttons of brass and iron
and the mcaner trinkets of the poor.
And thus the bells of San Domingo were
made. 1t Is SAID that their tone WAS of the
purest; that they were held IN great reverence
both by the priests and by the people and
them crossed themselves and said
prayer. After the great conhagration
those not broken by their fall from
the lofty tower We're removed to some other
church. but certainly not to the cathedral, If
the story of their sweet tones be true for those
that clang and clatter above that sanctuary are
about the most harshly ear-splitting it has been
my misfortune to hear.
Among the notable institutions of Panama,
THE GREAT LOTTERY SCHEME
Of Messrs. Duque Brothers must not be forgot
ten. 1t was established in 1888 under con
cession' from the government, and is patron
lied by all classes. At the beginning the
drawings were monthly, the grand prize being
$500. The success of the enterprise was so eX-
traordinary that soon the prize placed at
>lO,OOO and drawings appointed for every sun
day. Tickets to the amount of $50. 900 are sold
at "A each), the sellers receiving per cent for
their services and the remaining 80, 900 being
divided between the government and the Duque
Brothers.
Mr.. J. Gabriel Duque, the elder of the firm,
Il very handsome, wel-educated gentleman.
probably Ill the early forties. has lately been
appointed consul general for Nicaragua and
Colombia. He was born in the United States
of Spanish parentage, | think and has spent
much Of his life in Philadelphia where he Wa,
engaged III business for many years. He says
that when the lottery venture began to flourish
about the time that the canal scheme was in
lis palmiest days, he invested his gains in Pan
anna real estate, while his brother, wiser than
himself, converted his own into Uuited States
bonds. And now" he adds with a smile, my
brother is living like lord, in Los Angeles
Cal. while l lead dogs life here
VI course We must go over To old Panama
PANAMA LA vIEJA."
carriage drive of only six miles, and see all
that remains of the proud city which received
Is royal charter in 1921, and after q brilliant
existence OF only century and half was de-
stroyed in single night by a handful of buc-
cancers.
Here it was that Pizarro equipped his muir
derous expedition, and where he and his fellow
rascals, Almagro and Zuque, desecrated the
sacrament by the Internal compact they