New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12

of Norte 4. numero "a. and she calls to Juan
across the street 10 come over and see the
strange gentleman. Juan leaves his donkey
with the barrels of bread strapped on his back
and saunters across. Juan has never heard Of
Norte 4. numero "a. either. but Juan Is much
interested In the strange gentleman. us II that
the strange gentleman is German, or an Eng
lshman?" The strange gentleman says he Is
from New-York. The dulce woman and Juan
have both heard of Nueva York, and approve Of
It, Things are getting quite pleasant and con-
versational. Other Juans and other dulce
women have collected by this time. and they
are told to behold the strange gentleman. who
has come all the way from Nueva York and got
ten himself lost"
There is a good showing OF donkeys now, and
the people In the bakery across the street begin
clined TO ston his horses and linger. The
| strange gentleman naturally grows FESTIVE under
oil this attention, and goes on to explain tha ne
is looking for the 'legacon de los Estados
Unidos.' and that he thinks II is somewhere IN
the vicinity Of the church Of Alta Gracia' he
has long ago abandoned the idea of finding IL as
Norte 4. numero "a. Then a perfect howl of
comprehension goes up; he Is told that the lega-
tion is between Baiconcita and Iruco, ana ,ns
whole collection Of Juans and duce women ana
donkeys accompany him two blocks up the
street to the house where the spread eagle and
z Pluribus Unum keep guard over the door.
Balconcta Is the name OF one corner and
Truce OF the other and the stranger will find
that every Individual street corner In Caracas
has Its own particular name. The diversity OF
names. too, makes 1t interesting for the for
eigner. There is the corner Of Pajartos Qittle
birds), and block further he will find the
Madre de Christie There IL the corner OF
Folly" and one % Repentance" and the in
habitants disregard entirely the fact that the
streets themselves are named.
MUST BE MAN OF PEACE
The servants here have an absurd custom Of
calling out "Quien esq" CWho is ITO when one
knocks at the doors Of private residences. The
visitor is expected to answer "Gente de paz
people OF peace and he can't gain admittance
until he does make this reply. Things go very
smoothly when is familiar with the Ian
guage and this little popularity Of custom, but
when one is a stranger with meagre knowl-
edge OF Spanish IL Is likely to be embarrassing
Now. Mr.. Briggs went out the other day with
letters OF introduction to one OF the old famies
and experienced a most uncomfortab BILE quarter
Of an hour.
He had no more than touched the bell he
SAYS than what seemed to him whole chorus
of female voices shouted out "Quien esq" Now
what under the sun was Briggs to answer! IL
he had followed his first impulse and shouted
back, Soy Briggs'-they wouldn't have known
him from Adam. 80 he followed his second
which to preserve dignihed silence
Whereupon there vas most awful pow-wow'
Somebody dragged up chair, climbed on H.
opened little Zap somewhere up In the top
of the door, peeked out at him. and repeated
the query "Quien esq" BY this time the wrath
Of Briggs was so great that even English was
beyond him. He stuck his letter OF introduction
In the end OF his umbrella, passed II through
the hole and fed. He says now that nothing
earthly could induce him 10 go a-NlsltlnB Out
side the circle OF foreign residents and diplo-
mats.
The climate here in the valley OF Caracas Is
one Of perpetual spring. The thermomete:
never drops below 30 gets higher than 81
degrees. During the rainy season. which lasts
here from July to December. there IS a heavy
shower once twice a day. after which the
sun shines out brightly. and the air Is pure
and fresh and sweet. In the early morning
the streets near the market are stacked with
flowers for sale. and here. for two reals, which
Is 20 cents In American money. one can buy an
armful OF double violets, purple and white. The
whole place is alive with the fragrance ~ tube
roses; and every sort OF tropical fruit is found
in abundance.
When one Is miserable and lonely and
wretched one dreams OF this little city, set up
In the mountains. with It's pink and blue houses
and waving hags. One longs to come back to
the avenues of green palms and the piak b>l-
lisima flowers and the clear sunshine. Even
the jangling Of the Cathedral bells gets mixed
IN an undefnAbie way with TIE happiness OF the
past and one has feeling OF losing ones self
in their canlor How incessant II is-niorning
noon and night. with never hours Inter-
mission! AS II. up here in pocket OF the noun
tains. the people feel themselves shut OF from
the rest OF the universe and would call the
attention OF the Creator TO the fact Of their
existence