The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-04-16
A COSTA RICAN SPA.
HOW OUR LATIN NEICHBORS
USE THEIR HOTSPRINGS.
Burial Ceremonles-Howa Church of Eng
land Man Got Consecrated Ground-Ad-
vice About Stage Coach Riding in Prlma.
tive Countries.

before visiting the famous Aguas Calientes
(hot springs), which lie about three miles
southeast Of Carriage, and several hundred
feet below it, near the brink Of the river
that threads the valley. A much patron
.lZed tramWay connects the spa with the old
city, but by far the better way is to go in the
saqdle, or, better yet, to trudge out on foot
very early in the morning make day of it,
and return by mule car after sunset. In
recent years, since the completion of the
railroad from the coast and the consequent
tnnux OF foreigners fine brick hotel has
been erected at the springs, equipped with
plenty OF bath tubs, and most modern con-
Venlences. 1t is called the Belle Vista (beau-
tiful view, and never was name more appro-
Prlately applied, for the prospect on every
hand-the towering volcanoes and smiling
valleys and verdure Of endless summer-is as
enchanting as anything this beautiful world
can show. During the season, that is before
the annual rains set in the great hotel is
crowded with guests, from all parts of Cen
tral America, not only because it is the fash
lon' as our people flock to Saratoga and other
resorts Tor social pleasures, but also for the
penent or the waters, which are considered
q sovereign remedy for govt, rheumatism,
ana cutaneous diseases. All lovers of tn,
picturesque, however, will agree with me
tnat the primitive adobe structure which has
Deen used as a bathhouse since time out of
mind, and is guiltless of every modern an
pliance, is much more in accord with "the
eternal illness OF things" in these romantic
regions. Its uncouth tubs of brick and plas-
ter are supplied with water, hot cold, or
tepid, In a rather ingenious way. A very large
spring which issues, boiling, directly from
the rock, Is inclosed within high. adobe
wall, thus making huge steaming caldron
or cistern of it. A little way above is
similar clstern, filled with cold water from
the river, so as to give the necessary pres-
sure and also to regulate, through WOO. en-
troughs, the amount of hot or cold water to
produce the deslsed temperature in the baths
IN It's normal state the water is about 12E
degrees Fahrenheit. It is very soft and
, agreeable to the touch, and has the taste of
aualed eggs common to a preponderance of
sulphur and iron.
"Field of Saints.''
Another place which should be visited be-
fore saying a final adios to Cartago is the
ola Campo Santo (Field of Saints, within
whose walls lie the mortal remains of many
OF our countrymen. Passing in through
always surrounded by beggars and vendors
or lottery tickets, you find a very bare and
grim GODS acre, for these good Catholic folk
care little for the earthly prison" after the
soul mas escaped therefrom and make few at
sempts 10 Deautlfy the resting places Of their
dead. In the chapel corridor, in an honored
place amid CARRIAGES dear departed" re-
pose the bones OF an Englishman named
balllle, who, quite by accident, secured for
hlmself christian burial in a land where here
80 oIao VI alive, receive small considera-
tlon. 1t happened in this way: Mr.. Baltic
was a coffee buyer who had accumulated con-
siderable property during his residence in
costa Rlca. Knowing that death was near he
sent 1or the alealdi to draw up his last will
ano Testament IN regular form for the bene
a ~. ~ MS heirs: The alealdi, according to
custom. asked the dying man il he was a
Cnrlstian, meaning, of course, a Roman
Cathoilc, as people Of any other faith are not
CONSIDERED Christians in this country. Be-
'ng stanch adherent of the Church of Eng
laLa; and' therefore, of the true fold, &C.
cordlng to his own belief, Mr.. Baltic PROMPT
~ answered Yes" to the alealdi's question
ana was legally recorded as Senior J, J. Bail
He' tatollco Romano, Apostolico Christiano ,,
Ignorant of his uninteMtional deception the
Engllshman gave up the ghost in full enjoy
ment Of the Episcopal faith, and thew ~. 9
great rejoicing in Catholic Carriage over he
supposed eath-bed conversion. His friends
Ea1d nothing, knowing how difficult II was
at the time to obtain decent burial for So
CARED heretlcs, and indeed, it is doubtful If
any protest on their part would have been
listened to, for the alealdi's word was smf-
nclent evidence of Mr.. Baillie's orthodoxv
SO ne was buried in consecrated ground. viii
XII the ceremonials of the Romish church amid
cnoral service and clouds of incense The
whole city attended with crucifixes hon,ars
swinging censers, and figures 1T sain+s a.s - :,
the corners OF the plaza and all the princinal
sIieets the concourse halted to sing halle
luJans' representing the Joy in heaven over
brand snatched from the burning.
"A Young Chicagonn's Fate.
MOI so We'll Jared a young American. who
died In this city not long afterward. He was a
brilliant whole-souled fellow, the onlv son
o. wealthy Chlcagoan, who had strayed
Gown here in spirit Of youthful advent1,re
and fallen victim to some local calentura
AS ne was not Catholic, the vicar of Carta On
refused him burial in consecrated ground. At
tnat time the only American resident of the
place was DR.. Bridley, in whose house ~
young man died. The doctor fastened to So N
Jose, the capital. making a special point on
the treaty which existed between the United
States and Central America; and he fnallv
obtained an order from the President for the
Chlcagoan's interment in the Campo Santo
But still the vicar, acting, as he said unde,
higher power than that of the President
refused to admit the hereto corpse to thu
cemetery Meanwhile, in this land of sun
shine, the dead body was becoming horror
and a menace to the health of those WIN
guarded it. mounted messenger was dis
patched with all speed to San Jose, with tn
result that two companies of Federal troop
were ordered out to escort the corpse to it
grave, IN spite Of the vicar. The people gath
cred in scowling groups and threatened t.
mob the soldiers; but the body was safel
Inferred, and for several weeks was guarde
night and day by bayonets. The grave is tn
third from the entrance, and it is marked by
plain white stone; but doubt II it holds an
remains" for the soldiers could not waite
it forever. The day after the funeral the dis
gusted vicar, with a concourse of citizen.
went in solemn procession and reconsecrate
their field of sants,' which had thus bee
polluted by the presence of an unbeliever.
Mortuary Ways.
All funerals are occasions Of great cere
mony in Costa RIGA. Printed notices, FAC
visos," they are called, are posted upon IL
outer walls of churches and casas, like ar
nouncements of an opera or bullfght an
black-bordered, cross bedecked, printed ir
vitations are sens to all the acquaintance
the deceased. The priests charge a large fl
for attendance, proportional to the means
the family and when the relatives are poor,
Is considered no disgrace to solicit contrib,
tons to pay the funeral expenses. The spe
tacle OF a beggar, sitting at a church door,
street corner, asking aims to pay for buryi1
lis wife or child, is common; and quite
often one may see the bereaved father carr.
Ing in his arms to the cemetery the coft
If his little one, not being able to pay Il
both priest and carriage, and the form
is indispensable.
Another familiar sight in Cartago is t
death procession. When one is dying,
friends send for priest to administer t
last sacrament. The priest responds at on
to the CALL for a substantial considerable
not, however, as silent minister Of era
and consolation, but accompanied by brs
band and a rabble Of boys, the latter ringi
bells and chanting hymns. Band and be
boys head the procession. closely followed t.t