Evening star., 1898-10-14

phere cracked Their wares range from
confectionery, fritters. sweets and fruits of
every description down to staple articles
of household use. as well walking sticks
and umbrellas
No matter what may be wanted by a
visitor, all that is necessary is to go out in
the street for a moment and there is a GER
tainty that his wants can be supplied al
short notice It is no wonder that the SOL
diers of Uncle Sam have been made i'll in
Porto Rico, when ii is taken into considera-
ton the kind of food they have purchased
and eaten While it may be all right for
a Porto Rican to eat mangoes, alligator
pears, bananas and fresh cocoanuts, such
stuff is almost rank poison to an unaccli-
mated person.
Cooking, too in Porto Rico is attended
with great danger, owing to the quantity
of olive oil used in the preparation of food.
Little o.. no lard is ever utilized in tne
kitchen, but everything coming upon the
table is soaked in olive Oil, even domestic
fried potatoes coming in for their share of
Oil. TO see a native putting away food at
a swell hotel would cause no pangs of envy
in the breast of an American, but there is
a feeling OF astonishment that the feeder
can live after such mess has been con-
cealed beneath his belt.
Delicious French Rolls.
There is one good thing in Porto Rico.
and that is the French rolls, which make
their appaa Ut ce at every meal. Nowhere
only light, but brown and crisp at all times
and exceedingly healthful and nutritious.
People who have eaten IN all parts of the
world and pride themselves upon their epi-
curean tastes declare that New Orleans
alone can furnish fitting companion bread
for that of Porto Rico. These rolls usrally
come IN small sections of fours and with
a cup of the blackest but best coffee in
the world, enable the tourist to start the
han
N,le of thu hotels or private houses makes
Its own bread, but the rolls /: re turned vut
at public bakery, all the surroundings Of
which are scrupulously neat and clean.
This bread is vended about the streets be-
ing carried on the heads of mea and boys,
who balance large, fiat oasis of rolls
with skill and dextertty that Is woa.i .ierful
to behold. FL ndreds of rolls are piiei ND
In these baskets. but nobody has ever heard
of a vender dropping a quartet from its
perch on his nat head.
There is another custom of the country
that causes a shudder among people who
think too much care cannot be taken to
make boys and girls modest. and thai Is
the disoos ton to let the little ones of both
sexes run about the streets stark naked
One explanation of this mode of proce5ure
is that it conduces to the health of the
children, and In case any of the little ones
are afflicted with sores. which Is often The
case, there is no heat from garments to
add to their uncomfortable feeling.
Dogs are scarce in Porto Rico. and the
few specimens which run at large are of
mongrel variety, with large tails, not unlike
those of the ooon cats of Maine and the
north Nobody. ever makes an effort 10
feed these dogs, which scamper about the
streets at will. looking for refuse and
scraps In the dirt heaps. which are oiled
up everywhere. regardless Of health and ap-
peaFances. -. - = = Z
Porto Ricans are great consumers Of lem.
onade. and in the tsland this beverage takes