The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-20
A LITTLE GIRL IN PORTO RICO.
Dropping American Spirits Aroused by an
UPlooked-For Incident.

Dropping american Sp1Tth aroused ny IN
~UPlooked-For Incident.
The American Commissioners of Evacua-
ton had been in Porto Rico's capital perhaps
two weeks. Admiral Schley and Gen. Gordon
were stopping at the Hotel Inglaterra. while
Gen. Brooke. the senior member Of the COM
mission. was with his escort OF regular cav
alrymen and his staff at Rio Piedras. n suburb.
eight miles away. 1t was lonely at the hotel.
There were. besides the Commissioners and
their stats. a dozen or fifteen other Americans
about the place. mostly correspondents and
merchants. who were following closely In the
wake Of the army and navy for business rea-
sons. They all hobnobbed together In n broth
erly sort of way. but the language all about
them was Spanish-which none understood ex-
hotel was a Spaniard. the cooking was essen
italy Spanish, the one bathroom was also essen
t desPit sptihn e coa HesnS T of tho Hsr Spa G1s alsG and the;
was longing for home. All wanted to feel again
their blood reyivified and cleansed OF tropical
excavation. They wanted 10 see the Stars and
spain, which still noated tauntingiy from every
public building. and to hear the strains OF the
music which stirs American patriotism, in:
was homosick and Gioried in the, fact,
One evening after u particularly bad dinner
the Americans had gathered in the interior
court OF the hotel to talk over matters and
M Sti9@ Of w fho s i1 q snsT; t soId I2nseS &as to em SeHin,
They occupied the great wicker rockers which
are ranged in a square around a big settee IN
always and forever breathing forth the pestif.
erous mosquito which continually showed its
Blood. There are no windows In this court,
and. bedro9ms-also without windows-open
on it on all sides. SO that mosquitoes once In
there never get out; but that has nothing to do
with this particular evening. Admiral Schley
was naturally the centre q the group, Next
and Wells and Ensign McCauiey OF the Ad-
miral,s staff were close by. All OF them we're
Conversation was tagging a little. for 1t WAS
very hot and the mosquitoes were particularly
when there entered n dark-haired. dark
skinned little girl who looked TO be no more
older. Tor later 1t developed, that she was a wife.
With her was her husband. who on this occa.
sion was mistaken for her father, They had
toothpicks In. their mouths-,a custom not in
consistent with good breeding IN Spanish pr
strullod nonchalantly to the piano aud her hus-
band took, q chair by her side, Running her
GnSeTs lightly over the keys she played some
rack before her, For a moment then she
stopped and n ripple Of polite applause ran
The girl turned half way on her stool, smiled
pleasantly. aud shifting the t0othuick to the
other side, Of her mouth again touched the
KEYS with her fingers. And what a thrill went
through every American, In the room us the
notes u The Star-Snangled Banner sounded
forth! Here was a breath of home. coming
unexpectedly. TO some of the men who had
helped 70 make this home a place OF which to
be proud. Wit, Il common impulse they rose
hymn WAS ended. The l~ittle'girl faced around
again. smiling NJ the applause which greeted
her delicate compliment.
we thank YOU" said the Admiral in his
sweetest way. and every one bowed.
The Spaniards had heard the song and they
peered from their rooms and peeked into the
court from the hotel office. not sourly. but In
wonder at this defiance 70 their flag, But no
ceptinG the situation as part Of the transfer
nation then In process. Not for many a day
had that song been played in San Juan. be-
cause even 10 hum:t onsthe street would have
served as a sigma. for the mob 70 rise. But
this little Porto Rican girl-for though mar
rled she was no more than a child-had broken
the ice and thereafter there was always the
solaes Of American music for the exlles.