Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-08-22
LETTER FROM HONDURAS.
SAN PEDRO SuLA.

HONDURAS, c. A. Aug. 81
j. KoLLER, ESQ.,. Esteemed Friend:
Your unexpected but welcome letter
ofthe 18th ulto. came to hand yester-
day. l say unexpected letter for the
reason that men of your standing
taking flying trips through these out
of-the-way Spanish countries for
nothing else but pleasure and TO get
rid of some of the surplus dimes,
scarce ever remember the semi-civi-
lized people with their customs and
habits with whom they came in con-
tact doing their sojourn here. They
get back into Gods country again
and what with the hustle of their
business and the go-ahead element
they get into on their return, it's
nothing strange if they get into the
old saying "0ut of sight, out of
mind.n | am right glad, however,
to find one in yourself who still bears
us in mind and has even dropped us
a few lines showing that after all we
are not altogether forgotten race.
Consequently I'll now reply to yours
of the 10th of last month with the
greatest of pleasure-so here we are.
lndulgences are always granted
when there's a just cause. With us
here time is no count. A weeks de-
lay in not writing is considered by us
to be quick enough, particularly
when it is not on business matters.
| am glad you had pleasant trip
acrors our Andes spurs. A man of
your age roughing it through on an
old mules back, with a downright
hard open McClelland tree saddle for
cushion, seems tough travelling
when compared to whizzing along at
the rate of so or go miles an hour in
fine Pullman carriage with every
comfort civilization can get hold Of
it seems almost STANCE that you
should have enjoyed the trip. How
ever such is life. A man living in
comfort sometimes wants change
which must have been the way in
your case. The condition of these
Spanish American countries demands
hospitality to be their leading good
quality, particularly to foreigners.
You must remember how few hotels
there were in the country and how
very poorly attended too,--the coun-
try thinly populated makes hospital
ity, even to an enemy, a necessity.
l can easily guess that you had
quite an experience while in Hondur-
as. Our POGO POGO, manana or
pasado manana systems must go
hard on foreigners patience. The
scarcity of good things to eat, the
slow, old, go-ahead character of the
people, with their indolent habits
gives lot of experience to a man
who comes right into the country
from the United States. Our politi-
cal situation at present seems to be
somewhat brighter. President Bo-
Milo is keeping matters square and
unless we have general Central
American war our Hondureanean
civil wars are done away with. The
people are tired of numbering one
another and are beginning to find
out that it is best for them to keep
the peace. In fact | can assure you
and am sure you will agree with me
from your little experience with the
people that they are not war-like
race; on the contrary they are tim
id and easy going people. 1t is just
few darned politicians that keep
the whole country in a constant
broil. Now Bonillo is doing away
with them thereby keeping the coun-
try quiet.
The shooting affair between the
darky Robinson and Conductor Jeffs
stands this way: The darky is IN the
jug and will be sentenced to or 10
years in the pen. Jeffs was set at
liberty four days after the shooting
! and is now running on his train, he
will probably be made to pay a fine
of few dollars. The darky stands
but poor chance--he has always
been a dangerous character and be.
tween natives and foreigners he is
detested.
We are getting into the rainy sea.
son but the weather is fine, showers
now and then, just enough to keep
Vegetation in good health. The
measles have been troubling our pop
ulation causing a few deaths among
the young folks. 1t has however left
us entirely and we are all enjoying a
Paradise. Health Doctor Mitchell and
Mr.. Barnes send their kind regards.
The cashier and bookkeeper of Cole.
man and Barnes, a Mr.. Sappington,
who you probably will remember shot
himself through his brains about
days ago. Poor old man, he did it in
a fit of dispondency. He used large
quantities of opium which must have
been the cause.
Mrs. Penman and the children all
wish to be remembered and hope to
see you down again and place the
shanty, with all its poor aecomoda-
tions, at your disposal.
sincerely hope to hear from you
whenever you can spare the time to
write, and il any of your people
want information in regard to the
country, etc, just communicate with
me and will most willingly reply.
Don't forget to send me some news
papers now and then. The r. R. has
been turnel over to Mr. Valentine
by the government. His contract
only goes as far as the river Ulua,
where you ferried over on going to
the capital. Mr.. Scott, Valentines
backer, will be here from the States
at the end of this month. l suppose
he will treat with the governmental fol-
the balance of the r. R. from the riv
er Ulua to the Pacifcor to Ampala
Try and study UP the coffee business
as it is getting to be profitable dea
in Honduras. In the meantime
must say goodbye. Iremain
Yours sincerely,
DANIEL PENMAN.
Excuse all errors. A man who has
been over 90 years in Spanish coun
try is not supposed to be "a good Eng
ish scholar.
Look and See and Get the Best.